XDA-Developers ran a piece this month where the author swapped their browser’s new tab for a self-hosted dashboard and called it the most useful thing they’d hosted all year. The premise has been simmering in homelab circles for years: instead of opening a blank tab, you land on a single page that pulls in your services, weather, calendar, RSS, and quick links, all rendered locally from your own server.
We tested 8 self-hosted browser dashboard apps for desktop. The list spans the YAML-only minimalist tools, the drag-and-drop GUIs aimed at less technical users, and the heavyweight options that double as a homelab launcher. Each pick runs on Docker or natively on Windows, macOS, and Linux, and each is free to self-host.
What to look for in a self-hosted dashboard
The category overlaps with “homelab launcher” but is narrower than “intranet portal”. Picks below favour tools that:
- Render in under a second on a Raspberry Pi-class machine, so the new-tab feel stays instant
- Support widgets that pull live data (weather, RSS, monitoring) without requiring a separate stack
- Configure cleanly via a single file or a built-in editor, not buried under a dozen YAMLs
- Run as a single Docker container or a single binary, with no external database required
- Look good at the default settings, since a dashboard you have to spend a weekend theming rarely sticks
Quick comparison
| App | Best for | Config | Widgets | Resource use |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Homepage | Power users who want everything | YAML | Many built-in | Low |
| Glance | Reading-focused new tab | YAML | RSS, weather, Reddit, GitHub | Very low |
| Heimdall | Beginners, drag-and-drop | Web UI | Status checks | Low |
| Homarr | Plex / *arr stack admins | Web UI | Service-specific | Medium |
| Dashy | Customisation maximalists | YAML or UI | Status, search | Medium |
| Flame | Minimalists | Web UI | Weather, search | Very low |
| Organizr | All-in-one auth + dashboard | Web UI | Tabs, iframes | Medium-high |
| Homer | Static fans | YAML | None (links only) | Very low |
The 8 best self-hosted dashboard apps
1. Homepage — best for power users who want everything
Homepage by Ben Phelps is the dashboard that grew up alongside the *arr stack and gained widgets faster than any competitor. The built-in service integrations cover dozens of homelab apps, the configuration lives in clean YAML files split by concern (services, widgets, bookmarks, settings), and the UI stays snappy even with 50 tiles. The 0.x releases throughout 2025 added Bluesky, Mastodon, and several proxmox-aware widgets.
For users running a real homelab with services to monitor and quick actions to expose, Homepage gives the most without feeling overgrown.
Where it falls short: YAML-only configuration scares less technical users. Some integrations need a service API token, which adds setup time. Theming is limited to colour and layout.
Pricing:
- Free, open source, no paid tier
Platforms: Docker on Windows, macOS, Linux. Native via Node.js.
Download: gethomepage.dev
Bottom line: Pick Homepage when you want a dashboard that does more than render links. The widget library is the genre leader.
2. Glance — best reading-focused new tab
Glance by Svilen Markov is the dashboard that reads less like a homelab launcher and more like a personalised newspaper. The default page bundles RSS feeds, Reddit posts, GitHub releases, weather, calendar, and Hacker News into a three-column layout. Configuration is a single YAML file, and the project ships sensible defaults so the first load is genuinely useful before you customise anything.
For users who want their new tab to surface what’s new rather than what’s installed, Glance is the closest the category has to a finished product.
Where it falls short: Service-status widgets are thinner than Homepage’s. No drag-and-drop UI. Theming is opinionated.
Pricing:
- Free, open source, no paid tier
Platforms: Docker on Windows, macOS, Linux. Native Go binary.
Download: github.com/glanceapp/glance
Bottom line: Pick Glance when your new tab should give you news and feeds first, not service tiles. The defaults beat every competitor.
3. Heimdall — best for beginners
Heimdall by linuxserver.io is the dashboard that earned its reputation by making self-hosting approachable. The web UI is drag-and-drop, the application library has hundreds of pre-styled service tiles, and the optional status-check feature pings each service so dead links go grey before they go missing. The PHP/Laravel stack is heavier than Go-based competitors but the resource footprint stays acceptable on a Raspberry Pi 4.
For first-time self-hosters who want a dashboard up in 10 minutes without touching a YAML file, Heimdall is the default recommendation.
Where it falls short: Widget support is limited compared to Homepage and Glance. Theming is restricted. Some users find the iconography dated.
Pricing:
- Free, open source, no paid tier
- Paid Pro tier: small one-time fee for additional themes
Platforms: Docker on Windows, macOS, Linux. linuxserver.io image.
Download: heimdall.site
Bottom line: Start here if YAML scares you. Migrate to Homepage or Glance when widgets matter more than convenience.
4. Homarr — best for Plex and *arr stack admins
Homarr is the dashboard built specifically around the Plex/Jellyfin/Sonarr/Radarr stack. Tile categories include Plex sessions, Sonarr queues, Radarr calendars, Sabnzbd progress, and Pi-hole stats, all configured via a polished web UI. The 1.x releases added a more modular widget system that lets you split a long dashboard across multiple pages.
For users whose homelab centres on media automation, Homarr’s pre-built widgets save hours of configuration that other dashboards expect you to write yourself.
Where it falls short: Resource use is higher than Glance or Homepage. The opinionated tile design clashes with some users’ preferences. Backup/restore between instances is fiddly.
Pricing:
- Free, open source, no paid tier
Platforms: Docker on Windows, macOS, Linux.
Download: homarr.dev
Bottom line: Pick Homarr when your dashboard is mostly a Plex and *arr launcher. The genre-specific widgets justify the heavier footprint.
5. Dashy — best for customisation maximalists
Dashy by Alicia Sykes is the dashboard that lets you change almost everything. Themes, layouts, animations, widgets, sub-pages, status checks, search engines, authentication — all configurable. The configuration can be edited in YAML or through a built-in UI editor, and the project ships dozens of themes out of the box. The trade-off is complexity: a fresh install asks more decisions than alternatives.
For users who want the dashboard to be a personal canvas, Dashy gives the largest blank slate without writing custom code.
Where it falls short: Resource use is higher than minimalist alternatives. Build times can be long on weaker hardware. Project pace has slowed in 2026.
Pricing:
- Free, open source, no paid tier
Platforms: Docker on Windows, macOS, Linux. Native via Vue/Vite.
Download: dashy.to
Bottom line: Pick Dashy when you want maximum control and don’t mind investing the setup time. Skip if you want defaults that just work.
6. Flame — best minimalist option
Flame is the dashboard built around the keep-it-simple principle. The default page is a search bar, a clock, a small weather widget, and a grid of links. The drag-and-drop editor takes minutes to learn, and the entire project runs in a tiny Docker container. There are no widgets beyond the basics, which is exactly the point.
For users who want a search-first new tab with a handful of links and no extra complexity, Flame stays out of the way.
Where it falls short: Widget library is intentionally tiny. No service status checks. Project maintenance has slowed.
Pricing:
- Free, open source, no paid tier
Platforms: Docker on Windows, macOS, Linux.
Download: github.com/pawelmalak/flame
Bottom line: Pick Flame when you want a search bar plus links and nothing else. The minimalism is the feature.
7. Organizr — best all-in-one auth and dashboard
Organizr is more than a dashboard. It bundles single-sign-on, iframe tab management, user management, and a request system into one PHP application. The interface treats each homelab service as a tab in a unified workspace, which appeals to users who want to centralise everything behind one login rather than opening separate browser tabs.
For homelabs where authentication and access management matter more than aesthetics, Organizr is one of the few projects that bundles both into one place.
Where it falls short: Heavier footprint. The iframe-tab approach breaks for services that block iframe embedding (which is many modern apps). Setup is more involved than alternatives.
Pricing:
- Free, open source, no paid tier
Platforms: Docker on Windows, macOS, Linux.
Download: organizr.app
Bottom line: Pick Organizr when single-sign-on and unified tab management are the goal. Pick something lighter when you only want a launcher.
8. Homer — best for static fans
Homer is the dashboard that does the least, and that’s the appeal. The whole project is a static page driven by a single YAML file with no backend. The footprint is so small it’ll run on a Pi Zero, the configuration is trivial to back up (one file), and the rendering is instant because there’s no server-side logic.
For users who treat the dashboard as a glorified bookmarks page, Homer is the cleanest implementation.
Where it falls short: No widgets. No status checks. No dynamic data. If you need anything beyond links and a search box, Homer is the wrong tool.
Pricing:
- Free, open source, no paid tier
Platforms: Static site, runnable on anything that serves HTML. Docker image available.
Download: github.com/bastienwirtz/homer
Bottom line: Pick Homer when you want bookmarks plus a search bar and nothing else. The static-page architecture is the genre’s purest take.
How to pick the right one
If you want the most widgets and don’t mind YAML: Homepage. It has the deepest service integrations.
If you want a personalised newspaper feel: Glance. The defaults beat everything else for reading-first new tabs.
If YAML scares you: Heimdall. Drag-and-drop, large app library, easy onboarding.
If your homelab centres on Plex and the *arr stack: Homarr. The pre-built widgets save the most configuration time.
If you want full theming control: Dashy. The most flexible, the most setup.
If you want minimalism with a search bar plus links: Flame.
If you want SSO and unified tab management: Organizr.
If you want a static page that does nothing else: Homer.
FAQ
What is the best self-hosted dashboard for a Raspberry Pi?
Glance and Flame have the lightest footprints and run instantly on a Pi Zero or Pi 4. Homepage is slightly heavier but still comfortably runs on a Pi 4. Avoid Organizr and Dashy on the weakest Pi models.
Can I use these as my browser’s new tab page?
Yes. Set the dashboard’s URL as your browser’s new tab. Chrome and Firefox require an extension to override the new tab; on Edge you can pin a tab. The dashboard renders instantly because it’s on your local network.
Which dashboard has the most widgets?
Homepage has the largest first-party widget library, with integrations for dozens of self-hosted apps. Glance has fewer service widgets but the strongest external-feed widgets (RSS, Reddit, GitHub, Hacker News).
Do I need Docker?
Most of these run in Docker by default but ship native binaries or instructions. Glance is a single Go binary, Homer is static HTML, Homepage and Dashy run via Node.js. Heimdall and Organizr are PHP and easiest in Docker.
Is Heimdall still maintained?
Heimdall has slowed since 2024 and now sees occasional updates rather than active development. It still works, but newer projects (Homepage, Glance, Homarr) ship more features per release. Pick Heimdall if simplicity matters; pick a newer option if you want a tool gaining features.
What about Homepage vs Homarr?
Homepage is more general-purpose with deeper widgets across many service types. Homarr is more polished out of the box but targeted at the Plex/*arr crowd. Run both on the same machine and switch the new-tab URL if you can’t decide.
