Discovering the best docker containers for Unraid transformed my home server from a simple storage solution into a comprehensive digital infrastructure. After years of testing hundreds of self-hosted applications, I’ve curated a collection of essential tools that handle everything from media automation to document management. In this guide, I’m sharing my list of top selfhosted docker Apps on Unraid Server Homelab, complete with real-world insights and practical configuration advice based on my experience. Some of these I run all the time, some more ad-hoc, but I guess you do you.

My started with basic file storage and backups, but quickly evolved as I started moving to containerised apps. Today, my server handles media streaming for family and friends, automatically backs up critical data, manages my photo library with facial recognition, tracks household finances, hosts game servers for weekend sessions, digitises all my paperwork, and even provides development environments for coding and complex architectural drawing projects—all running simultaneously on a single machine, or two ;-)

Moving to Unraid was a great decision as it kind of takes care of some of the headaches of  docker containerised app install and config. Each application runs independently without conflicts, yet they all share the same hardware resources efficiently. No need to buy separate machines for different tasks—just spin up another container. Whether you’re concerned about privacy, tired of climbing subscription costs, looking for a technical challenge, or simply want full control over your digital life, building a home lab with carefully selected containers delivers incredible value. I’m excited to share the 95+ applications I’ve tested over time and my thoughts on those, what works brilliantly, what didn’t make the cut, and the practical lessons learned along the way. Let’s dive into the best selfhosted apps that can transform your Unraid server into a complete home server application stack.

Essential Monitoring Tools for System Management

Grafana Stack: Complete System Visibility

Grafana provides the visualisation layer, displaying real-time and historical metrics through customisable dashboards. The interface makes understanding system performance intuitive, even for complex multi-container environments.

InfluxDB efficiently stores time-series data without overwhelming system resources. Millions of data points accumulate over months whilst maintaining quick query performance.

Telegraf collects system statistics every few seconds, monitoring CPU usage, memory consumption, network throughput, and disk I/O across all containers.

Chronograf enables direct database exploration, proving invaluable when troubleshooting performance anomalies or investigating unusual metrics.

Unraid-API extracts Unraid-specific information like parity check status, mover operations, and array health, integrating this data into your monitoring stack.

Varken aggregates media server statistics from Plex and Tautulli, providing insights into viewing patterns and server load.

Additional System Monitoring Containers

Netdata delivers real-time performance monitoring with minimal configuration. Its automatic detection identifies running services and provides immediate visibility into system health.

Scrutiny monitors hard drive health through SMART data analysis, predicting failures before they occur. This early warning system has saved me from data loss multiple times.

Dozzle centralises container logs in a searchable web interface. Rather than checking individual applications, Dozzle provides unified log access across your entire infrastructure.

Network Management and Security Solutions

Reverse Proxy and Authentication

Nginx Proxy Manager ranks among the most essential Unraid container recommendations for network management. This user-friendly reverse proxy simplifies SSL certificate management, access control, and service exposure without manual Nginx configuration files.

The interface allows creating proxy hosts with automatic Let’s Encrypt certificates in minutes. Advanced features include custom locations, WebSocket support, and detailed access logs through integrated GoAccess visualisation.

Authelia adds single sign-on capabilities across all services. Users authenticate once, then access multiple applications seamlessly. The two-factor authentication support dramatically improves security compared to individual application passwords.

AdGuard Home with Unbound integration blocks advertisements and tracking at the DNS level. This network-wide protection works on every device without browser extensions, including smart TVs and mobile apps.

Crowdsec modernises intrusion prevention through crowdsourced threat intelligence. Malicious IPs identified anywhere in the Crowdsec network automatically protect your infrastructure.

Essential Network Utilities

Uptime Kuma monitors service availability with beautiful status pages and flexible notification options. Email, Discord, Slack, and dozens of other notification channels ensure you know immediately when services experience issues.

Cloudflare-DDNS maintains DNS records when ISPs assign new IP addresses, ensuring domains always point correctly.

Speedtest-Tracker logs internet speed over time, creating historical records useful for ISP accountability or troubleshooting connectivity degradation.

OpenSpeedTest validates LAN performance without external dependencies, perfect for troubleshooting internal network issues or confirming gigabit connectivity.

Database Solutions: Foundation for Docker Applications

Robust database infrastructure supports numerous containers across the home server application stack.

MariaDB provides MySQL-compatible database services for applications like Ghost, WordPress, and phpMyAdmin. The enhanced performance and additional features make it preferable to standard MySQL.

PostgreSQL handles applications requiring advanced features like JSON support, full-text search, and complex queries. Many modern applications specifically request PostgreSQL for its reliability and capabilities.

Redis delivers high-performance caching through in-memory data structures. Applications like Paperless-NGX leverage Redis for dramatic response time improvements.

phpMyAdmin simplifies MariaDB management through a web interface, eliminating command-line requirements for database administration.

pgAdmin 4 provides comprehensive PostgreSQL management capabilities with query tools, backup functionality, and performance monitoring.

Media Automation: The *arr Suite

Automated Content Management

The *arr applications represent some of the most popular docker containers for home server media automation:

Sonarr monitors television series, automatically downloading new episodes as they release. Quality profiles ensure content meets your standards before acquisition.

Radarr handles movie management with the same elegance as Sonarr. Wishlists automatically download when content becomes available in preferred quality.

Lidarr organises music libraries, tracking artists and automatically acquiring new releases. The metadata management keeps libraries properly tagged and organised.

Readarr manages books and audiobooks, though the community acknowledges it needs further development compared to its siblings.

Bazarr downloads subtitles for existing media automatically, supporting dozens of languages and subtitle providers.

Prowlarr centralises indexer management, syncing configurations across all *arr applications automatically.

qBittorrent serves as the download client, handling torrent downloads with VPN support and bandwidth management.

SABnzbd processes Usenet downloads, offering an alternative or complement to torrent-based acquisition.

YouTube Content Archiving

ytdl-sub wraps youtube-dlp in a configuration-driven interface, automatically downloading YouTube channels and playlists. Combined with the Jellyfin YouTube Metadata Plugin, archived YouTube content integrates seamlessly into media libraries.

Media Servers: Streaming Your Content

Plex remains the gold standard for media serving in any home lab setup. Hardware transcoding through Intel QuickSync enables simultaneous streams for dozens of users without overwhelming the CPU.

Jellyfin provides an open-source alternative with no premium features locked behind subscriptions. The active development community consistently adds impressive features.

JellyPlex-Watched synchronises watch states between Plex and Jellyfin, ensuring consistent tracking regardless of which platform users prefer.

Tautulli generates comprehensive Plex statistics, tracking viewing habits, popular content, and user activity with detailed reports.

Overseerr creates a beautiful request interface for Plex users. Friends search for content and submit requests without direct message coordination.

Specialised Media Applications

Audiobookshelf delivers the finest audiobook and podcast experience among self-hosted alternatives. The mobile apps rival commercial alternatives whilst maintaining complete control over your content.

Komga serves comics and manga with exceptional reader support across multiple platforms. The server-side progress tracking works brilliantly with mobile clients like Paperback.

Calibre-Web provides web access to Calibre libraries with Kobo sync support, transforming self-hosted ebooks into “purchased” content on Kobo e-readers.

ErsatzTV emulates custom TV channels from personal media, creating a nostalgic channel-surfing experience with scheduled programming.

Advanced Media Management Tools

Plex-Meta-Manager manages Plex metadata through YAML configurations, recreating custom collections and metadata without manual input after migrations.

PlexAniSync synchronises anime watch states with AniList, maintaining tracking across platforms.

PlexTraktSync integrates Trakt.tv tracking without premium subscriptions, supporting all library types.

Plex-Auto-Languages automatically adjusts subtitle and audio preferences based on viewing habits, eliminating repetitive manual selection.

Unmanic handles background transcoding tasks, remuxing containers or converting codecs without manual intervention.

Photography: Visual Content Management

Immich revolutionised self-hosted photo management as one of the best docker containers for Unraid photography needs. This Google Photos replacement offers facial recognition, object detection, timeline views, and automatic mobile uploads. The development velocity remains extraordinary with major features added regularly.

Piwigo manages curated photography collections with granular organisation. Smart albums based on tag combinations like “5 star” and “Winter” make finding specific images effortless.

Document Management: Paperless Office Solutions

Paperless-NGX Ecosystem

Paperless-NGX stands among the most valuable docker applications for NAS document management. This comprehensive system scans, indexes, and archives physical documents into searchable digital libraries.

Apache Tika extracts metadata and text from various document formats, enhancing Paperless-NGX’s capabilities.

Gotenberg converts documents to PDF/A archival format, ensuring long-term accessibility.

OCRmyPDF adds searchable text layers to scanned PDFs automatically.

This complete pipeline handles incoming scans, performs OCR, applies intelligent tagging, and organises everything searchably. The time savings during tax season or when locating specific paperwork prove invaluable.

Additional Document Tools

Ghost powers professional blogs with a focused writing environment. The Markdown editor and lightweight architecture deliver superior performance compared to WordPress complexity.

OwnCloud replicates Google Drive functionality whilst maintaining complete data control. File syncing works reliably across desktop and mobile platforms.

NocoDB provides a self-hosted Airtable alternative, perfect for structured data management and automated reporting.

File Sharing and Collaboration

ProjectSend facilitates secure file sharing with granular permissions and detailed activity logs. Client-specific access controls ensure confidential files reach only intended recipients.

Gokapi generates temporary sharing links for large media files, providing lightweight, privacy-focused sharing without account requirements.

ByteStash serves as a modern paste bin alternative with clean aesthetics and reliable functionality.

Developer Tools and Utilities

CyberChef deserves recognition as one of the most versatile self-hosted applications. This “cyber Swiss Army knife” from GCHQ performs hundreds of operations including encryption, encoding, compression, and data analysis through an intuitive drag-and-drop interface.

Draw.io creates professional diagrams for flowcharts, network topology, and technical documentation. The containerised version ensures proprietary designs remain private.

Snippet-Box stores code snippets and command-line one-liners, functioning as a technical “sticky note” application invaluable for server administration.

Adminer provides lightweight database management for multiple database engines through a single interface.

Ghostboard offers a minimalist pastebin with a clean interface, ideal for temporary text sharing between devices or team members.

Productivity and Organisation Tools

Actual Budget revolutionised financial tracking with envelope budgeting similar to YNAB but completely self-hosted. The prescriptive approach dramatically improved financial awareness.

Tandoor Recipes manages recipes with robust import capabilities and meal planning features. Shopping lists generate automatically from planned meals.

Vikunja offers modern task management with project organisation, due dates, and collaboration features.

LubeLogger tracks vehicle maintenance comprehensively, recording services, dates, and costs for complete maintenance history.

Backup Solutions: Protecting Your Data

Kopia handles snapshot-based backups to Backblaze B2 with encryption and deduplication. The incremental approach minimises storage costs whilst maintaining comprehensive protection.

Configuration through YAML files defines backup sources, retention policies, and scheduling. Quarterly restoration testing ensures backups function when needed.

LuckyBackup provides a GUI frontend for rsync, simplifying local backup tasks to external drives for the 3-2-1 backup strategy.

System Utility Containers

Watchtower automatically updates containers, reducing maintenance overhead by keeping applications current with latest security patches and features.

Cronicle offers GUI-based cron job management, making scheduled tasks more accessible than traditional crontab editing.

Krusader delivers powerful file management with dual-pane browsing and advanced features for navigating large storage arrays.

QDirStat visualises storage consumption, making it trivial to identify space-hungry applications or forgotten files.

Czkawka identifies duplicate files across your storage array, helping reclaim wasted space.

DiskSpeed benchmarks individual drives, creating historical performance records useful for identifying degrading hardware.

Gaming and Entertainment Infrastructure

AMP (Application Management Panel) manages game servers across multiple titles through a unified interface. The approximately $8 lifetime licence delivers exceptional value for hosting Minecraft, Valheim, Terraria, and dozens of other games.

Red-DiscordBot runs a modular Discord bot with music playback and hundreds of community extensions for server management and entertainment.

Dungeon Crawl Stone Soup runs via webtiles, enabling roguelike gaming from anywhere with internet access through just a web browser.

FoundryVTT provides a virtual tabletop for online roleplaying games with extensive module support and beautiful map rendering.

GameVault creates a personal game distribution platform for DRM-free titles, perfect for managing your GOG library across multiple PCs.

Learning from Containers That Didn’t Make the Cut

Figuring out what doesn’t work teaches just as much as finding what does. TubeArchivist seemed perfect with its built-in player, but missing basic features like shuffle made it frustrating to actually use. Homechart wanted monthly subscription fees for software running on your own hardware—which defeats the entire point of self-hosting. Cloudberry Backup looked solid until hitting a hidden 5TB limit that caused backups to silently fail without warning.

Firefly III tracks where money went, but sometimes you need a budget that tells you where money should go—different approaches for different needs. WordPress works fine but feels bloated compared to Ghost‘s clean writing focus. PhotoPrism and Photoview both handled photos decently until Immich showed up and raised the bar for everyone.

Tdarr promised space savings through transcoding but the quality loss wasn’t worth it. Kavita managed ebooks well enough, but Komga had better apps and client support. DuckDNS handled dynamic DNS fine until switching to Cloudflare revealed how many useful features were missing.

The pattern here? Good containers need active development, solve actual problems, and respect the self-hosting philosophy. If an application wants subscription fees for software you’re hosting yourself, or hasn’t seen meaningful updates in years, or creates more problems than it solves—move on. Better options usually exist.

Building Your Home Server Application Stack

Start small and grow steadily. Begin with a handful of essential services rather than trying to deploy everything at once. As you get comfortable with how containers work, adding new applications becomes second nature. The Unraid forums are goldmines for troubleshooting problems and discovering containers you didn’t know existed.

Write everything down. Seriously, document your configurations like your future self depends on it—because they will. When something breaks at 2am (and it will), good notes mean fixing it in minutes instead of hours. Keep these notes somewhere outside the server itself, like a cloud document or notebook. Learning this the hard way during a complete system crash isn’t fun.

Keep an eye on what’s eating resources. Even lightweight containers use CPU power, RAM, and storage bandwidth. Setting up the monitoring stack early shows exactly which applications are resource hogs and which play nicely with others. This helps decide what needs dedicated resources and what can share.

Actually test your backups. Don’t be like most people who assume their backups work until they desperately need them and discover they don’t. Run a full restoration test every few months to make sure your safety net is actually there when disaster hits.

Think through networking before you start. Containers need ports, some want specific network setups, and managing all this gets messy fast. Spending an hour planning your network architecture saves days of headaches later when you’re trying to untangle 30 different port assignments.

Hardware transcoding is worth it. If you’re running Plex or similar media servers, get an Intel CPU with QuickSync or add a graphics card. The difference is dramatic when multiple people are streaming—your CPU will thank you.

Don’t skip security basics. Set up a reverse proxy with proper SSL certificates, turn on two-factor authentication through something like Authelia, and use custom Docker networks to keep containers separated. It’s not paranoia when you’re exposing services to the internet.

Summary Statistics

• Total Applications Listed: 95

Conclusion: Your Journey with Docker Containers on Unraid

Building out a solid Unraid home lab just keeps giving back, since 2016 is when I think I originally bought my license after years on FreeNAS. The beauty of containers is how low-risk everything becomes.

Want to check out a different photo app? Fire up a container and run it alongside what you’ve already got.

Curious about that budgeting tool everyone’s talking about? Have it running in five minutes without breaking anything else.

This freedom to experiment, plus how efficiently everything shares resources, means your server keeps getting more useful without needing constant hardware upgrades. If you care about keeping control of your data, you’re sick of cloud services jacking up prices every year, you get a kick out of learning how this stuff works, or you just don’t want some company holding your files hostage—the home lab route makes total sense. Plus, the troubleshooting skills you pick up along the way? They’re useful way beyond just your server.

The self-hosted world keeps getting better too. Apps like Immich, Actual Budget, and Paperless-NGX show that open-source projects can absolutely blow away their paid competitors. And here’s the cool part—the 95+ apps I’ve covered are just what’s I’ve tested or at least can remember. There are tons more being built by communities who actually care about privacy and user ownership.

Your setup will look different from mine, and that’s perfectly fine. Some containers will become daily essentials, others you’ll fire up only when needed, and plenty will get tested then removed as you figure out what actually works for you. That’s what makes this whole thing great—you build exactly what you need, skip what you don’t, and change your mind whenever you want.

That’s it, Enjoy!

Additional Resources

• Unraid Forums
• Unraid Official Site
• Docker Hub