Umbrel is a free, open-source home server OS with a one-click app store. See umbrelOS features, self-hosted apps, and Umbrel Home hardware pricing.
Umbrel is a free, open-source operating system called umbrelOS that transforms a Raspberry Pi, spare PC, or dedicated device into a personal home server, giving users a simple app store to self-host their own cloud services.
It was founded in 2020 by Mayank Chhabra and Luke Childs, aiming to make self-hosting accessible to people without deep technical expertise by wrapping Docker containers in a friendly, one-click interface.
In 2023, Umbrel began selling Umbrel Home, a plug-and-play hardware appliance for people who want a ready-made server instead of assembling their own.
The Umbrel App Store offers one-click installation of more than 300 self-hosted applications, including Nextcloud for file sync and storage, Plex and Jellyfin for media streaming, Home Assistant for smart home automation, and a Bitcoin and Lightning node.
umbrelOS provides a clean, mobile-responsive dashboard for managing installed apps, storage, backups, and remote access without needing command-line or Docker expertise.
Because it runs on the user's own hardware, all data stays local, giving people an alternative to depending on third-party cloud services like Google Drive, Dropbox, or streaming subscriptions.
umbrelOS itself is completely free and open source, with no subscription fee; users only need compatible hardware, most commonly a Raspberry Pi 4 or 5, an old PC, or a home server.
For users who want ready-made hardware, Umbrel sells Umbrel Home, a pre-built plug-and-play server appliance priced at 699 dollars, with financing options available through installment plans.
Yes, umbrelOS and its app store are free and open source; users only pay for their own hardware or the optional Umbrel Home appliance.
Umbrel is used to self-host apps like file storage, media servers, smart home automation, and a Bitcoin node on a personal home server.
Umbrel was founded in 2020 by Mayank Chhabra and Luke Childs.
umbrelOS commonly runs on a Raspberry Pi 4 or 5, an old PC repurposed as a server, or the company's own Umbrel Home appliance.
Umbrel Home is a pre-built, plug-and-play server appliance sold by Umbrel for 699 dollars, designed for users who want ready-made hardware.
The Umbrel App Store offers one-click installation for more than 300 self-hosted applications.
Umbrel is designed to be approachable for non-technical users, though some familiarity with home networking is helpful.
No, Umbrel is a self-hosted personal server operating system, while Umbraco is an unrelated open-source .NET content management system.