TurnKey OS for your Homelab

Easy Public Access

Here’s a concise, practical comparison of TurnKey homelab OSes as of early 2026

Platform	Full OS?	Docker-Based	Easy Tunnel (Public Access)	App Store	Free Tier	Best For
UmbrelOS	❌ (Runs on top of Debian/RPi OS)	✅ Yes	⚠️ Limited (Relies on Tailscale/Cloudflare; no built-in tunnel)	✅ Curated, privacy-focused	✅ Fully open-source & free	Beginners, Bitcoin/self-sovereignty users
CasaOS	❌ (Installs on existing Linux)	✅ Yes	⚠️ Via add-ons (e.g., Cloudflare Tunnel); no native public sharing	✅ Large community app store	✅ Open-source, free	General-purpose home server, user-friendly
ZimaOS	❌ (App layer over Ubuntu)	✅ Yes	✅ Built-in ZimaLink (Ngrok-like tunnels with custom domains)	✅ Growing catalog	✅ Free core; Pro for advanced features	Digital nomads, easy remote access
Runtipi	❌ (Docker-compose on Linux)	✅ Yes	⚠️ Manual setup (Tailscale, Ngrok, or reverse proxy needed)	✅ YAML-based “app store”	✅ Fully open-source & free	Devs who want simplicity + full control
Cosmos Cloud	✅ (Standalone Debian-based OS)	✅ Yes	✅ Built-in Cosmos Connect (one-click public URLs)	✅ Integrated marketplace	✅ Free tier; paid for teams/backups	All-in-one experience, families & creators

🔍 Key Insights

✅ Best for Easy Public Access

Digital Nomad Use

ZimaOS: ZimaLink gives you yourname.zima.live/app instantly, no config.
Cosmos Cloud: One-click public sharing with TLS and custom domain support.

✅ Best for Simplicity + Privacy

Family and Home Use

UmbrelOS: Polished, secure, but locked to its ecosystem. No public sharing out of the box.
CasaOS: Feels like a lightweight NAS; great UI, but tunnels require manual setup.

✅ Best for Developers

Do It Yourself Control

Runtipi: Minimalist, Git-backed, easy to audit. You manage networking.
CasaOS: Also dev-friendly, with file manager + CLI access.

❌ What None Do Perfectly

No platform offers both:
- A true full OS installer (like Proxmox) and
- A seamless built-in tunnel and
- A rich app store
  → You always trade off between integration and flexibility.

🎯 Recommendation by Use Case

Your Priority	Best Choice
“I just want my apps online from anywhere”	ZimaOS or Cosmos Cloud
“I want a private family server, no internet exposure”	UmbrelOS or CasaOS
“I’m technical and want full control”	Runtipi (on Ubuntu)
“I want an all-in-one box that ‘just works’”	Cosmos Cloud

💡 Pro Tip: If you already have a machine (like your Lenovo), install Ubuntu 22.04, then run Runtipi or CasaOS on top. You get full OS control + app store + ability to add Pangolin/Tailscale later.

All options are free to start, but only ZimaOS and Cosmos Cloud solve the “easy public URL” problem out of the box.