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Six self-hosted apps helped me move selected workflows away from Google: Immich for photos, Nextcloud for files, Radicale for calendars and contacts, Grist for spreadsheets, Vaultwarden for passwords, and Reitti for location history. They are separate tools, not a complete replacement for Google, and adopting them means taking on the work of running and protecting the services yourself.
The useful idea is to migrate one workflow at a time. You can keep the Google services that still suit you while deciding whether the added control over where particular data lives is worth the administration.
What the six Docker apps do
This is a personal account of using distinct self-hosted tools for distinct jobs, not a claim that the applications match Google feature-for-feature. Their roles, as described in coverage of the original article, are:
| App | Google workflow it can address | What to keep in mind |
|---|---|---|
| Immich | Google Photos: personal photo and video library | Its project documentation explicitly warns against using it as the only copy of your photos and videos. |
| Nextcloud | Google Drive: file hosting | Think of it as a file-hosting option, not an automatic replica of every Drive collaboration feature. |
| Radicale | Google Calendar and Contacts: calendars, tasks, and contacts | The original account points to CalDAV support as a way to keep using existing calendar clients. Confirm compatibility with your own clients and workflows before migrating. |
| Grist | Google Sheets: spreadsheets and structured information | The author describes a more structured spreadsheet workflow; that does not establish feature parity with Sheets. |
| Vaultwarden | Password management | Hosting credential storage yourself offers control over where data is kept, but also leaves updates and security in your hands. |
| Reitti | Google Timeline: personal location history | Location records are sensitive. Self-hosting changes who operates the storage; it does not guarantee security or a reliable backup. |
The reported app-to-workflow mapping comes from the original article’s indexed result and a secondary summary, rather than an independent audit of all six projects. The six apps should therefore be treated as the author’s chosen tools, not a tested or exhaustive replacement suite.
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Why migrate gradually instead of leaving Google all at once?
Each service handles a different kind of information, so each migration has its own trade-offs. Starting with one workflow lets you see whether a self-hosted option works with your devices, habits, and recovery plan before you move more data. The author’s central case is incremental adoption and greater control over where some data lives—not an overnight exit from Google.
Before choosing a workflow, compare the app’s feature coverage and client compatibility, how you can migrate or export data, and the effort needed to back it up and restore it. Also consider storage and compute requirements, how you will provide remote access, and whether the control you gain is worth ongoing administration. These are decision criteria, not a comparative product test.
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What running the apps yourself requires
A Docker container does not remove the operator’s responsibilities. You need a plan for updates, access control, service availability, backups, and restoration. A service can be self-hosted and still be exposed or lose data if its host, network access, credentials, or backups are poorly managed.
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Hardware requirements differ by application. Immich’s published requirements list a minimum of 6 GB RAM and 2 CPU cores, with 8 GB RAM and 4 cores recommended. The project supports amd64 and arm64, and recommends local SSD storage for database files rather than a network share. These are project-published requirements checked on October 7, 2026; they can change. The available information does not establish comparable current requirements for the other five apps.
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If you already have a suitable computer that can stay on, you may not need new hardware. If not, a host entails more than the software: hardware, electricity, storage, connectivity, backups, and your time all factor into the cost. Free or open-source software does not make those costs disappear.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Take extra care with photo and location data
Photos and videos
Immich’s official Docker Compose guide recommends Docker Compose for production deployment, describes the project as under active development, and says: “Do not use it as the only way to store your photos and videos!” Keep another copy and make sure you know how to restore it; putting a photo library in a container is not itself a backup plan.
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Location history
Location records can reveal sensitive routines and places. Running Reitti on infrastructure you control changes who operates the storage, but protection still depends on how the service is secured and backed up. Decide who can reach it and how you will recover its data before moving location history there.
What this setup does—and does not—replace
Together, these six apps cover photos, files, calendar and contact data, spreadsheets, passwords, and location history. They do not replace every Google service, and the evidence available does not establish that any of them reproduces all of the corresponding Google product’s features. Check the specific features and client integrations you rely on before moving a workflow.
Self-hosting is a change in who operates the service, not an automatic privacy or security upgrade. Whether it is a better fit depends on the hosting environment and on your ability to maintain access controls, updates, and recoverable backups. For some workflows, that responsibility is a worthwhile exchange for more control; for others, a managed service may be more practical.
Sources: News Minimalist’s secondary summary of the original account; Immich Docker Compose installation guide; Immich requirements.
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