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A self-hosted service can be useful on both your phone and desktop without offering identical features on each. Home Assistant, for example, brings smart-home controls and information to official iOS and Android companion apps. Immich pairs a web photo library with phone-based photo backup and album syncing.
The available documentation supports detailed recommendations for those two services, but not six independently verified picks. Rather than pad the list with unverified apps, this guide explains what each does well on mobile, what a larger screen adds, and what to plan for before using it away from home.
How to judge a self-hosted service on mobile
Look at the actual task the phone app handles, not just whether an app exists. A good mobile workflow might let you check or control something while away from your desk, or send new phone content to a server. The web interface may still be better for browsing, configuration, or managing a larger library.
Remote use also depends on reachability: an app cannot connect to a server at home unless you have configured a way to access it from outside your network. The two services below have documented mobile and web workflows; the cited documentation does not establish comparable details for four more services.
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1. Home Assistant
What works well on a phone
Home Assistant’s official Companion Apps are available for iOS and Android and connect to the server through its Mobile App integration. That makes a phone a practical interface for interacting with home automation when you are away from a desktop. The integration documentation describes its IoT class as Local Push and says it is enabled by default unless the default_config: line has been removed from the configuration. See the Home Assistant Mobile App integration documentation for current details.
What a desktop adds
A web browser gives you access to Home Assistant’s web interface on a larger screen. The existence of the companion app does not mean every web-interface function is identical on the phone; choose the interface that suits the task.
Rank #2
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Setup and caveat
Home Assistant needs to be running on a host you can reach. For use outside your home, plan a remote-access method and configure it deliberately; the cited integration page does not prescribe one universal approach. Home Assistant reports that the Mobile App device is used by 86.2% of active installations; the project page does not specify a measurement year, so this is not a dated third-party market estimate.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.2. Immich
What works well on a phone
Immich’s mobile app can back up selected albums to your server, and you choose which albums to include. Album synchronization is currently a mobile-only feature, making the phone more than a small-screen version of the web library. Details are in Immich’s mobile app documentation and albums documentation.
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What the web interface adds
Immich also provides a web app for working with the photo and video library from a desktop browser. The two interfaces complement each other: the phone can send selected albums to the server, while the web app gives you a larger-screen way to use the library.
Free Up Space and iCloud precautions
Immich’s Free Up Space feature can remove local media that has already been backed up to the server. Review the items before confirming: after removing a local copy, other phone apps—such as messaging apps—may no longer be able to access it, and you may need to share it from Immich instead. On iPhone, deleting media can also delete it from iCloud Photos and other signed-in devices. If you rely on iCloud as a secondary backup, Immich recommends using Optimize iPhone Storage instead. See the mobile app documentation.
Rank #4
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Remote access, hosting, and backups
For access away from home, Immich documents VPN, Tailscale, and reverse proxy approaches. Its guide says a reverse proxy can let Android and iPhone apps connect without a client-side VPN or Tailscale app, but describes the configuration as complex and warns that, depending on how it is set up, both the web interface and API may be exposed to the internet. Review the remote access guide before choosing a method.
Immich requires Docker with the Compose plugin. It recommends at least 6 GB of RAM for a smooth experience and local SSD storage for its database; a mini PC or small home server is one possible host category, not a required model. Check the installation requirements before choosing hardware.
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Backups need special attention: Immich’s database backup covers metadata and user information, not uploaded photos and videos. Back up the upload location separately. See the backup and restore documentation.
Quick Recap
Which one fits your mobile workflow?
| Service | Phone workflow | Web or desktop role | Remote access and main caveat |
|---|---|---|---|
| Home Assistant | Official iOS and Android Companion Apps connect through the Mobile App integration. | Use the web interface from a desktop browser; feature parity is not established here. | Remote access needs a reachable server and a configured access method. The integration is enabled by default unless default_config: has been removed. Source. |
| Immich | Back up selected albums; album synchronization is currently mobile-only. | Use the web app to work with the photo and video library on a larger screen. | VPN, Tailscale, or reverse proxy; reverse proxy configuration is complex and can expose the web interface and API, depending on setup. Separate uploaded-media backups are required. Mobile app source; remote access source; backup source. |
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