What is Cloudron and how to install self-hosted applications
Published on 2026-10-26 by frfrand
Cloudron and self-hosted app catalog: updates, backups, and limits
Cloudron has a pretty interesting idea: install well-known applications on your own server without spending a week preparing each one. If you need an internal tool, a password manager for the team, or a collaborative service, the catalog can save you quite a bit of work. But Cloudron is not the same as deploying any custom API from a Git repository.
What Cloudron is, explained without fluff
Cloudron is a platform to install and manage self-hosted applications on infrastructure you control. It takes care of integrating deployment and maintenance aspects for applications supported by its catalog. Its strength is precisely that catalog: a prepared application can be installed with fewer manual decisions than you would have when setting up Docker, a proxy, and certificates on your own.
What it does not do is turn any custom project into a catalog application. If you develop FastAPI, Django, or a custom service, evaluate whether Cloudron's tools support the exact flow you need or if another platform suits you better.
A practical case: internal tools and a custom API
Imagine a small agency: the team wants a document application, another one for storing information, and also a backend that synchronizes reservations with a PostgreSQL database. The ready-made tools from the catalog can be installed on Cloudron, but the custom backend might fit better on a VPS where you have Git, systemd, Nginx, and process control.
That detail matters. You don't need to use a single tool for the entire business. In fact, separating internal applications from the critical backend can simplify recovery if one of them fails.
How to install and evaluate Cloudron
- Choose a compatible server. Check the system version, CPU, RAM, storage, and network requirements in the official documentation. A small server may be enough for a test, but several apps need real resources.
- Prepare the domain and DNS. Review the nameservers and expected records. Avoid blindly modifying the production domain.
- Install Cloudron via the official procedure. Protect the administrator with strong authentication and record who can access it.
- Choose a non-critical application from the catalog. Install it and confirm HTTPS, users, emails if applicable, and storage.
- Test an update and a restore. If you still don't know how to recover data after a failure, do not migrate customer information.
The data problem
An application can be installed in minutes and accumulate months of valuable information. Before relying on it, find out where the data is, what Cloudron backs up, how it is exported, and if you can restore it on another machine. Do not confuse a copy of the code with a copy of the database.
Also check permissions. Having a single convenient panel does not mean that all collaborators should be able to manage all applications.
Cloudron vs. ArduMaker: what changes?
Cloudron is more oriented toward the catalog of self-hosted apps and operating them with its own experience. ArduMaker, on the other hand, is focused on managing VPS, projects, and services: you can create a server, deploy software from GitHub, use Docker, manage databases, domains, and MCP tools from the platform environment.
| Need | Cloudron | ArduMaker |
|---|---|---|
| Install an app from the catalog | Its main focus | Depends on the type of app and its tools |
| Deploy own API from Git | Requires checking the supported flow | Git deployment on VPS |
| Manage server and services | Guided experience by its platform | VPS panel, processes, domains, and databases |
| Maintain backups and security | They must be checked and managed | They also require control and testing |
If what you want is to install a packaged application and forget about much of its configuration, Cloudron is worth a try. If you develop your own systems such as a booking backend with PostgreSQL, Redis, and background processes, ArduMaker may be more convenient for centralizing infrastructure and maintaining access to the server environment.
How would I set it up on ArduMaker?
I would create a Company for the client, a VPS for the API, connect the GitHub repository, and configure PostgreSQL with restricted permissions. I would put Nginx with HTTPS in front of the app and separate long-running jobs into a worker. If I also need n8n or WordPress, I would manage them as environment resources, according to the project's needs.
The difference is not that ArduMaker makes maintenance disappear: the difference is how it brings together the tools to do it without setting up an independent panel for each task.
Mistakes I would avoid
- Installing too many apps on a VPS without measuring RAM and disk.
- Exposing administrative panels to the entire Internet.
- Relying on backups that were never restored.
- Assuming that application or panel licenses are always free.
- Migrating internal tools and production data on the same day.
Useful readings: official Cloudron documentation · ArduMaker comparisons · VPS guide.
In short: Cloudron simplifies ready-to-use applications; ArduMaker helps you organize infrastructure and your own code. Choose according to what you really need to maintain.