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YunoHost Review

Depends

Should I use YunoHost?

YunoHost is a system that installs itself on a server and allows you to install and maintain - with very little technical knowledge - digital services (apps) that you control. - yunohost.org

· 1 month ago

Use it if you want to run your own server for email, files, or websites and accept being your own admin; it is free and unusually beginner-friendly. Skip it if you need guaranteed uptime, paid support, or zero-maintenance services.

Confidence

Medium. Based on ~14 public sources: mostly community blogs and forums, one security advisory, plus official YunoHost pages. No named company customers found in evidence.

Ratings

  • Value for money
  • Ease of use
  • Feature depth
  • Support quality
  • Security posture

Pricing

Free (donations welcome)

YunoHost

ModelNot disclosed
Monthly feesNot disclosed
HardwareNot disclosed
Free tierYes

Best for

  • Hobbyists running a home server
  • Privacy-minded individuals leaving Big Tech
  • Non-profits and associations
  • Beginners wanting one-click self-hosted apps

Not for

  • Businesses needing SLAs, vendor support, or compliance
  • Anyone unwilling to handle updates and backups themselves
  • Teams wanting hands-off SaaS for email or files
  • Production-critical hosting on day one

Gotchas - check before you buy

medium

You are the sysadmin: updates, backups, and firewall hardening are your job.

medium

Migrating away later means rebuilding apps outside YunoHost's management.

medium

Email self-hosting is finicky; users report dropped connections needing forum help.

low

Roadmap depends on donations and volunteers, not a funded company.

Pros and cons

Pros

  • Free, open-source, non-profit project advocating a decentralized web
  • Installs and maintains apps with very little technical knowledge
  • Beginner guide calls its official documentation superb and really clear
  • Described as a great option for beginners, even by a user who left

Cons

  • Some users outgrow it and migrate to plain Docker Compose
  • Non-profit, donation-funded: no paid support or uptime guarantees
  • Past XSS advisories mean prompt patching is your responsibility
  • Users report operational quirks like dropped email and SSH connections

Sources & method

- 14 sources - No recent breaches found in reviewed sources; 2018 XSS advisories affected versions 2.7.2 through 2.7.14.

official x3review x6security x2news x3
  • Multiple cross-site scripting vulnerabilities (2.7.2–2.7.14), Bishop Fox disclosed two XSS issues in the YunoHost web application, published October 30, 2018.

Key stats

  • Value for money: 5/5

    Rating

  • Free (donations welcome)

    Starting price

  • 14

    Sources

  • Analyzed

  • Value for money: 5/5. Free, open source, donation-funded
  • Ease of use: 4/5. Beginner guides praise its clear docs and simple install
  • Feature depth: 4/5. Big app catalog: Nextcloud, MediaWiki, HedgeDoc, Collabora
  • Support quality: 3/5. Active volunteer forum, but no paid support
  • Security posture: 2/5. Past XSS advisories; hardening falls on the admin
  • Free Price Open source, donation-funded
  • Yes Free tier Entire platform is free software
  • Non-profit Governance Runs an annual donation campaign
  • Active forums Community Mostly French volunteer community

Pricing

YunoHost

Free (donations welcome)

  • Self-host on your own server
  • Install and update apps from its catalog
  • Community forum support only

Security

No recent breaches found in reviewed sources; 2018 XSS advisories affected versions 2.7.2 through 2.7.14.

  • Multiple cross-site scripting vulnerabilities (2.7.2–2.7.14)Bishop Fox disclosed two XSS issues in the YunoHost web application, published October 30, 2018.⁴
Full analysis

Based on ~14 public sources: mostly community blogs and forums, one security advisory, plus official YunoHost pages. No named company customers found in evidence.

Free, beginner-friendly self-hosting platform. Great for tinkerers; wrong for teams wanting supported, hands-off SaaS.

Methodology

Based on ~14 public sources: mostly community blogs and forums, one security advisory, plus official YunoHost pages. No named company customers found in evidence.

Read how a report is made.

Sources

  1. YunoHost homepageyunohost.org
    official
  2. Donate to YunoHost!yunohost.org
    official
  3. YunoHost product security pageyunohost.org
    official
  4. YunoHost 2.7.2 to 2.7.14 - Multiple Vulnerabilities (Bishop Fox)bishopfox.com
    security
  5. How to harden YunoHost security? — YunoHost forumforum.yunohost.org
    security
  6. A newbie's guide to self-hosting with YunoHost. Part 1blog.elenarossini.com
    review
  7. A newbie's guide to self-hosting with YunoHost. Part 2blog.elenarossini.com
    review
  8. Self-hosting with Docker Compose: Leaving YunoHostbhdouglass.com
    review
  9. My self hosting dream (weweb + yunohost)community.weweb.io
    review
  10. Dropped email/SSH client connections — YunoHost forumforum.yunohost.org
    review
  11. Nextcloud Update Fail — Nextcloud forumhelp.nextcloud.com
    review
  12. LibreServer [YNH Alternative] — YunoHost forumforum.yunohost.org
    news
  13. Self-Hosting | Run your own server — switching.softwareswitching.software
    news
  14. Grand funding ideas — YunoHost forumforum.yunohost.org
    news

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