CasaOS vs Startpunkt
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted dashboards & startpages options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
CasaOS
Simple, easy-to-use home cloud system and dashboard
VS
Startpunkt
Clean startpage that auto-discovers Kubernetes apps
| Feature | CasaOS | Startpunkt |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | ≈5-minute setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 45 · Fair | 65 · Good |
| Category | Dashboards & Startpages | Dashboards & Startpages |
| License | Apache-2.0 | MIT |
| Language | Go | Java |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 512 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | docker, one-click | docker, kubernetes, helm |
| GitHub stars | ★ 37,254 | ★ 3 |
| First released | 2021 | 2024 |
| Replaces | Google homepage | Google homepage |
What are CasaOS and Startpunkt?
CasaOS
CasaOS is a community-based open-source home cloud operating system and dashboard built on Docker. It provides an elegant app store and dashboard for managing self-hosted applications.
- Elegant app store
- Drag-and-drop dashboard
- File management
- Docker app management
Startpunkt
Startpunkt is a clean, modern startpage that automatically discovers applications running in Kubernetes and Docker through annotations. It presents them as bookmarks in a themeable interface.
- Kubernetes app auto-discovery
- Annotation-based config
- Multiple themes
- Lightweight footprint
CasaOS vs Startpunkt: key differences
CasaOS is written in Go, while Startpunkt is built with Java. Licensing differs — Apache-2.0 for CasaOS versus MIT for Startpunkt. Startpunkt is the lighter option, starting around 256 MB of RAM against 512 MB for CasaOS. CasaOS is the more established project (first released 2021), while Startpunkt arrived in 2024. CasaOS has the considerably larger community, at 37,254 GitHub stars versus 3.
Why pick each one
Choose CasaOS if…
- Very beginner-friendly
- Polished interface
Watch out for
- Best on dedicated hardware
- Less control than raw Docker
Choose Startpunkt if…
- Great cluster integration
- Modern look
Watch out for
- Newer project
- Best suited for Kubernetes
Frequently asked questions
Is CasaOS or Startpunkt better?
Neither is universally better. CasaOS has the larger community; both share a easy setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are CasaOS and Startpunkt free and open-source?
Yes. CasaOS is licensed under Apache-2.0 and Startpunkt under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run CasaOS and Startpunkt with Docker?
CasaOS: yes. Startpunkt: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, CasaOS or Startpunkt?
Startpunkt has the smaller minimum footprint at 256 MB of RAM, compared to about 512 MB for CasaOS. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.