Cosmos Server vs Startpunkt
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted dashboards & startpages options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | Cosmos Server | Startpunkt |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 91 · Excellent | 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 | docker, kubernetes, helm |
| GitHub stars | ★ 6,164 | ★ 3 |
| First released | 2023 | 2024 |
| Replaces | Google homepage | Google homepage |
What are Cosmos Server and Startpunkt?
Cosmos Server
Cosmos is a self-hosted server platform with an application dashboard, app store, reverse proxy, and security features. It makes managing and accessing homelab applications simple from one interface.
- App dashboard and store
- Built-in reverse proxy
- Authentication and SSO
- Security monitoring
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
Cosmos Server vs Startpunkt: key differences
Cosmos Server is written in Go, while Startpunkt is built with Java. Licensing differs — Apache-2.0 for Cosmos Server versus MIT for Startpunkt. Startpunkt is the lighter option, starting around 256 MB of RAM against 512 MB for Cosmos Server. Cosmos Server has the considerably larger community, at 6,164 GitHub stars versus 3.
Why pick each one
Choose Cosmos Server if…
- All-in-one server platform
- Easy app installs
Watch out for
- Opinionated approach
- Heavier than a plain dashboard
Choose Startpunkt if…
- Great cluster integration
- Modern look
Watch out for
- Newer project
- Best suited for Kubernetes
Frequently asked questions
Is Cosmos Server or Startpunkt better?
Neither is universally better. Cosmos Server has the larger community; both share a easy setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are Cosmos Server and Startpunkt free and open-source?
Yes. Cosmos Server is licensed under Apache-2.0 and Startpunkt under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Cosmos Server and Startpunkt with Docker?
Cosmos Server: yes. Startpunkt: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, Cosmos Server or Startpunkt?
Startpunkt has the smaller minimum footprint at 256 MB of RAM, compared to about 512 MB for Cosmos Server. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.