Homer Hosting

1. Open your pod URL to see the starter dashboard.
2. Connect with PikaPods SFTP and edit assets/config.yml, following the configuration guide.
3. Set your page title and add your groups, service names, icons and links, then save the file and reload Homer.

Homer has no separate setup account or visual configuration editor. Keep a copy of your YAML before making larger changes.

No. PikaPods sets up and runs Homer for you, including OS and app updates and HTTPS. You won't touch Docker or a server. Your files and database stay accessible if you ever want to move them elsewhere.

Yes. Open the same pod URL in a modern browser on your phone, tablet or computer, or install Homer as a progressive web app. No dedicated native client or user account is required. A bookmark only opens its destination; it does not make a private home service reachable from elsewhere.

Plain links need no extra account. Optional smart cards may need credentials such as an API key for the target service, and any third-party charges remain separate from PikaPods.

Smart-card requests are subject to network reachability and browser CORS restrictions. Homer also exposes assets/config.yml to anyone who can access the dashboard, so do not put secrets in it unless access is protected; the smart card documentation explains CORS and safer credential-injecting proxy options.

Set up incremental backups to S3 in your pod settings for automatic nightly snapshots, or download your files and database yourself. We keep whole-server backups for server failures, but they aren't a per-pod restore service, so your own backup is what protects your data.

You can use Homer instead of Start.me. PikaPods runs it for you, and you can move your files and database elsewhere.

Start.me is a hosted start page you edit in the browser, with an account of its own. Homer is a static page driven by one YAML file, and runs on your pod. It has no visual editor, so it suits people who prefer to keep configuration in a simple file. Smart cards can add service information if they can reach those services.

No. You add prepaid credit and your pods are billed by the hour from that balance, rounded up to full hours. There are no contracts or minimum terms: delete a pod anytime and billing stops. Optional automatic top-ups keep your pods running without manual payments.

You do. And you're in full control. If you ever want to download, migrate, edit or delete your data, just enable file and database access for your pod and it will be right there.