Where PikaPods is ahead
- No server to rent, patch or monitor: PikaPods runs the machine for you.
- Very cheap for one or two small apps — from $1.80/month each.
- A much larger app catalog.
- A 20% revenue share with app authors where possible.
A PikaPods alternative on your own server: where Keenrig differs, and where PikaPods is ahead
PikaPods is a simple, affordable way to run open-source apps without managing a server. Keenrig gives you a similar one-click experience on a server you rent and control yourself. This page puts them side by side using things you can check.
In short: pick PikaPods if you want one or two small apps with no server to look after at all. Pick Keenrig if you want your data on your own server, many apps for one flat price, root access, or open-source software you can audit.
Side by side
| Keenrig | PikaPods | |
|---|---|---|
| Where your apps run | On your own VPS, at any provider you choose | On PikaPods servers in the EU or US |
| Source code | Open source (AGPL-3.0) on GitHub | Hosted service |
| Price | Free with unlimited apps; $25/month adds installation and domain support (VPS paid separately) | From $1.80/month per app, billed hourly by CPU, memory and storage |
| Free start | Unlimited apps on 1 server, forever | $5 welcome credit |
| Backups | Encrypted, run on demand, to a server folder, NAS or your own S3 (scheduling in progress) | Daily encrypted backups to your own S3-compatible storage |
| Root access to the server | Yes — it is your machine | No |
| App catalog | 7 apps, each one signed | Much larger |
PikaPods figures taken from pikapods.com on 23 October 2026. Prices exclude tax. Spot something wrong? Write to us and we will fix it. hello@keenrig.com
Where Keenrig differs
- Your data stays on a server you own, at the provider and in the country you pick.
- One flat price for many apps on one server, instead of paying per app.
- Open source: the server software is AGPL-3.0 on GitHub, so you can read and build what runs on your machine.
- Full root access: add your own containers, tools and firewall rules next to the apps.
Try it on a spare VPS
One command, no account, no domain. Free, unlimited apps.
curl -fsSL https://get.keenrig.com | sudo shUbuntu 22.04/24.04/26.04 · 2 GB RAM recommended · ports 80/443 open
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