A private home server that feels like an app.
OurBox is a small, always-on home appliance that runs your apps in containers and serves a beautiful, phone-style web launcher. Your data stays in your home. Your AI stays local.
Swipeable app launcher that feels like iOS/Android (served as pure HTML)
Runs containerized apps on a built-in lightweight cluster
Local-first privacy: your family data doesn’t have to leave your house
On-device AI for everyday tasks (summaries, voice, search, and more)
No subscription required. Optional donations support shared infrastructure and long-term maintenance.
Big Tech turned the home into a data mine. OurBox turns it back into yours.
Phones, TVs, routers, cloud accounts—everything wants to be the “center” of your digital life. The result is a mess: privacy settings scattered everywhere, services you don’t control, and “smart” features that quietly ship your information somewhere else.
OurBox is a single, physical place where your digital life can live—on your terms. It’s a personal home server appliance designed for families, privacy-minded rebels, hobbyists, and anyone who wants modern convenience without handing the keys to someone else.
Meet OurBox
OurBox is a compact appliance that runs your apps as containers on an internal orchestration layer, and then presents them through a mobile-first web UI that works like a home screen: tap, swipe, press-and-hold—launch apps instantly.
It’s built to be the heart of a home setup that’s:
- easy enough for non-technical households to use daily
- powerful enough for builders to extend forever
A home screen for your home server
Most self-hosting dashboards feel like… dashboards. OurBox doesn’t.
The OurBox launcher is a touch-first web UI designed to behave like a phone’s home screen:
- Swipe through apps
- Tap to launch
- Press-and-hold for app actions (open, manage, pin, remove)
- Add to Home Screen so it opens fullscreen like a real app
Everything is served as standard HTML to your phone—no special client required.
Privacy, security, and AI—without the cloud dependency.
Local-first by default
Your data lives where you live. OurBox is designed so your household can run essential services locally instead of outsourcing your private life.
On-device AI
Run useful AI features directly on the box—like summarizing documents, local search, voice features, and more—without sending sensitive content to third-party servers.
Apps as containers
Apps run as isolated services. Install, update, and launch them cleanly—without turning your home setup into a fragile science project.
Phone-first UI
A launcher that feels familiar. Less “admin panel.” More “tap the thing you want.”
Optional remote access
Access your box via a unique address when you need it—while still keeping your home setup simple.
One-time purchase
No mandatory subscription. Optional donations help support the shared discovery/bootstrap infrastructure and ongoing maintenance.
From power-on to app launch in minutes
Power it up
OurBox is always-on when powered. No display required. No keyboard required.
Connect with your phone
Out of the box, OurBox supports a setup path that works even when you don’t want to mess with cables: it can provide a temporary Wi-Fi access point mode for onboarding.
Claim your box
Each unit includes a unique ID and QR code so your household can get to the right place fast.
Install apps
Choose from an app catalog (or bring your own). Apps run as containerized services.
Use it like a home screen
Open the launcher, swipe, and tap—just like the device you already understand.
AI that helps—without becoming the product
OurBox is built for people who want the upside of modern AI without the constant trade: “Sure, we’ll help… now hand over your data.”
With OurBox, AI features can run on the appliance so your household can:
- summarize and organize documents
- search local content more intelligently
- use voice features without always shipping audio to the cloud
- explore creative and productive workflows locally
It’s your box. Your data. Your choice.
Purpose-built hardware. No fluff.
OurBox is designed around an efficient NVIDIA Jetson-class compute module for strong on-device performance. The product philosophy is ruthless simplicity:
- Wi-Fi built in (no Ethernet required)
- NVMe storage support for fast, reliable local data
- Fanless design for quiet, always-on operation
- No camera, no display—this is an appliance, not a gadget
(Exact configurations may vary by production run.)
Your home server, made friendly
“Local-first by default” isn’t a tagline here—it’s the hardware and software promise. The box stays in your home, stays quiet, and stays useful for the long haul.
Built for families who want a calmer internet
Families don’t need a dozen apps and accounts to get basic digital safety. They need a home base.
OurBox is designed to make it easier to run household services in one place—so you can build a home environment that’s:
- less ad-driven
- less invasive
- easier to manage
- easier to explain to kids
This is not about paranoia. It’s about agency.
For builders: bring your own services
Under the hood, OurBox runs containerized services on a lightweight cluster so you can treat the box like a real platform.
- deploy apps as containers
- expose services locally (and optionally remotely)
- run multiple apps cleanly on one appliance
- keep a consistent launcher and installation experience
If you can ship a container, you can ship an OurBox app.
Simple model: buy the box, run your life
OurBox is designed to be a one-time purchase appliance.
There’s no required subscription. We may offer optional paid add-ons in the future, but the core promise stands: the box should remain useful on its own.
To keep shared infrastructure running (like discovery/bootstrap services), we’ll also offer an optional donation path for people who want to support long-term stewardship.
Ready to get updates?
Early supporters will get priority access and launch pricing.
No subscription required.
FAQ
Does OurBox require Ethernet?
No—OurBox is designed to work with Wi-Fi. Setup is built to be phone-friendly.
Is it an app or a website?
The launcher is a mobile-first web UI served from the box. You can add it to your phone’s home screen and run it fullscreen like an app.
What kinds of apps can it run?
Containerized services—everything from private home utilities to personal productivity tools. Some apps will be available in an install catalog, and builders can bring their own.
Can I access it when I’m away from home?
Yes—OurBox is designed to support optional remote access through a unique address. Local access remains the default.
Do I need a subscription?
No mandatory subscription. The box is meant to stand on its own. Optional donations help support shared services and long-term maintenance.
Is it for non-technical people or technical people?
Both. The day-to-day experience is designed to be simple. The platform underneath is designed to be extendable.
Is OurBox “privacy magic”?
No product can rewrite reality—but OurBox is built to reduce unnecessary data exposure and make local-first living practical.