Why Pando
Pando is for people who want to host their own apps and share them, without the hassle of setting up infrastructure each time.
Runs on your hardware
Install it on a laptop, a home server, a VPS or a server on your company network. Your apps and their data stay on that machine.
Works out the build
Pando reads the source and proposes how to build and run it. When it can’t tell something, it asks.
Access control included
Every app is behind sign-in, and you choose who can open it.
A security score for each app
Every build is scanned and scored, so you can see which apps need attention.
Your own providers
Use Cloudflare for routing, AWS for hosting or Anthropic for AI through Pando’s adapters.
Clear errors
Errors say what went wrong and what to do next, in the console, the CLI and the API.
Open source
AGPL-3.0. The license applies to Pando, not to the apps you run on it.
An example error
API errors include a code, a message and a suggested fix.
Personal use
Some things people run on it:
- Tools and dashboards built with an AI assistant
- Home lab services
- Previews to share with a client or a friend
- Anything with a Dockerfile, a compose file or neither
Team use
What teams use:
- Internal apps under one hostname, without a firewall rule per app
- SSO, OIDC and SCIM at no extra charge
- Permissions granted to people or groups
- Separate permissions for using an app and administering it
- Host policy for sources, egress, isolation and token lifetime
- An audit log of every action
What Pando isn’t built for
Pando is for small services and projects. It isn’t built for critical infrastructure, or for services that need replication, autoscaling or 99.99% uptime. Those are better run on dedicated infrastructure with the usual practices for operating them.
Good fits
- Hobby and side projects
- Basic websites
- Vibe-coded productivity apps built by people at your company
Poor fits
- Critical infrastructure
- Services that need replication or autoscaling
- Anything that needs 99.99% uptime
Compared with other options
| Capability | Pando | Hosted platform | Server set up by hand |
|---|---|---|---|
| Runs on hardware you control | Yes | No | Yes |
| Deploys from a repository URL | Yes | Yes | With scripts you write |
| Sign-in in front of apps | Included | Often an add-on | You set it up |
| SSO and SCIM | Included | Usually higher tiers | You set it up |
| Databases per app | Included | Usually paid | You run them |
| Roles, host policy, audit log | Included | Usually higher tiers | No |
| Cost per extra app | None | Per app or per seat | None |
A general comparison. Individual platforms vary.