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Bitcoin Node Appliances Compared: umbrelOS vs StartOS vs RaspiBlitz vs myNode vs Citadel

A node-in-a-box turns a Raspberry Pi or mini-PC into a one-click Bitcoin full node plus Lightning and a self-host app store. This compares the main appliances by platform, what they bundle, and a detail most reviews skip — their license: only some are true open-source; others are source-available or non-commercial.

Quick answer

A "node-in-a-box" turns a Raspberry Pi or mini-PC into a one-click Bitcoin full node + Lightning + a self-host app store, no command line required. This compares the 5 main appliances by platform, what they bundle, and a detail most reviews skip — their LICENSE. Only 3 of the 5 are true open-source (FOSS); the others are source-available or non-commercial, which is a real consideration for a tool whose entire pitch is sovereignty. It is a live view over our open-source self-hosting catalog; the directory is the single source for each project's repo and license, and this page adds the comparison.

How to choose: for the smoothest consumer experience, umbrelOS has the best UX and the biggest app store — just know its license is source-available, not open-source. For maximum freedom + privacy, StartOS (MIT, Tor-first) and Citadel (GPL-3.0) are genuinely FOSS, and RaspiBlitz (MIT) is the deep DIY/Lightning choice. myNode is easy but carries the most restrictive license (no commercial use, no derivatives). If "don't trust, verify" and software freedom matter to you, weigh the license as heavily as the app list. All can run a sovereign full node; verify each project at its repository.

AppliancePlatformBundlesLicenseNotable
umbrelOS
Umbrel (getumbrel)		Raspberry Pi 5 / x86 / Umbrel HomeApp store (Bitcoin Core, Lightning, dozens of self-host apps), polished web UISource-available, NON-commercial
LicenseRef-PolyForm-Noncommercial-1.0.0		The most consumer-polished node box with the largest app store — but its license (PolyForm Noncommercial) is source-available, not open-source: you can self-host but not commercialise it. The catch in a "sovereignty" tool.
StartOS
Start9 Labs		Raspberry Pi / x86 / Start9 ServerService marketplace, Tor-first networking, reproducible packagesTrue FOSS (MIT)
MIT		Privacy-first (Tor by default) and fully open-source, with an emphasis on user sovereignty and reproducible builds. By Start9.
RaspiBlitz
RaspiBlitz community (rootzoll et al.)		Raspberry Pi 4/5 (DIY build)LND / Core Lightning, Electrum server, rich Lightning tooling via a menuTrue FOSS (MIT)
MIT		The tinkerer's choice: maximal control and the deepest Lightning toolset, at the cost of a steeper DIY setup. Strong community.
myNode
mynodebtc		Raspberry Pi / x86Bitcoin + Lightning + apps; easy all-in-one with a premium tierNON-commercial, no-derivatives
CC-BY-NC-ND-4.0		An easy all-in-one experience, but its license (CC BY-NC-ND) is non-free — no commercial use and no derivatives — which is unusually restrictive for a self-sovereignty appliance.
Citadel
runcitadel (continued as Nirvati)		Raspberry Pi / x86 / VMBitcoin Core, Lightning, appsTrue FOSS (GPL-3.0)
GPL-3.0		A fully open-source, copyleft community distro (originating from an early Umbrel fork). Free to use, modify and redistribute.

Directory fields (repo, license, language) are read live from the open-source self-hosting catalog (CC BY 4.0). See also the node implementations and Lightning implementations comparisons, the full node glossary entry, and our self-hosting guide. Verify each project at its repository before relying on it.

Related products, repair, and setup paths

Last reviewed June 21, 2026.