RestoreReceipt

Who it's for

Freelancers/MSPs managing 3-20 self-hosted client apps on Docker Compose, CasaOS, or Cosmos; today they cope with manual restic/borg restore commands, screenshots, or no proof at all.

The problem

Time: manual multi-app restore tests take 2-4 hours per client; payment/legal: without signed restore evidence they cannot justify backup retainers or defend against data-loss claims.

How to build it

CLI plus small web dashboard; connects to a restic/borg/rsync backup repo and a Docker Compose file, runs disposable Docker containers, sends email/Slack certificates.

How it makes money

Freelancers/MSPs pay $49/month per fleet for client-facing proof and recurring monitoring; they cannot use free restic/borg restore because it lacks automated app-start checks, signed certificates, and multi-client reporting.

Why it doesn't exist yet

Incumbents: backup vendors chase endpoint/server agents and do not verify arbitrary self-hosted app stacks; self-hosting platforms optimize install, not restore evidence. Indie gap: glue compose manifests, backup snapshots, ephemeral containers, and signed client reports into a narrow workflow.

First users

First 10 users come from r/selfhosted, LowEndTalk, and indie MSP Discord servers where operators already share restore-check scripts; offer a free audit for 3 client servers in exchange for a public testimonial.

Build size

2 people x 10 weeks; includes restic/borg/rsync adapters, Docker Compose restore runner, HTTP/TCP smoke checks, signed PDF/JSON certificate, simple dashboard/email; excludes Kubernetes, Windows servers, and app-level data-integrity validation beyond startup checks.

Biggest risk

CasaOS, Umbrel, Cosmos, or a backup vendor ships native restore verification with client reports, making the wedge unnecessary.

Conditions for a hit (all 3 required)

• Input: a restic/borg snapshot ID plus a Docker Compose file; output: isolated restore run where each service is started and a user-defined HTTP/TCP endpoint is checked, completed or failed within 30 minutes.
• Output: a signed PDF/JSON certificate containing snapshot ID, compose hash, restore duration, pass/fail per service, and a SHA-256 report hash, accessible by a shareable link.
• Output: a weekly client-ready email listing all monitored apps, their latest pass/fail, and for any failure the exact CLI command and last 20 log lines needed to reproduce it.

How it's judged (in 6 months)

Product Hunt daily top 5, or a public GitHub repo with at least 1,000 stars whose README/demo shows restoring self-hosted Docker backups and issuing certificates.(judgment date 2027-03-10)

AI self-confidence 55/100 — self-reported likelihood of meeting the criterion, not a business success rate