What is OpenBin? ​

OpenBin is an open source inventory system where AI handles the cataloging. Photograph your bins and it identifies what's inside, even across multiple containers at once. When your hands are full, dictate items by voice instead. It can also suggest how to reorganize your storage for a better layout.

How it works ​

OpenBin organizes physical storage using a hierarchy:

Location → Area → Bin → Items

  • A Location is a shared workspace (e.g. "Home", "Garage", "Self-Storage"). All data lives inside a location.
  • An Area is an optional sub-zone within a location (e.g. "Basement", "Bedroom") for grouping bins.
  • A Bin is a physical container, like a tote, bin, box, drawer, or shelf. Each bin gets a unique QR code and a 6-character short code (e.g. "BINXHM").
  • Items are the individual things stored inside a bin.

Typical workflow ​

  1. Register and create or join a location
  2. Set up areas to organize your space (optional)
  3. Add your bins and items:
  4. Print labels and attach them to your bins
  5. Scan a label to see and update what's inside

Who it's for ​

Households organizing garages, closets, and storage units. Small teams tracking supplies across shared spaces. Anyone who wants to self-host their inventory data in a single Docker container.

Key features ​

  • QR labels — print sheets, scan with any phone camera to jump straight to a bin's contents
  • AI photo analysis — snap a photo and let AI catalog what's inside instead of typing it out
  • Multi-user — invite household members or teammates so everyone has access
  • Search & filter — find anything by name, tag, or custom field across all your bins
  • Bulk operations — move, tag, or update bins in batch
  • Item checkouts — check items out of bins and return them later, with a log of who took what
  • File attachments — upload PDFs, spreadsheets, and documents alongside bin photos
  • Bin sharing — generate a link to share a bin's contents with anyone, no login required
  • Usage tracking — heatmap of how often each bin is accessed, so you know what's gathering dust
  • Activity log — admin audit trail of every change and member action across the location
  • Import & export — CSV, JSON, and spreadsheet support
  • REST API & MCP server — integrate OpenBin with other tools and AI assistants
  • Self-hosted — single Docker container with SQLite, no external services required

Choose your setup ​

OpenBin runs two ways: self-hosted or cloud.

Self-host if you want full control. A single Docker container with SQLite — no external database, no extra services. Runs on a Raspberry Pi, a NAS, or any machine with Docker installed. Requires roughly 200 MB of disk space plus whatever your photos use. You own the data, you pick the backup schedule, you decide when to update.

Cloud if you want to skip the setup. Sign up at cloud.openbin.app, create a location, and start organizing. A free tier is available with no credit card required. Backups, updates, and AI features are handled for you.

Your data stays portable ​

Export your entire inventory as CSV or JSON at any time from the settings page. No lock-in. If you move between self-hosted and cloud, your data comes with you.

Quick start ​

sh
docker run -d -p 1453:1453 -v openbin_data:/data ghcr.io/akifbayram/openbin:latest

Open http://localhost:1453 and create your first location. If you'd rather not self-host, OpenBin Cloud handles hosting for you.

Next steps ​