Alby Go linked to my Start9 lightning node via NWC.

This is the best option IMHO. Self-custodial lightning that's fast. Alby Hub on Start9 is by far the easiest way to host and manage an LND node. It still comes with some challenges, and you still have to pay to open the channels (which could be expensive in a high fee environment), but it's your Bitcoin, not an IOU. I run Start9 on an old HP mini PC that cost about $150 with a 2TB SSD and it's been extremely stable.