diff --git a/docs/manual/usage.md b/docs/manual/usage.md
index 560d7cb8a..dd1283e50 100644
--- a/docs/manual/usage.md
+++ b/docs/manual/usage.md
@@ -60,6 +60,7 @@ usage/rollbacks.md
 usage/dotfiles.md
 usage/graphical.md
 usage/gpu-non-nixos.md
+usage/modular-services.md
 usage/updating.md
 usage/upgrading.md
 ```
diff --git a/docs/manual/usage/modular-services.md b/docs/manual/usage/modular-services.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..2990fa225
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/manual/usage/modular-services.md
@@ -0,0 +1,77 @@
+# Modular Services {#sec-usage-modular-services}
+
+Home Manager supports nixpkgs
+[modular services](https://nixos.org/manual/nixos/unstable/#modular-services)
+under [](#opt-home.services). This is the home-manager analog to the
+NixOS `system.services` namespace: each entry is an abstract service
+sourced from `<nixpkgs/lib/services/lib.nix>` with the upstream portable
+systemd module loaded into it, so service modules shipped with packages
+(e.g. `pkgs.<name>.passthru.services.default`) drop in unchanged --
+the same module evaluates on NixOS and on Home Manager.
+
+A minimal example -- run a one-shot user service from a package's
+modular service definition:
+
+```nix
+{ pkgs, ... }: {
+  home.services.tunnel = {
+    imports = [ pkgs.ghostunnel.passthru.services.default ];
+    ghostunnel = {
+      listen = "127.0.0.1:8443";
+      target = "127.0.0.1:8080";
+      cert = "/run/secrets/cert.pem";
+      key = "/run/secrets/key.pem";
+      allowAll = true;
+    };
+  };
+}
+```
+
+This produces `~/.config/systemd/user/tunnel.service` with the expected
+`ExecStart`, `LoadCredential`, and `WantedBy=default.target`.
+
+Each service exposes the upstream NixOS-style schema: [`process.argv`],
+`systemd.lib`, `systemd.mainExecStart`, `systemd.service`,
+`systemd.services`, `systemd.sockets`. Lifted units are translated from
+NixOS-style attrs (`wantedBy`, `serviceConfig`, `unitConfig`,
+`environment`, ...) into the section-based INI shape
+(`{ Unit; Service; Install; }`) that home-manager's
+[](#opt-systemd.user.services) consumes. Only common keys are mapped
+explicitly; uncommon options remain reachable via `unitConfig`,
+`serviceConfig`, or `socketConfig`.
+
+Sub-services (nested `services.<sub>` inside another service) and their
+units are dashed under the parent service name. The empty unit key
+`""` denotes the service's *primary* unit (lifted to a unit named
+after the service itself); [`process.argv`] becomes the default
+`ExecStart` for that unit, which defaults to `WantedBy=default.target`.
+
+## Configuration data {#sec-usage-modular-services-configdata}
+
+Each service can declare configuration files via `configData.<name>`.
+These are materialized at `$XDG_CONFIG_HOME/system-services/<service>/<name>`
+(mirroring how NixOS lifts `configData` to `environment.etc`), with the
+absolute path injected back into `configData.<name>.path` so the service
+can refer to its files at a stable location:
+
+```nix
+{ config, ... }:
+{
+  home.services.demo = {
+    process.argv = [ "/bin/myapp" "--config" config.home.services.demo.configData."app.toml".path ];
+    configData."app.toml".text = ''
+      port = 1234
+    '';
+  };
+}
+```
+
+## Scope notes {#sec-usage-modular-services-scope}
+
+Home Manager mirrors the surface of nixpkgs' portable systemd module:
+services and sockets only. Other unit kinds Home Manager supports
+natively under [](#opt-systemd.user.services) (timers, paths, mounts, ...)
+are intentionally not modeled on `home.services` until upstream grows them,
+to keep both surfaces aligned.
+
+[`process.argv`]: https://nixos.org/manual/nixos/unstable/#opt-system.services._name_.process.argv
diff --git a/docs/release-notes/rl-2605.md b/docs/release-notes/rl-2605.md
index 299725cd6..bdef834bb 100644
--- a/docs/release-notes/rl-2605.md
+++ b/docs/release-notes/rl-2605.md
@@ -19,6 +19,13 @@ This release has the following notable changes:
   range 1.0–2.0, previously it erroneously expected values in the
   range `0.0–1.0`.
 
+- New [](#opt-home.services) namespace for nixpkgs
+  [modular services](https://nixos.org/manual/nixos/unstable/#modular-services).
+  Service modules shipped with packages (e.g.
+  `pkgs.<name>.passthru.services.default`) drop in unchanged and are
+  lifted to user systemd units. See
+  [Modular Services](#sec-usage-modular-services) for details.
+
 ## State Version Changes {#sec-release-26.05-state-version-changes}
 
 The state version in this release includes the changes below. These
diff --git a/modules/misc/news/2026/04/2026-04-29_15-39-41.nix b/modules/misc/news/2026/04/2026-04-29_15-39-41.nix
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..b722282b4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/modules/misc/news/2026/04/2026-04-29_15-39-41.nix
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+{
+  time = "2026-04-29T15:39:41+00:00";
+  condition = true;
+  message = ''
+    A new `home.services` namespace has been added for nixpkgs
+    modular services. Service modules shipped with packages (i.e.
+    `pkgs.<name>.passthru.services.default`) drop in unchanged and are
+    lifted to user systemd units. See the "Modular Services" chapter
+    in the manual for details.
+  '';
+}
diff --git a/modules/modules.nix b/modules/modules.nix
index a09db013c..e233252ed 100644
--- a/modules/modules.nix
+++ b/modules/modules.nix
@@ -64,6 +64,7 @@ let
       ./misc/xdg-user-dirs.nix
       ./misc/xdg.nix
       ./misc/xfconf.nix
+      ./services-modular
       ./systemd.nix
       ./targets/darwin
       ./targets/generic-linux.nix
diff --git a/modules/services-modular/config-data-path.nix b/modules/services-modular/config-data-path.nix
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..dfce6ec15
--- /dev/null
+++ b/modules/services-modular/config-data-path.nix
@@ -0,0 +1,42 @@
+# Sets `path` on each modular service's `configData.<name>` so that the
+# service can refer to its config files at a stable absolute location
+# inside the user's XDG config directory. Mirrors
+# `nixos/modules/system/service/systemd/config-data-path.nix`.
+let
+  setPathsModule =
+    prefix:
+    {
+      lib,
+      name,
+      xdgConfigHome,
+      ...
+    }:
+    let
+      inherit (lib) mkOption types;
+      servicePrefix = "${prefix}${name}";
+    in
+    {
+      _class = "service";
+      options = {
+        configData = mkOption {
+          type = types.lazyAttrsOf (
+            types.submodule (
+              { config, ... }:
+              {
+                config.path = lib.mkDefault "${xdgConfigHome}/system-services/${servicePrefix}/${config.name}";
+              }
+            )
+          );
+        };
+        services = mkOption {
+          type = types.attrsOf (
+            types.submoduleWith {
+              modules = [ (setPathsModule "${servicePrefix}-") ];
+              specialArgs = { inherit xdgConfigHome; };
+            }
+          );
+        };
+      };
+    };
+in
+setPathsModule ""
diff --git a/modules/services-modular/default.nix b/modules/services-modular/default.nix
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..4813a373c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/modules/services-modular/default.nix
@@ -0,0 +1,187 @@
+{
+  lib,
+  config,
+  pkgs,
+  ...
+}:
+let
+  inherit (lib) concatMapAttrs mkOption types;
+
+  portable-lib = import (pkgs.path + "/lib/services/lib.nix") { inherit lib; };
+
+  # Combine a service-name prefix with a unit name. The empty unit name
+  # `""` is the convention from nixpkgs' portable services for the
+  # service's *primary* unit (e.g. `services.foo.systemd.user.services.""`
+  # is the unit named `foo.service`). Sub-units use a hyphenated suffix.
+  dashed =
+    before: after:
+    if after == "" then
+      before
+    else if before == "" then
+      after
+    else
+      "${before}-${after}";
+
+  # Translate a NixOS-style systemd unit attrset (wantedBy, serviceConfig,
+  # unitConfig, environment, ...) into the section-based INI shape that
+  # home-manager's `systemd.user.<unitType>` expects (Unit/Service/Install).
+  # Only the common keys are mapped; uncommon options can still be set
+  # explicitly via `unitConfig` / `serviceConfig` / `socketConfig`.
+  unitAttrKeys = [
+    "description"
+    "documentation"
+    "requires"
+    "wants"
+    "upholds"
+    "after"
+    "before"
+    "bindsTo"
+    "partOf"
+    "conflicts"
+    "requisite"
+    "onFailure"
+    "onSuccess"
+  ];
+  pickSection =
+    keys: src:
+    lib.listToAttrs (
+      lib.concatMap (
+        k:
+        lib.optional (src ? ${k} && src.${k} != null && src.${k} != [ ]) {
+          name = lib.toSentenceCase k;
+          value = src.${k};
+        }
+      ) keys
+    );
+  envToList =
+    env: lib.mapAttrsToList (k: v: "${k}=${toString v}") (lib.filterAttrs (_: v: v != null) env);
+  installSection =
+    u:
+    lib.filterAttrs (_: v: v != [ ]) {
+      WantedBy = u.wantedBy or [ ];
+      RequiredBy = u.requiredBy or [ ];
+    };
+  toHmIni = unit: {
+    Unit = pickSection unitAttrKeys unit // (unit.unitConfig or { });
+    Service =
+      (unit.serviceConfig or { })
+      // lib.optionalAttrs (unit ? environment && unit.environment != { }) {
+        Environment = envToList unit.environment;
+      };
+    Install = installSection unit;
+  };
+  toHmIniSocket = sock: {
+    Unit = pickSection unitAttrKeys sock // (sock.unitConfig or { });
+    Socket =
+      (sock.socketConfig or { })
+      // lib.optionalAttrs (sock ? listenStreams && sock.listenStreams != [ ]) {
+        ListenStream = sock.listenStreams;
+      }
+      // lib.optionalAttrs (sock ? listenDatagrams && sock.listenDatagrams != [ ]) {
+        ListenDatagram = sock.listenDatagrams;
+      };
+    Install = installSection sock;
+  };
+
+  # Evaluate a deferredModule into attrs, then translate.
+  evalDeferred =
+    translator: unitModule:
+    translator
+      (lib.evalModules {
+        modules = [
+          (_: {
+            # Loose schema: NixOS-style unit attrs include nested sub-attrsets
+            # (e.g. `serviceConfig`) that need to merge across definitions.
+            freeformType =
+              with types;
+              attrsOf (oneOf [
+                (attrsOf raw)
+                (listOf raw)
+                raw
+              ]);
+          })
+          unitModule
+        ];
+      }).config;
+
+  makeUnits =
+    translator: unitType: prefix: service:
+    concatMapAttrs (unitName: unitModule: {
+      "${dashed prefix unitName}" = evalDeferred translator unitModule;
+    }) service.systemd.${unitType}
+    // concatMapAttrs (
+      subName: subService: makeUnits translator unitType (dashed prefix subName) subService
+    ) service.services;
+
+  # Lift each service's `configData` entries into `xdg.configFile` paths.
+  # Mirrors how `nixos/modules/system/service/systemd/system.nix` lifts
+  # `configData` to `environment.etc`.
+  makeConfigFiles =
+    prefix: service:
+    lib.mapAttrs' (_: cfg: {
+      name = "system-services/${prefix}/${cfg.name}";
+      value = lib.filterAttrs (_: v: v != null) {
+        source = cfg.source or null;
+        text = cfg.text or null;
+        inherit (cfg) enable;
+      };
+    }) (lib.filterAttrs (_: cfg: cfg.enable) (service.configData or { }))
+    // concatMapAttrs (
+      subName: subService: makeConfigFiles (dashed prefix subName) subService
+    ) service.services;
+
+  modularServiceConfiguration = portable-lib.configure {
+    serviceManagerPkgs = pkgs;
+    extraRootModules = [
+      ./service.nix
+      ./config-data-path.nix
+    ];
+    extraRootSpecialArgs = {
+      systemdPackage = pkgs.systemd;
+      nixpkgsPath = pkgs.path;
+      xdgConfigHome = config.xdg.configHome;
+    };
+  };
+in
+{
+  meta.maintainers = [ lib.maintainers.kiara ];
+
+  options.home.services = mkOption {
+    description = ''
+      Home-Manager [modular services](https://nixos.org/manual/nixos/unstable/#modular-services).
+
+      Each entry is an abstract service that may declare a {option}`process.argv`
+      and home-manager-style {option}`systemd.user.{services,sockets}` units
+      (INI section shape). Units are emitted under home-manager's
+      {option}`systemd.user.services` (and friends) with the service name
+      as a prefix. Mirrors {option}`system.services` in NixOS.
+    '';
+    type = types.attrsOf modularServiceConfiguration.serviceSubmodule;
+    default = { };
+    visible = "shallow";
+  };
+
+  config = {
+    assertions = lib.concatLists (
+      lib.mapAttrsToList (
+        name: cfg: portable-lib.getAssertions [ "home" "services" name ] cfg
+      ) config.home.services
+    );
+
+    warnings = lib.concatLists (
+      lib.mapAttrsToList (
+        name: cfg: portable-lib.getWarnings [ "home" "services" name ] cfg
+      ) config.home.services
+    );
+
+    systemd.user.services = concatMapAttrs (
+      name: svc: makeUnits toHmIni "services" name svc
+    ) config.home.services;
+
+    systemd.user.sockets = concatMapAttrs (
+      name: svc: makeUnits toHmIniSocket "sockets" name svc
+    ) config.home.services;
+
+    xdg.configFile = concatMapAttrs (name: svc: makeConfigFiles name svc) config.home.services;
+  };
+}
diff --git a/modules/services-modular/service.nix b/modules/services-modular/service.nix
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..a7ba01b46
--- /dev/null
+++ b/modules/services-modular/service.nix
@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+# Per-service extension module loaded into every `home.services` entry.
+#
+# Re-exports the nixpkgs portable systemd service module so HM modular
+# services accept the same NixOS-style schema (`systemd.lib`,
+# `systemd.mainExecStart`, `systemd.service`, `systemd.services`,
+# `systemd.sockets`) as their NixOS counterparts. This is what lets
+# upstream service modules (e.g. `pkgs.<name>.passthru.services.default`)
+# drop in unchanged. Then overrides the primary unit's `wantedBy` default
+# to `default.target`, since user units typically attach to that instead
+# of `multi-user.target`.
+{ lib, nixpkgsPath, ... }:
+{
+  imports = [
+    (nixpkgsPath + "/nixos/modules/system/service/systemd/service.nix")
+  ];
+
+  # The empty key `""` is the modular service's *primary* unit (see
+  # `dashed` in `default.nix`).
+  config.systemd.services."" = {
+    wantedBy = lib.mkOverride 950 [ "default.target" ];
+  };
+}
diff --git a/tests/default.nix b/tests/default.nix
index 2ae6d7d76..837d99911 100644
--- a/tests/default.nix
+++ b/tests/default.nix
@@ -212,6 +212,7 @@ import nmtSrc {
           ./modules/misc/qt
           ./modules/misc/xdg/linux.nix
           ./modules/misc/xsession
+          ./modules/services-modular
           ./modules/systemd
           ./modules/targets-linux
           # keep-sorted end
diff --git a/tests/modules/services-modular/basic.nix b/tests/modules/services-modular/basic.nix
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..b79f7afc0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/modules/services-modular/basic.nix
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+{ pkgs, ... }:
+{
+  home.services.demo = {
+    process.argv = [
+      "${pkgs.coreutils}/bin/echo"
+      "hello"
+    ];
+  };
+
+  nmt.script = ''
+    assertFileExists home-files/.config/systemd/user/demo.service
+    assertFileContains home-files/.config/systemd/user/demo.service '/bin/echo'
+    assertFileContains home-files/.config/systemd/user/demo.service 'WantedBy=default.target'
+  '';
+}
diff --git a/tests/modules/services-modular/configdata.nix b/tests/modules/services-modular/configdata.nix
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..2bb588298
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/modules/services-modular/configdata.nix
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+{ pkgs, ... }:
+{
+  home.services.demo = {
+    process.argv = [ "${pkgs.coreutils}/bin/true" ];
+    configData."config.toml".text = ''
+      [server]
+      port = 1234
+    '';
+  };
+
+  nmt.script = ''
+    assertFileExists home-files/.config/system-services/demo/config.toml
+    assertFileContains home-files/.config/system-services/demo/config.toml 'port = 1234'
+  '';
+}
diff --git a/tests/modules/services-modular/default.nix b/tests/modules/services-modular/default.nix
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..4c6b0f548
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/modules/services-modular/default.nix
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+{
+  home-services-basic = ./basic.nix;
+  home-services-configdata = ./configdata.nix;
+  home-services-ghostunnel = ./ghostunnel.nix;
+}
diff --git a/tests/modules/services-modular/ghostunnel.nix b/tests/modules/services-modular/ghostunnel.nix
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..2465f8e35
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/modules/services-modular/ghostunnel.nix
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+{ pkgs, ... }:
+{
+  home.services.tunnel = {
+    imports = [ pkgs.ghostunnel.passthru.services.default ];
+    ghostunnel = {
+      listen = "127.0.0.1:8443";
+      target = "127.0.0.1:8080";
+      cert = "/run/secrets/cert.pem";
+      key = "/run/secrets/key.pem";
+      allowAll = true;
+    };
+  };
+
+  nmt.script = ''
+    assertFileExists home-files/.config/systemd/user/tunnel.service
+    assertFileContains home-files/.config/systemd/user/tunnel.service '/bin/ghostunnel'
+    assertFileContains home-files/.config/systemd/user/tunnel.service 'allow-all'
+    assertFileContains home-files/.config/systemd/user/tunnel.service 'LoadCredential=cert:/run/secrets/cert.pem'
+  '';
+}