Guides
Self-hosting and cloud-cost guides
In-depth, hands-on writing about running open-source software affordably on DigitalOcean, Hetzner, and Linode. Sizing, bandwidth traps, break-even math, backups — the things the vendor docs leave out.
Architecture
- 9 min read · 1,720 wordsSelf-Hosting on a $5 Droplet: What Actually Fits in 1 GB RAMA practical 2026 guide to which open-source apps fit on a $5 droplet or €4.50 Hetzner CX22 — with real RAM numbers, swap tuning, and what breaks.self-hostingdigitaloceanhetznerlinode
- 9 min read · 1,720 wordsWhen to Move PostgreSQL Off the App ServerReal signals that say split Postgres from your app server now: IOPS contention, OOMs, slow queries. Tuning, PgBouncer, replicas, and the true cost delta.postgresself-hostinghetznerdigitalocean
- 9 min read · 1,720 wordsObject Storage + CDN: The Self-Hoster's Bandwidth Cheat CodeCut origin egress 90%+ by moving static assets to Backblaze B2, Cloudflare R2, or DO Spaces behind a CDN. Real pricing and wiring for WordPress, Mattermost, GitLab.object-storagecdnbandwidthr2
Comparison
- 9 min read · 1,720 wordsHetzner vs DigitalOcean vs Linode: A 2026 Pricing Reality CheckHetzner, DigitalOcean and Linode compared on real 2026 pricing: vCPU, RAM, egress, snapshots, load balancers, and which one wins per workload.hetznerdigitaloceanlinodepricing
- 10 min read · 1,720 wordsSupabase Self-Hosted vs Managed: When Each Actually WinsSupabase managed vs self-hosted on Hetzner, DigitalOcean, or Linode in 2026: real numbers on Postgres pooling, Realtime CPU, egress, and break-even points.supabaseself-hostingpostgreshetzner
Cost
- 9 min read · 1,720 wordsThe Bandwidth Cost Traps Every Self-Hoster Hits EventuallyEgress fees quietly destroy self-hosting budgets. Compare pooled vs included vs metered bandwidth on Hetzner, DigitalOcean, Linode with real scenarios.bandwidthegresscdnhetzner
- 9 min read · 1,675 wordsSelf-Hosted WordPress at 1,000 Users: A Real Cost BreakdownA real month-by-month cost breakdown for self-hosting WordPress at 1,000 users on Hetzner, DigitalOcean, or Linode — vs Kinsta and WP Engine.wordpressself-hostinghetznerdigitalocean
- 9 min read · 1,620 wordsGitLab Self-Host vs SaaS: The Break-Even MathCalculate the exact seat count where self-hosting GitLab on Hetzner or DigitalOcean beats Premium SaaS. Includes CI minutes, storage, backup, and ops time.gitlabself-hostingcost-analysisci-cd
Operations
- 9 min read · 1,720 wordsBackup Strategies That Won't Eat Your Hosting MarginProvider snapshots vs restic and borg to cheap object storage. Real 3-2-1 backup costs for 50 GB and 500 GB datasets on Hetzner, DigitalOcean, and Linode.backupsresticborgdisaster-recovery
- 9 min read · 1,720 wordsRight-Sizing CPU and RAM: The 80/20 Rule for OSS AppsStop guessing VM size. Learn which metrics actually predict whether your self-hosted OSS app needs a bigger box, and which ones are noise.right-sizingcapacity-planninghetznerdigitalocean