5 Services You Should Self-Host (And 3 You Shouldn't)
Not everything should be self-hosted. Learn which services provide the best ROI for self-hosting and which are better left to the cloud.
Posted by
Rafal GawlikRelated reading
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Choose Your Battles Wisely
Self-hosting can save money and protect privacy, but not all services are created equal. Some are perfect for homelabs; others are more trouble than they're worth.
DO Self-Host: Media Server
Why: Unlimited storage, no content restrictions, works offline, no subscriptions.
- Replace: Netflix, Disney+, Spotify ($30-50/month)
- Use: Jellyfin or Plex
- Difficulty: Easy
DO Self-Host: File Storage
Why: Your files are your files. No storage limits, no privacy concerns.
- Replace: Google Drive, Dropbox ($10-20/month)
- Use: Nextcloud
- Difficulty: Easy
DO Self-Host: Password Manager
Why: Your most sensitive data deserves the highest protection. One container, complete control.
- Replace: 1Password, LastPass ($3-8/month)
- Use: Vaultwarden
- Difficulty: Easy
DO Self-Host: Photo Backup
Why: Your memories shouldn't train AI models. Unlimited backup, AI features stay local.
- Replace: Google Photos, iCloud ($3-10/month)
- Use: Immich
- Difficulty: Medium
DO Self-Host: DNS/Ad Blocking
Why: Network-wide protection, no subscriptions, privacy from DNS providers.
- Replace: Premium ad blockers, VPN ad blocking
- Use: Pi-hole or AdGuard Home
- Difficulty: Easy
DON'T Self-Host: Email
Why not: Email deliverability is a nightmare. IP reputation, SPF, DKIM, DMARC - and your emails still might go to spam.
- Instead use: ProtonMail, Fastmail, or Tutanota
- These provide privacy without the headache
DON'T Self-Host: Video Conferencing
Why not: Bandwidth requirements are massive, quality is hard to match, and you need it to work when others call you.
- Instead use: Jitsi (easy), Zoom, Google Meet
- Exception: Internal team calls with Jitsi can work
DON'T Self-Host: Offsite Backup Destination
Why not: Your backup needs to survive the disaster that takes out your homelab. Same location backups aren't backups.
- Instead use: Backblaze B2, Wasabi, or a friend's homelab
- Keep encrypted backups in the cloud - it's cheap and necessary
The Decision Framework
Self-host when:
- It saves significant money
- Privacy is critical
- Setup is reasonable
- Failure isn't catastrophic
Use SaaS when:
- The service is complex to operate
- It needs to work when your homelab is down
- External parties need to reach you
- The SaaS cost is minimal
