This free self-host vs subscription calculator compares the monthly cost of running a tool on your own server with paying for the hosted subscription. Unlike most comparisons, it counts the cost people leave out: your own upkeep time. Enter the subscription price, the server, backup and domain cost, the hours you expect to spend on upkeep, what an hour of your time is worth and the one-time setup hours. It shows the all-in monthly cost, the break-even point and the most upkeep you can afford. Everything runs in your browser.
Result
- Self-hosted cash cost
- Self-hosted all-in cost (with your time)
- Monthly difference (positive favours self-hosting)
- Setup time as a cost
- Setup pays back in
- Most upkeep you can afford
- 12 months: subscription
- 12 months: self-hosted incl. setup
How to read this result
Cash cost is what leaves your bank account. All-in cost adds your upkeep hours at the hourly value you enter, which is the cost most comparisons leave out. The most upkeep you can afford is the number of monthly hours at which self-hosting and the subscription cost the same. If your real upkeep is above it, the subscription wins. This assumes both options do the same job, so check features and the licence first.
The link puts your inputs in the web address, so anyone you send it to will see those numbers.
How the self-host vs subscription calculator works
- Self-hosted cash cost = server, backups and domain per month.
- Self-hosted all-in cost = cash cost + upkeep hours × your hourly value.
- Monthly difference = subscription price − all-in cost. A positive number favours self-hosting.
- Setup cost = setup hours × your hourly value.
- Setup pays back in = setup cost ÷ monthly difference.
- Most upkeep you can afford = (subscription price − cash cost) ÷ your hourly value, in hours a month.
- 12 months: subscription = price × 12, and self-hosted = all-in cost × 12 + setup cost.
Worked example
With the starting values (a $120 subscription, $28.80 for the server and backups, 2 upkeep hours at $25 an hour and 6 setup hours), self-hosting costs $28.80 in cash and $78.80 once your time is counted. That is $41.20 a month less than the subscription. Setup time is worth $150, so it pays back in about 3.6 months. You could spend up to about 3.6 hours a month on upkeep before the subscription becomes the cheaper option. Over 12 months the subscription costs $1,440 and self-hosting about $1,096, including setup.
What the calculator cannot tell you
- Whether both options do the same job. Check the features of the self-hosted edition against the paid plan first.
- Whether the licence allows your use. Internal use is not always the same as selling a service to clients.
- Licence fees. If the self-hosted version has one, add it to the server cost.
- Risk. Downtime, security updates and restoring from backup are your job when you self-host.
Frequently asked questions
Is self-hosting always cheaper?
No. Once your time is counted, a cheap subscription can easily beat a self-hosted server. The calculator shows the break-even point so you can see where the answer changes.
What hourly value should I use?
Use what an hour of your time is worth: a freelance rate, a salary-based rate or the value of the work you would otherwise do. Setting it to zero shows the cash-only comparison.
What does “most upkeep you can afford” mean?
It is the number of upkeep hours a month at which self-hosting and the subscription cost the same. If your real upkeep is higher, the subscription wins.
Is my data stored?
No. The calculation happens in your browser. If you use Copy shareable link, your inputs are placed in the web address you copy, so only share it with people who may see those numbers.
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