Self-Host vs Cloud Calculator
Paying monthly for a VPS, SaaS, or cloud storage? See what it'd cost to run the same thing at home (hardware + electricity), when it pays for itself, and your savings over time.
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Self-host power/mo
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Break-even
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3-year savings
Pick efficient hardware and self-hosting wins.
A low-power mini PC (6–15W idle) runs a dozen services for a few dollars a month. New to it? The Homelab Starter Blueprint gets you from zero to self-hosted.
Best mini PCs →How it works
Self-host running cost = watts ÷ 1000 × 730 hours/month × your rate. Break-even = hardware ÷ (cloud cost − running cost). After that point you're saving the difference every month, forever. The math doesn't price your time/maintenance — factor that in for fiddly setups.