HIDDEN COSTS OF Self-Hosting

Self-hosting involves more than just paying for servers. You’ll need to account for additional expenses like security solutions (firewalls, WAF), cloud-based backups, premium plugin or theme licenses, and performance tools like CDNs or caching. Plus, your team will need to spend valuable time maintaining the site—diverting focus from core business goals.

Depending on your website’s complexity, ongoing costs can range from $60–$100 per month for simple sites to $500–$1,000+ for high-traffic or feature-rich setups. These expenses typically cover regular patching, automated backups, security monitoring, and performance optimization.

Managing your own servers requires dedicated technical expertise. Hiring or training staff can cost $50,000 to $100,000 annually, depending on experience levels. You might also need to pay for training programs, freelance support, or invest in knowledge of tools like Terraform and Ansible.

Effective self-hosting management requires intermediate system administration skills, including Linux server management, secure configurations (SSH, firewalls, SSL), troubleshooting, and automation using scripts or tools like configuration managers.

Self-hosted sites face higher security risks due to manual patching and the potential for misconfiguration. Managed hosting reduces these risks with automated updates, firewalls, real-time monitoring, and 24/7 threat response.

Missing critical updates can expose your site to data breaches, downtime, and even regulatory fines. Managed hosting providers proactively manage compliance and apply patches to help keep your site secure and reliable.

Managed hosts typically offer built-in DDoS protection (e.g., AWS Shield, Cloudflare), malware scanning (Sucuri, Wordfence), and firewall management. In contrast, self-hosting requires manual setup and ongoing management of these tools—demanding technical know-how and constant attention.

While self-hosting might seem cheaper upfront, long-term costs from maintenance, security, downtime, and staffing can outweigh those savings. Managed hosting offers predictable pricing, reduced downtime, and scalable infrastructure—boosting long-term ROI.

Internal teams may lack specialized expertise or be unavailable during critical incidents. Managed hosting providers offer 24/7 expert support with guaranteed response times, reducing downtime and freeing your team to focus on strategic initiatives.