Best Self Hosting Bloghttps://bestselfhosting.com/blog/Notes from a home server. en2026-10-15 Why I self-host Umami instead of relying on Google Analytics (and how to set it up)https://bestselfhosting.com/blog/umami-vs-google-analytics.htmlhttps://bestselfhosting.com/blog/umami-vs-google-analytics.html2026-10-15A cookie-free, 2 KB alternative to GA4: why I switched, how it works, and a 20-minute Docker setup. The best self-hosted apps for beginners (and the order I'd install them)https://bestselfhosting.com/blog/best-self-hosted-apps-for-beginners.htmlhttps://bestselfhosting.com/blog/best-self-hosted-apps-for-beginners.html2026-10-15Nine open source apps worth running, what each replaces, and where to start. Set up Vaultwardenhttps://bestselfhosting.com/apps/vaultwarden-setup.htmlhttps://bestselfhosting.com/apps/vaultwarden-setup.html2026-10-15Your own password manager server. Works with the official Bitwarden apps and uses about 50 MB of RAM. Set up Nextcloudhttps://bestselfhosting.com/apps/nextcloud-setup.htmlhttps://bestselfhosting.com/apps/nextcloud-setup.html2026-10-15Files, calendars and contacts that sync like Dropbox, installed the official All-in-One way. Set up Paperless-ngxhttps://bestselfhosting.com/apps/paperless-ngx-setup.htmlhttps://bestselfhosting.com/apps/paperless-ngx-setup.html2026-10-15Scan it, forget it, find it in three seconds. A searchable archive for your paperwork. Set up Jellyfinhttps://bestselfhosting.com/apps/jellyfin-setup.htmlhttps://bestselfhosting.com/apps/jellyfin-setup.html2026-10-15Your own Netflix-style media server: free, open source, apps for every screen. Set up Home Assistanthttps://bestselfhosting.com/apps/home-assistant-setup.htmlhttps://bestselfhosting.com/apps/home-assistant-setup.html2026-10-15The open source brain for your smart home. Best run at home, reachable from anywhere. Cron jobs for beginners: the tiny robot that keeps my server alivehttps://bestselfhosting.com/blog/cron-jobs-for-beginners.htmlhttps://bestselfhosting.com/blog/cron-jobs-for-beginners.html2026-10-15How to read the five stars, my real cron setup, and the three jobs I found quietly broken. DirectAdmin vs cPanel vs the free panels: what I actually run, and whyhttps://bestselfhosting.com/blog/directadmin-vs-cpanel-vs-free-panels.htmlhttps://bestselfhosting.com/blog/directadmin-vs-cpanel-vs-free-panels.html2026-10-152026 prices, what each panel is good at, and why my 19-domain server runs on DirectAdmin. Using Google Drive for server backups: encrypted, automatic, and nearly freehttps://bestselfhosting.com/blog/google-drive-server-backups-rclone.htmlhttps://bestselfhosting.com/blog/google-drive-server-backups-rclone.html2026-10-15Nightly encrypted off-site backups with rclone, using a Drive connection that can only see its own files. Why SSH keys beat passwords, and it's not closehttps://bestselfhosting.com/blog/why-ssh-keys-beat-passwords.htmlhttps://bestselfhosting.com/blog/why-ssh-keys-beat-passwords.html2026-10-01The math behind key-only login, and why 'my password is strong enough' underestimates how automated attacks actually work. Docker Compose vs. installing bare metalhttps://bestselfhosting.com/blog/docker-compose-vs-bare-metal.htmlhttps://bestselfhosting.com/blog/docker-compose-vs-bare-metal.html2026-10-01When containers earn their complexity, when they don't, and how to decide for the apps you actually run. The 3-2-1 backup rule, applied to one small VPShttps://bestselfhosting.com/blog/3-2-1-backup-rule-for-your-vps.htmlhttps://bestselfhosting.com/blog/3-2-1-backup-rule-for-your-vps.html2026-10-01An enterprise rule translated to a single-server hobby setup.