Self-hosted tools
- Four servers, one per tool
- A named person on call
- No per-seat fees
- Written playbook
Our CRM, automation, email platform and headshot tool run on four servers we rent in Germany. We self-host only when a named person patches the server and is on call for it. Otherwise we use the maker's cloud plan.
- 4tools on four servers we run
- €65a month for all four, before VAT
- €0per user on Twenty, n8n and Notifuse
- 2builds on it
Why we run some tools ourselves
Named person, or no deal
We only self-host when someone specific patches the server and is on call for it. If nobody is, we use the maker's cloud plan.
One server per tool
The CRM, n8n, Notifuse and HeadshotAI each have their own machine, so restarting one doesn't touch the others.
About €65 a month
All four servers, with daily backups, before VAT. Twenty, n8n and Notifuse don't add a bill for each user, contact or step.
Data on servers we chose
They're in Germany, and we decide who can log in. Health information stays off our automation server altogether.
Changes on our terms
It's our install, so we can add our own objects to the CRM or shape the workflows without waiting for a vendor.
Knowing when to stop
We ran Cal.com ourselves until June 2026, then retired it. Self-hosting is a choice we check each time, not a habit.
Self-hosting means running the software on a server you control, instead of paying the maker to run it. We do it for four tools, each on its own Hetzner server in Germany. We only do it where the saving is worth the upkeep.
What we run ourselves
- Twenty, our CRM and task board.
- n8n, which runs our forms, lead alerts and client automations.
- Notifuse, our email platform.
- HeadshotAI, the headshot tool we built.
Together they cost about €65 a month before VAT, with daily backups and the servers' IP addresses included. That's worked out from our August 2026 invoice lines, for the servers left after we shut down two unused ones on 7 October 2026. Twenty, n8n and Notifuse don't charge per user, per contact or per step when you run them yourself. What each server costs is on the Hetzner page.
Our rule: a named person, on call
We write our self-hosting advice down in a playbook, and its first question is blunt: who patches the server, and who gets called when it goes down? If there's no name for both, stay on the maker's cloud plan. Then we ask whether the workload is steady enough to beat the subscription you'd pay instead, counting your own time.
What the upkeep is
- Updating the software and the server underneath it.
- Daily backups, and checking they're worth restoring.
- Deciding who can log in.
- Switching off what nobody uses. On 7 October 2026 we shut down two servers we'd stopped using, after taking a final snapshot of each.
Hetzner gives you the machine and nothing else, so all of this is ours.
Where we've said no
We ran our own copy of Cal.com until June 2026, then retired it. Being able to run something doesn't make it a good thing to run. Webflow, Google and Stape stay as hosted services, and so do the sending services behind Notifuse, SendGrid and Resend.
Some data stays off it
Health information is kept off our automation server entirely. That's a rule, not an oversight, and it's the kind of line we draw before we build anything for you.
Self-host or use the maker's cloud?
Most tools offer both. Pick your situation and we'll tell you which we'd set up.
Someone owns the server
| What matters | Self-hostedOur pick | The maker's own cloud plann8n Cloud, Twenty's managed cloud, Notifuse Cloud |
|---|---|---|
| What you pay for | A server, plus someone's time | A subscription, often per seat or by usage |
| Your data | On a server you picked | On their servers, in the regions they offer |
| Changes | Anything: it's your install | What their settings allow |
| Updates and security patches | You run them | Done for you |
Our pick: Self-host. A steady, always-on tool with a named person who patches it and answers when it's down is where it pays off. That's how we run Twenty, n8n and Notifuse.
Nobody wants the job
| What matters | Self-hosted | The maker's own cloud planOur pick |
|---|---|---|
| Backups and uptime | You set them up and check they work | Their job, with a support team |
| When it breaks | Whoever you named picks up | Their support team does |
| Monthly cost | Can be lower, and doesn't rise per person | Can be higher at your size, often per seat |
| Time to start | You install and secure it | Sign up and go |
Our pick: The maker's cloud plan. If nobody on your team wants to own updates and backups, don't take it on. We can connect the hosted tool to the rest of your setup, and the upkeep stays with them.
The product is a poor self-host
| What matters | Self-hosted | The maker's own cloud planOur pick |
|---|---|---|
| Features | Whatever the self-hosted edition includes | The full product, as the maker sells it |
| Support | Community help, or a paid plan from the maker | Included on the plan, depending on the tier |
| Leaving | Usually through the tool's export or the database | Depends on their export tools |
| Servers to look after | One more | None |
Our pick: The maker's cloud plan. Being able to run it isn't the test. We ran our own Cal.com until June 2026, then retired it, and we'd say the same to you.
The makers' cloud plan facts are from their own pricing and docs pages, October 2026. Prices change, so we've kept their numbers out. Our own figures are from our Hetzner invoice for August 2026, with the €65 worked out for the servers left after the 7 October 2026 shutdown.
What we connect it to
Self-hosting swaps a subscription for upkeep. Without someone who patches the server, checks the backups and answers when it breaks, it's a risk, not a saving.
HetznerThe four servers these tools run on.
Twenty CRMOur CRM and task board, self-hosted.
n8nOur automation, self-hosted: forms, alerts and client workflows.
NotifuseOur email platform, self-hosted. It hands each message to a sending service.
SendGridA hosted service that sends Notifuse's newsletters.
ResendA hosted service that sends Notifuse's follow-ups.
Where we've used Self-hosted tools
- Built by us
Pacing CRM
Our own CRM: a form fill becomes a person, a deal and an instant alert.
See the build+2 - Built by us
Pacing Headshots
A headshot app we forked, rebuilt on our design system and run ourselves: 4 to 10 selfies in, studio-style headshots out, from £14.99 with no subscription
See the build
Services that use it
We don't sell it on its own. Each of these services uses it alongside the rest of your setup.
- Custom BuildsWhen nothing you can buy does the job, we build the missing piece and connect it to the rest. We've built and run several of these for ourselves.How it fits
- Place in the loop: CRMCRM Management & EmailWe set up your CRM and your emails so every enquiry is saved with where it came from and followed up, and you can see which ones turn into customers.Related tools: HubSpot, Klaviyo, Twenty CRM, NotifuseHow it fits
What Self-hosted tools is
Self-hosting is running software on a server you rent and look after, rather than using the maker's hosted version. Twenty, n8n and Notifuse each publish their code, and all of ours run in Docker containers on plain Linux servers.
It isn't free, and it isn't always cheaper. You trade a subscription for the time to keep the server updated and backed up. That trade is worth it for a steady, always-on tool with a named owner, and not worth it for much else.
Questions about Self-hosted tools
Straight answers on how we work, what it costs and what to expect. If yours isn't here, just ask.
Still have questions?
Talk to usCan a self-hosted CRM like Twenty replace paid CRM seats?
For a small team, yes. We run Twenty, an open-source CRM, on our own server with no per-user licence. It holds people, companies, opportunities and tasks, syncs with Gmail and Calendar, and takes in forms through n8n.
It's not the right answer for everyone, though. We wouldn't claim it replaces HubSpot or Salesforce for a large sales team.
Start with your numbers.
We'll tell you which tools you need and which connections are missing.
Bring your numbers.
We'll tell you if the spend makes sense.
- A 15-minute callYour goals, your challenges, and whether we're the right fit.
- A 1-hour discovery callWe dig into your numbers. Worth a hundred emails.
- A concrete planAds, a custom build or both, as a one-off project or ongoing.