Articles
News, tips, and deep dives into the self-hosting ecosystem.
The Best Budget Mini PC for a Homelab (What I Actually Run)
Not a spec-sheet review. This is what I bought, what I'd buy again, and what to actually look for when shopping for a budget mini PC homelab host.
The Hidden Costs of Homelab Nobody Tells You About
Electricity and hardware get all the attention. Here's the full list of what a homelab actually costs, including the things most guides skip.
Replacing Google One With a Home Server: Is It Actually Worth It?
Google One keeps getting more expensive. Here's a realistic look at what it takes to replace it with a self-hosted alternative, and whether the trade-offs make sense.
The Budget Homelab Starter Stack: 5 Services That Cover 90% of Your Needs
Skip the overwhelm. These five self-hosted services cover file sync, password management, reverse proxying, remote access, and document storage.
How Much Does a Homelab Actually Cost Per Month? (Real Numbers)
The real monthly cost of running a homelab — power draw, hardware amortization, domain, and services. Based on what I actually pay, not estimates.
Why I Run Proxmox Instead of Plain Docker
The case for adding a hypervisor layer to your homelab instead of running Docker directly on bare metal — and when it's not worth the trouble.
Self-Hosting vs. the Cloud: When It Actually Makes Financial Sense
A clear-eyed breakeven analysis of self-hosting versus cloud subscriptions, with real costs, real trade-offs, and an honest answer for different situations.
What Is a Homelab? A Plain-English Intro for Beginners
A homelab is a server you run at home. Here's what that actually means, what people do with them, and how to figure out if you need one.
Why I Don't Open Ports on My Router Anymore
Port forwarding used to be the standard way to access homelab services remotely. Here's why I stopped doing it and what I run instead.
Don't Use .local for Your Homelab Domain
Using .local for your homelab DNS zone puts you in direct conflict with mDNS (Bonjour/Avahi). Here's why resolution breaks intermittently and what to use instead.
Why Self-Hosting Matters More Than Ever in 2026
Cloud services keep getting more expensive and less private. Here's why building your own homelab is the smartest move you can make this year.