Articles
Self-Hosting Is Worth It (For This Kind of Person)
Whether self-hosting pays off has almost nothing to do with the math and almost everything to do with your temperament. Here's how to tell which kind of person you are before you spend a dollar.
Prebuilt NAS vs DIY: Should You Buy a Synology or Build Your Own?
Synology and UGREEN sell convenience. A DIY build sells capability per dollar. Here's the real cost of each once drives are in, and which one is actually right for a budget homelab.
Mini PC RAM Upgrades for a Homelab: What to Buy and What Actually Fits
RAM is the cheapest upgrade that makes a homelab mini PC useful. Here's how much you actually need, what your machine will really accept, and which kits to buy without wasting money.
Homelab vs. Cloud: Break-Even Calculator for Your Own Numbers
Does self-hosting beat paying for cloud services? A break-even calculator with labelled example figures: enter your hardware cost, running cost, and the subscriptions you would replace.
Used Enterprise SSDs for Homelabs: Are eBay Data Center Drives Worth the Risk?
Used data center SSDs on eBay look like an absurd deal. Here's what you actually get, what the endurance numbers really mean, and when a new consumer drive is the smarter buy.
Best Budget Managed Switch for VLANs (Homelab, 2026)
The 2026 shortlist of the best budget managed switches for homelab VLANs: the $25 hero pick, a cheaper rival, and upgrade tiers for PoE and 2.5G networking.
Best UPS for a Homelab in 2026 (Sizing, Picks, and Runtime Numbers)
The 2026 guide to picking a UPS for a homelab: how to size one by watts instead of VA, which units are worth buying, runtime estimates from a calculator, and how to wire up automatic shutdown.
My Homelab Stack: Everything I Run
A tour of my homelab stack: the hardware and the services I run, grouped by job, with a calculator for working out your own monthly cost.
Rack Server vs Tower Server vs Mini PC for a Homelab
I run two HP DL380 Gen9 rack servers. What rack gear buys you (iLO, ECC, drive bays), what it costs in noise and power, and when a tower or mini PC fits better.
Self-Hosting Meets Real Life: What's Actually Worth Running at Home
Not everything belongs in a container. An honest, category-by-category look at what self-hosting actually pays off at home and what you should just keep paying for.
Low-Power Homelab: Run 15+ Services on Under 25 Watts
Build a homelab that idles under 25W while running 15+ services. Hardware picks, container density tips, power budget table, and honest trade-offs.
How Much Does a Homelab Actually Cost? (Power, Hardware, Time)
Year-one total cost of ownership for a budget homelab: hardware, electricity, time, storage, recurring fees, and the upgrade spiral. With example figures you can replace with your own.
Best Mini PC for Home Assistant in 2026 (HAOS, Containers, and Heavy Add-ons)
The opinionated 2026 buyer's guide to mini PC hardware for Home Assistant: five picks across price tiers, real performance notes, and the accessories that make the whole thing work.
Best Mini PCs for a Homelab 2026: Every Tier, $80-$475
Every homelab mini PC tier from $80 to $475, with processor TDP from spec sheets and example power costs, and the picks that handle Proxmox and Docker well.
Homelab Power Usage: How to Measure and Reduce It
Your homelab runs 24/7, and that adds up on your electric bill. Here's how to actually measure what you're using and cut it without cutting your setup.
Replacing Google One With a Home Server: Is It Actually Worth It?
Google One keeps raising prices. Here's what it actually takes to replace it with a self-hosted alternative, and whether the trade-offs make sense.
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.
How Much Does a Homelab Cost Per Month? A Calculator With Example Numbers
A homelab's monthly cost is power, hardware amortization, domain, and fees. Use this calculator with labelled example figures, then replace them with your own wattage and rate.
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.