We set up a tool for you
We install one open-source tool on a server in your own hosting account, secure it, set up backups, and show your team how to use it.
DetailsOpen-source tools, set up and looked after
Run your business on open-source tools,
without needing an IT team.
TrySelfHost sets up and looks after open-source software for small teams: file sharing and documents, business email, team chat and password management. When you are ready to leave a paid tool, we move you across gradually and carefully, so nothing breaks.
Free, no commitment. We reply within one business day.
What we doThree ways we can help
Three ways we can help
you can start with a single tool
We look after what you already run
You have an open-source tool and nobody to maintain it. We take over updates, backups, monitoring and fixes, for a monthly fee.
DetailsWe move you off a paid tool, gradually
We start with one tool you pay for, suggest an open-source alternative, and move your data while the old one keeps running. We only continue when you are comfortable.
DetailsHow it worksFrom the first call to handover
From the first call to handover
a staged process, with no surprises
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Free review
Thirty minutes on what you use today and what is painful about it. There is no cost and no commitment.
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A written plan and a fixed quote
Within two business days you receive a one-page plan and a fixed price for the whole job. You pay nothing until you have read and approved it.
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Built and tested separately
We build the new setup on its own, so your live tools are not touched while it is being tested.
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The move, with the old tool still running
Your data moves across while the old tool stays live. The move only ends when your team confirms that everything they need has arrived.
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Handover
The server and every password are yours, with plain documentation that another administrator could follow.
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Optional ongoing care
If you want it, we take over updates, backups, monitoring and fixes for a monthly fee, quoted separately.
Plain termsWhat to expect
What to expect
including the limits
We don't sell the software
It is free and open source. If something needs a paid edition, we tell you before you commit.
Not every feature carries over
Open-source tools do not match every feature of the paid tool they replace. We say where they differ.
Email delivery has limits
We cannot promise that email lands in every inbox. That depends on many factors, and we tell you what we can and cannot control.
Small and founder-run
TrySelfHost is a small, founder-run initiative. Support is next business day, during business hours. If you need more, we agree it in writing first.
PricingYou see the price
You see the price
before you commit
Every project starts with a free review and a fixed written quote for the whole job. You pay only after you have read and approved it. Ongoing care is optional and quoted separately.
How pricing worksQuestions
Common questions
Do I pay for the software?
Usually not. The software is open source. If a paid edition is needed, we tell you first, and you pay the vendor directly.
Who owns the server and the data?
You do. Everything runs in your own hosting account, and you hold the passwords.
What if the move breaks something?
Your old tool stays live until your team confirms that everything has arrived, so there is always something to fall back on.
What if you disappear?
You have full access, every password and written documentation, so another administrator can take over.
Can I leave later?
Yes. Nothing locks you in. Ongoing care is optional and can end whenever you choose.
Writing
Practical notes
on moving to and running open-source tools
June 11, 2026Data Sovereignty
EU Data Residency Isn't the Same as EU Data Sovereignty
Hosting in a provider's EU region puts your data in Europe. Whether it also keeps it out of reach of foreign law is a different question, and the answer has changed more than once.
9 min readRead
June 1, 2026Infrastructure Strategy
How Much Does Self-Hosting Actually Cost? A Realistic Breakdown
What self-hosted infrastructure really costs at 20, 50, and 100 people — and the setup and ongoing costs most comparisons quietly skip.
9 min readRead
May 26, 2026Infrastructure Strategy
What a Complete Google Workspace Replacement Looks Like for a Growing Team
Not a comparison of features. What actually changes when a team of a few dozen moves its files, email and documents off Google onto infrastructure it owns, and where it needs care.
9 min readRead
Next stepsStart with a free
Start with a free
30-minute review
Tell us what you use today and what is painful. After the call we send you a one-page written plan. There is no cost and no commitment.
Prefer to write? Use the form, or email hello@tryselfhost.com. We reply within one business day.
Tell us about your setup
Three short questions.