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The real question
The comparison is almost always framed as: managed hosting monthly cost vs. VPS monthly cost. Managed hosting loses that comparison easily. But it is the wrong comparison.
The right question is: what does each option actually cost when you account for everything?
What self-hosting involves
Self-hosting means you provision the hardware or VPS, configure the OS, install and harden the web server, set up SSL, configure firewalls, establish monitoring, take responsibility for patching, and handle incidents when they occur. If something breaks at 3am, someone on your team is dealing with it.
None of this is difficult for a team with the right skills. But it requires ongoing attention. OS patches need applying. Certificates need renewing. Logs need reviewing. Configuration drift accumulates. At around £350 per day for a capable systems engineer, even a few hours a month adds up.
What managed hosting gives you
With a managed provider, the infrastructure layer is handled for you: OS patching, security hardening, SSL management, uptime monitoring, incident response. You get an SLA and a support team you can contact directly.
You are not just paying for server capacity. You are paying for the expertise and time to keep it running properly.
When self-hosting makes sense
- You have a capable systems engineer with genuine spare capacity to maintain it properly
- Your workload has specific requirements a managed environment cannot accommodate
- You want full control and are willing to accept the operational responsibility that comes with it
When managed hosting makes sense
- Your team's time is better spent on your product than on infrastructure maintenance
- You do not have in-house systems engineering expertise, or your engineer is already at capacity
- You need predictable costs without surprise engineering bills
- You need an SLA and direct support rather than being responsible for your own incident response
Conclusion
Neither option is universally better. Self-hosting works when you have the skills and capacity. Managed works when you do not — or when your engineering time has higher-value uses. Make the decision based on your actual team and priorities, not on the headline server price.
If you are weighing it up, get in touch. We will give you a straight answer on what makes sense for your situation.
