How I Save Money Running My Own Email Server
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Most people don’t know you can host your own email service, just like hosting your code. It’s more work, but it can save startups serious money especially if you run multiple products or trying to keep costs low. However this is not for everyone.
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Outline
- Why most startups overspend on email services
- The option to self-host email
- What tools and setup you need
- Cost comparison: hosted vs self-hosted
- Risks and trade-offs
Why Most Startups Overspend on Email Services
I’ve seen startup bills for email that are just crazy. Paying per user, per month, for something as basic as sending and receiving email doesn’t make sense when the costs add up.
The Option to Self-Host Email
Few people realize you can run your own email server. It’s like hosting your own code. With Docker and open-source projects, setting up a reliable email server has never been easier.
What Tools and Setup You Need
There are plenty of open-source tools to run a mail server. The real challenge is making sure your IP is clean and not blacklisted. In some cases, having your own IP range can make things smoother for scaling.
Cost Comparison: Hosted vs Self-Hosted
Running your own mail server might cost around $24 a month if you go with a powerful server. That’s still cheaper than paying $4 per user per month. If you have a growing team, the savings become huge.
Risks and Trade-Offs
There are risks. If one product gets your IP flagged, all products on that server may suffer. Deliverability issues can spread across projects. That’s why I recommend isolating critical products or having backup options. It’s more work, but the savings and control are worth it. Initially it was for fun, but now it’s a key part of my infrastructure. However this is not for everyone. I can afford to run my own email given my current scale.
