5 Hosting Mistakes You Should Avoid
As Indie Hackers, we wear many hats – from developer to marketer to CEO. But when it comes to hosting, even experienced hackers often make costly mistakes. Hosting doesn’t have to be a headache. Let’s dive into five common pitfalls and how to avoid them.
- 4 min read
1. Misjudging Hosting Costs
The Mistake:
Many Indie Hackers underestimate how hosting costs can spiral out of control depending on their choice of platform.
AWS or GCP: These providers are powerful but come with complex pricing models. It’s easy to overspend without realizing it.
Vercel or Netlify: These platforms are incredibly convenient, but they often hit you with steep costs once you surpass a certain threshold (e.g., traffic, build minutes, or team size).
“But Vercel is free!” – Sure, if you’re just starting out. But as an Indie Hacker, your goal is to grow, right? That growth can quickly push you out of the free tier and into pricing tiers that escalate as you scale. Planning for this early is smarter than scrambling when the bill comes.
Self-hosting on a VPS: VPS options like Hetzner or Linode are among the cheapest, but there’s a hidden cost: your time. Setting up and managing your own server means dealing with configurations, maintenance, security patches, backups, and troubleshooting – all time you could have spent building your actual product.
The Fix:
- Choose a hosting platform that balances cost and ease of use.
- Look for predictable pricing models that grow with you without nasty surprises.
- Remember that while VPS hosting is cost-efficient, you’ll need to weigh the time investment carefully if you want to keep your focus on development.
2. Ignoring Backups
The Mistake:
Many Indie Hackers neglect proper backups, thinking, “It won’t happen to me.” But when data loss occurs – whether from a misstep, a server failure, or a security breach – the damage can be catastrophic.
The Counterpoint:
“But most platforms already handle backups for me, right?”
Some hosting platforms, like Vercel, handle backups implicitly as part of their managed infrastructure, but these backups aren’t always under your control. Relying solely on your platform can leave you vulnerable if their service goes down or if you need to roll back to a specific point in time.
The Fix:
- Automate your backups: Ensure that your application and database backups are frequent and stored in a secure, separate location.
- Test your backups: It’s not enough to create backups – you need to periodically test restoring them to avoid nasty surprises.
- If you’re on a VPS, consider tools like Restic or Borg for automated, encrypted backups.
3. Overcomplicating Infrastructure
The Mistake:
It’s tempting to dive into complex setups like Kubernetes or multi-region architectures, thinking they’re essential for success. But for most Indie Hackers, these setups lead to wasted time, overengineering, and unnecessary costs.
The Counterpoint:
“But Kubernetes or advanced tools prepare me for scaling, right?”
Yes, but scaling only makes sense when you actually have consistent, high demand. For early-stage projects, the complexity of maintaining advanced setups outweighs the benefits. Many Indie Hackers end up spending more time managing infrastructure than building features.
The Fix:
- Start simple: Use containerized setups like Docker on VPS, or platforms like IndieCloud, which manage infrastructure for you.
- Scale when it’s needed: As your traffic grows, switch to scalable platforms that offer flexibility without requiring you to manage everything manually.
- Focus on value: Your audience cares more about your app’s features than its hosting setup.
4. Neglecting Security
The Mistake:
Rushing to launch often leads to skipping critical security measures like HTTPS, proper database permissions, or regular updates. This oversight leaves your project vulnerable to attacks that could damage your reputation or result in data breaches.
The Counterpoint:
“But I’m just a small Indie Hacker – why would anyone attack me?”
Unfortunately, size doesn’t matter to attackers. Many automated bots scan the internet for vulnerable systems, looking for open ports, outdated software, or unprotected databases. Even small projects are at risk.
The Fix:
- Always enable HTTPS: Use free tools like Let’s Encrypt to secure your app’s traffic.
- Secure your database: Limit access to trusted IPs and use strong passwords.
- Automate updates: Regularly update dependencies, libraries, and your server OS to minimize vulnerabilities.
5. Not Planning for Growth
The Mistake:
Many Indie Hackers start small and don’t anticipate growth. When traffic spikes or user demand increases, they’re caught off guard by performance bottlenecks, slow load times, or outright downtime.
The Counterpoint:
“But I don’t even know if my app will grow – why should I plan for it?”
While it’s true that not every project will scale, failing to plan for potential growth can mean losing opportunities if it does. The goal isn’t to over-engineer but to ensure your infrastructure can adapt to increasing demands when necessary.
The Fix:
- Choose hosting solutions that can scale: Platforms like IndieCloud allow you to easily add resources as traffic grows.
- Load test your app: Use tools like Apache JMeter to simulate traffic spikes and identify bottlenecks before they occur.
- Monitor usage: Track server and app performance so you can anticipate growth and respond proactively.
Final Thoughts
Hosting doesn’t have to be stressful. By avoiding these common mistakes, you can save time, money, and a lot of headaches.
If you’re looking for a simpler way to host your projects, check out IndieCloud. It’s designed to help Indie Hackers focus on building, not infrastructure.