Self-host or cloud: which Cabin deployment fits your library
A side-by-side comparison of the hosted Cabin service and the self-hosted Docker image, with concrete numbers on cost, storage, and ownership.
Cabin runs the same code in two places: cabinplay.app (multi-tenant cloud, paid monthly) and a self-hosted Docker image (one-time licence with optional yearly updates). The right choice comes down to three numbers: how large your library is, how often you need to add to it, and how much you care about owning the storage.
When cloud wins
- Library under 500 GB. Pro at €14.99 per month covers 500 GB. The break-even against a small NAS (~€450 plus drives) is roughly 30 months.
- You travel and want playback from any hotspot without leaving a home server running.
- You do not want to maintain anything: no port forwarding, no TLS certificate, no upgrade window.
When self-host wins
- Library over 500 GB. The €49 Personal licence plus a 4 TB drive beats every cloud tier at the storage break-even.
- You already run a NAS. Cabin's Docker compose stack drops in next to your existing services.
- You want zero third-party storage. The hosted service encrypts at rest and never trains anything, but self-host removes the question entirely.
- You play to the car from your home Wi-Fi and rarely stream off the LAN.
Side by side
| Dimension | Cloud (Pro) | Self-host (Personal) |
|---|---|---|
| Cost (year 1) | €149 | €49 licence + hardware |
| Storage | 500 GB | Whatever you own |
| Users | 1 owner + optional sub-users on Family | 3 on one server |
| Maintenance | None | Occasional docker pull |
| Off-home streaming | Built in | Requires a tunnel or VPN |
The mixed approach
Many users keep a self-hosted instance for the bulk library and pay for the Starter cloud tier to handle road-trip content. The Free tier (500 MB, 3 videos) is enough to evaluate the cloud before committing.
FAQ
Does the self-host licence stop working after a year?
No. The licence is one-time. The optional renewal (€19 per year on Personal) buys you continued access to new versions, yt-dlp refreshes, and ffmpeg upgrades. Skipping the renewal freezes you on the last installed version, which keeps running indefinitely.
Can I migrate from cloud to self-host?
Yes. Export your library from /account, run the Docker image locally, drop the export into the import folder, and the new instance picks it up on first boot.