For a first SaaS, simple hosting beats a complex setup
A first SaaS usually does not need separate services for the front end, back end, and database on day one. A small product can often run on one VPS, or on a simple PaaS setup using services such as Railway, Render, Vercel, Netlify, and Supabase with managed Postgres. The low-cost VPS route often means using providers such as Hetzner, Contabo, or Webdock, then running Docker, Caddy, Coolify, or Dokploy to manage the app; examples ranged from about 5 to 30 euros, or 10 to 30 dollars, per month.
The easier PaaS route reduces setup work, but the real cost should include the after the , especially for the database. was often used as a free DNS and protection layer, and apps with user uploads need to check and download costs. The two things worth paying attention to from the start are that have actually been tested and a simple Git-based deploy path.
Scaling can wait until a real appears; before that, a bigger server is often enough.
Key points
- Do not split the front end, back end, and database too early unless there is a clear reason.
- A VPS can keep monthly costs low, but it makes you responsible for more server work.
- PaaS is easier to run, but check what the next costs after the .
- Test before customers depend on the product.
- Use only when users need to upload or download files.