In recent months, stories like Slack's licensing changes have highlighted just how fragile our control over data can be when it lives entirely in someone else's cloud. Prices go up, features disappear, APIs change, and suddenly you no longer own the tools - or even the history - your business relies on.
At Namhost, we've always believed that the surest way to guarantee ownership of your data is to self-host it. With Namhost hosting, that means your site or system runs on servers you control, with dual-location backups and the ability to move your data to another server or provider whenever you choose. The server is yours, the backups are yours, and the rules are yours.
What “Owning” Your Data Really Means
Relying on closed platforms like Slack or other SaaS tools might feel convenient, but it leaves you at the mercy of the vendor. Slack can (and has) changed export rules, pricing, and even API access in ways that limit control over your own history.
But if you self-host:
- You decide where your data lives.
- You can move it without begging a vendor for access.
- You control the backups, the retention policies, and the failover strategies.
- No one can lock you into a license or feature tier just to get back to “business as usual.”
Even if you're not ready to build everything yourself, it's worth exploring alternatives. Communities like r/selfhosted are full of practical examples, and sites like awesome-selfhosted.net and selfh.st/apps list thousands of open-source, self-hostable applications, all of which can be hosted with Namhost.
Why Namhost Self-Hosting is Different
- Shared hosting with dual-location backups - your data is automatically mirrored in two places, so a single point of failure can’t take you down.
- VPS and dedicated servers - for businesses that need full control, root access, and the ability to run exactly what they need.
- Predictable costs and freedom to move - you can always migrate away without being chained to a closed platform or license.
This is the kind of stability and independence you simply don’t get with big “cloud first” platforms.
But Isn’t Open Source Enough?
Open source is valuable, but it isn’t bulletproof. Companies and projects still need sustainable business models, and over time, many add costs or restrict their “community” editions. Rocket.Chat is a good example - it started as a free, open-source alternative to Slack, but as the platform matured, paid features and enterprise tiers became inevitable. At Namhost, we still use Rocket.Chat today but that will change as we incorporate more of the many modules offered by Teruza, the platform that now powers Namhost.
WHMCS, Scale, and Flexibility
We’ve long respected WHMCS. It's a fantastic product, and for many hosting companies it's still the right fit. As Namhost grew, however, WHMCS became less scalable and lacked the flexibility we needed. That's why we switched to Teruza, an enterprise level, self-hosted business platform that gives us the freedom to integrate everything from invoicing and support to internal chat, all without being tied to restrictive licenses. Most importantly, it runs on Namhost's hosting infrastructure, which means we stay in full control of our data at every level.
The Real Benefits of Self-Hosting
- Data sovereignty - You know exactly which jurisdiction your data falls under.
- Security - With Namhost’s hardened hosting environments and dual backups, your data isn’t left at the mercy of a third-party platform.
- Cost predictability - No sudden “per-user” fee increases or forced migrations.
- Flexibility - Need a custom app, module, or integration? With your own VPS or dedicated server, it’s possible.
- Exit strategy - If you ever want to move, you can. Your data is not locked behind someone else’s walls.
Conclusion
The world is full of subscription services and cloud platforms that promise convenience but quietly take away your freedom. The only real way to guarantee that you own your data is to self-host it - whether that’s on shared hosting with automatic dual backups, a VPS, or a dedicated server.
At Namhost, we provide the infrastructure, the backup strategy, and the flexibility to make that possible. Because we believe that owning your own data isn’t just a nice idea - it’s the foundation of a secure, stable, and future-proof digital business.