Is ArchiveBox Free to Use, and What Does Self-Hosting Cost?
ArchiveBox is free and open source, but self-hosting has hardware, electricity, network, storage, and backup costs. Here’s how to estimate them.
Yes. ArchiveBox’s core software is free and open source. The official project materials describe self-hosting with Docker Compose, Docker, or a direct command-line install, and do not identify a required subscription or per-snapshot fee. Running it can still cost money: a computer or server, electricity, network access, storage, and backups. Your total depends on what you already own, how much you archive, and where and how you host it. ArchiveBox’s project README describes it as free and open source.
There is no universal monthly price for self-hosting ArchiveBox. If you have a suitable computer and enough spare disk space, you may not need to buy hosting or storage. If you rent a VPS, add a drive, or make paid backups, those are separate infrastructure costs.
What is free, and what might cost money?
| Item | What to expect |
|---|---|
| ArchiveBox software | Free and open source in the official project materials reviewed. No required subscription or per-snapshot charge is documented there. |
| Computer or server | May cost nothing extra if you use suitable hardware you already own; buying or renting a machine adds cost. |
| Electricity and network | Depend on your location, hardware, and whether the host runs continuously. |
| Storage | Depends heavily on capture settings and media. ArchiveBox’s project estimate is about 1 GB to 50 GB per 1,000 snapshots. |
| Backups | Optional, but add capacity or service costs. Plan for them separately from the working archive. |
| Consulting or hosting services | Optional services, not prerequisites for using the open-source software. |
The ArchiveBox project lists third-party VPS hosting options, but the reviewed source does not provide a reliable provider-to-price mapping. VPS pricing changes and varies by location and configuration, so compare current provider quotes for your expected storage, memory, and backups rather than treating any one figure as an ArchiveBox fee.
Estimate storage before choosing a host
ArchiveBox gives a broad planning estimate of about 1 GB to 50 GB per 1,000 snapshots. This is the project’s own estimate, not a guaranteed quota or an independent benchmark. The wide range reflects the capture methods and media settings in use; video and audio can push storage needs up. Leave room for growth and backups, and treat the estimate as a starting point rather than an exact disk calculation. The project README is the source for the estimate.
- Estimate how many pages you expect to save over the period you care about.
- Decide whether your capture setup will include video or audio, which can use much more disk space.
- Use the project’s range as a rough planning signal, then monitor actual archive growth after you begin.
- Allow additional capacity for backups and future captures; do not size the disk to the low end of the estimate alone.
For example, 1,000 snapshots could occupy roughly 1–50 GB according to the project estimate. The range is too wide to justify a precise drive recommendation without knowing your content and settings.
Choose where to run ArchiveBox
Use a computer you already own
This avoids buying a server if the machine meets the project’s requirements and can stay available when you need it. Budget for any incremental electricity, storage, and backup use. An existing desktop, suitable spare computer, or NAS may be an option, but ArchiveBox does not require a NAS or dedicated machine.
Run it on a rented VPS
A VPS provides a remote host that can remain available without keeping a home computer on. It replaces a local hardware purchase with recurring provider charges and makes access dependent on the provider and network. The right price depends on current offers, region, storage, and resource needs; the reviewed ArchiveBox materials do not establish one standard VPS cost.
Separate the index from bulk archive storage
ArchiveBox’s storage guide recommends placing the index database, configuration, and logs on a local SSD, usually under 10 GB, while bulk archive content can live on an HDD or remote filesystem. This lets you choose storage for each role. An external drive or remote storage can be useful if you need more capacity, but neither is required to install ArchiveBox. See the official storage guide.
Check host requirements and installation options
The official install guide lists macOS and Ubuntu on amd64/x86_64 or arm64/aarch64, and Docker on Linux or macOS. It gives 1 GB RAM as the minimum and recommends 2 GB or more. For full default crawls on a 1 GB VPS, it advises at least 4 GB of swap. These are project-published requirements, not independent performance measurements. The guide recommends Docker Compose as the easiest setup and update route. Check the official installation guide for current steps and requirements.
The project documents Docker Compose, Docker, and direct uv installation. It also says the same data directory can be accessed with Docker and non-Docker commands. Archive files are stored as ordinary files and folders in formats such as HTML, PDF, PNG, and WARC, and the project says the archive can be read without running ArchiveBox. See the README and the installation guide for the relevant commands; exact setup commands depend on the selected method and current project instructions.
Build a realistic self-hosting budget
- Existing computer: count any additional electricity, network, storage, and backup costs. Hardware you already own may keep the initial cash expense low.
- New local hardware: include purchase cost, power use, replacement planning, and backup media or service.
- VPS: include the recurring host charge, any extra storage, backups, and network-related limits in the provider’s terms.
- Local bulk disk: account for the drive purchase and eventual replacement; keep the index/config/logs on local SSD storage as the project guide recommends.
- Remote storage: compare its recurring charges and network dependence with local disk costs.
- Media capture: budget more storage headroom if your collection includes audio or video.
There is no honest way to give a single monthly total without assumptions about your location, hardware, power use, capture volume, media settings, and backup policy. The software price can be zero while the infrastructure bill varies.
Common cost and setup mistakes
| Problem | Why it happens | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Budgeting only for the software | Free software still needs compute, network access, storage, and possibly backups. | List each infrastructure item separately and include the costs that apply to your setup. |
| Assuming every 1,000 snapshots use the same space | The project’s estimate spans about 1–50 GB, and enabled capture methods affect the result. | Treat the range as a rough signal, monitor actual growth, and leave expansion room. |
| Choosing a host with too little memory | The minimum is 1 GB RAM, while 2 GB or more is recommended by the project. | Check the install guide against your workload. For full default crawls on a 1 GB VPS, the guide advises at least 4 GB swap. |
| Putting all data on one storage type without a plan | The index and bulk archive have different storage roles and needs. | Follow the storage guide’s local SSD recommendation for index/config/logs and choose local HDD or remote storage for bulk content as appropriate. |
| Expecting a published universal VPS price | Provider costs vary, and the reviewed project materials do not give a dependable price mapping. | Compare current provider pricing using your expected memory, disk, location, and backup requirements. |
| Forgetting backups | The working archive and its backup both need capacity and a recovery plan. | Decide what to back up, where the copy will live, and how much additional storage that requires. |
Or skip the browser setup
ArchiveBox is for building your own web archive. If the immediate task is simply to capture a page as an image or PDF, ScreenshotNeo is a website screenshot API and MCP server from Yorker Media. One GET request can return a PNG, JPEG, WebP, or PDF. Its clean-shot flow accepts consent banners like a visitor and removes 60+ known consent platforms, newsletter popups, and chat widgets before capture; each step can be turned off. Bot checks, blank pages, timeouts, failed loads, and cache hits cost nothing, and response headers identify the page verdict and billing status. Its MCP server provides take_screenshot, get_page_info, and capture_pdf tools for Claude, Cursor, and other MCP clients.
curl -G "https://api.screenshotneo.com/v1/shot" -d access_key=YOUR_API_KEY --data-urlencode url=https://stripe.com -o shot.webpSee the ScreenshotNeo API documentation for the request options. ScreenshotNeo includes 1,000 screenshots per month free with no card; paid plans start at $5 for 3,000. Sign up for the free plan.
FAQ
Can I use ArchiveBox without paying for ArchiveBox software?
The official project describes its core software as free and open source. You may still have infrastructure costs.
Do I need to buy a VPS or NAS?
No. The project documents self-hosting options, and a suitable computer you already own can be used. A VPS or NAS is an optional hosting choice.
Can I read my saved archive if ArchiveBox is not running?
The project says saved material is stored in ordinary files and folders, including formats such as HTML, PDF, PNG, and WARC, and can be read without running ArchiveBox.
Does the project’s storage estimate guarantee how much disk I need?
No. The 1–50 GB per 1,000 snapshots figure is a broad project estimate; your capture settings and media affect actual usage.
