Try self-hosted tools
in minutes, not hours.
We provision live, isolated instances for verified open-source tool trials, with HTTPS and tool-specific evaluation access, so you can answer the only question that matters: is this tool actually for me?
4+
Curated tools available
Minutes
Typical provisioning time
Isolated
Dedicated VPS per trial
$5
Flat trial fee, 5 days
How it works
Three steps from curious to confident
Most self-hosted tool evaluations take a full day of setup before you can even see the UI. We compress that into a guided provisioning flow.
Pick a tool
Browse our curated directory. Each tool page answers the most important question: is this tool for someone like you?
Launch in minutes
We provision a dedicated VPS, install the tool, configure HTTPS and DNS, and send you a private access link. No forms, no setup.
Decide with confidence
Use it for real work for 5 days. If it's not for you, you've spent $5 and an hour. If it is, we help you self-host it properly.
Featured tools
Curated tools worth evaluating
We only list tools that are genuinely useful, self-hostable, and worth the evaluation. No filler.
Is OpenClaw for me?
A personal AI assistant that runs on your devices and meets you across your channels.
Is Paperclip for me?
Open-source orchestration for AI-agent companies, goals, budgets, and governance.
Is AFFiNE for me?
A local-first open-source workspace where docs, whiteboards, and tables live together.
Is Hermes for me?
A self-improving AI agent with memory, skills, scheduling, subagents, and multi-platform access.
Who this is for
For engineers who evaluate before they commit
You know self-hosting gives you data ownership, no per-seat pricing, and full control. The friction is that properly evaluating a tool means spending half a day on setup before you can answer the real question. We remove that friction.
- Engineers evaluating tools for their team before committing to self-hosting
- Founders who want to pilot internal tooling without a lengthy procurement process
- Individual developers curious whether a tool fits their workflow before setting it up
- Technical teams who know self-hosting is the right answer but want to validate the tool first
What you get
A real instance, not a demo
Every trial is a dedicated server running the actual open-source software. Full evaluation access. Your data. Your pace.
Security & isolation
Designed for sensitive evaluation
Evaluating internal tooling can involve real users, workflows, and sensitive context. We take that seriously.
Isolated instances
Every trial runs on a dedicated VPS with no shared infrastructure between customers.
Secure access
Your trial URL is private. HTTPS is configured automatically on every instance.
Clean teardown
Instances are wiped on expiry. No residual data, no lingering access, no surprises.
Your data stays yours
We don't inspect your trial data. Export before expiry because the trial instance is deleted from our infrastructure.
Pricing
One flat fee. No surprises.
$5 for a 5-day hosted trial. If you decide to keep the tool and self-host it, that $5 becomes a credit. You never pay twice for the same decision.
No subscription required for trials.
Common questions
Answers before you commit
For tools with verified provisioning, you get a live instance of the tool you chose, running on an isolated VPS with tool-specific access details. It stays live for 5 days.
The VPS is wiped after expiry. You'll get email reminders at 48h and 24h before expiry so you can export anything you want to keep. Operational records stay separate from the deleted trial instance.
Real software. For verified hosted trials, you get the actual open-source tool installed and configured for the supported trial path. You can test realistic workflows and supported access paths; it is not a limited demo.
We'll help you migrate to your own infrastructure. Your $5 trial fee converts to a credit on self-hosting guides, Hetzner setup assistance, or extended managed hosting (coming soon).
You don't need to configure anything — the trial is pre-configured. To evaluate whether a tool is right for you, basic technical literacy helps. But you're not being asked to touch a server.
Ready to stop guessing and start evaluating?
Pick a tool, get a live instance in minutes, and decide with confidence. $5 gets you 5 days.