Building AI agents with Flowise but wanting full control? Self-hosting on a Hetzner Ubuntu server cuts costs and keeps your data private. This guide walks through deploying with Docker and Caddy for automatic HTTPS, offering a cheaper alternative to managed platforms.

You'll start by provisioning a server from Hetzner Cloud, known for excellent price-to-performance. The process involves setting up a basic Ubuntu server, securing it with a firewall, and installing Docker for containerization. This foundation ensures your AI application runs on a stable, cost-effective infrastructure.

Next, configure Caddy as a reverse proxy for automatic SSL certificates. Point your domain's DNS records to the server, then run Flowise via Docker Compose. The setup persists data across restarts, and you can access your instance securely at your domain. Regular updates keep the system current.

For many, self-hosting provides significant savings compared to services like Render or Fly.io, with a Hetzner server costing under €10 monthly. However, this approach demands you handle server maintenance, security patches, and monitoring yourself—a trade-off between cost and convenience.