Layer 3 · self-hosting reality check
What it actually takes to self-host Infisical
The docs say 1 GB. In practice you want 2 GB. Here is the honest version — real requirements, real monthly cost, what you will be maintaining, and the one thing that catches people out.
Usually reached from HashiCorp Vault alternatives, where Infisical is one of the picks.
Wondering whether you need to at all? Is HashiCorp Vault free? — what the free tier actually allows, and where the wall is.
| RAM — documented minimum | 1 GB |
|---|---|
| RAM — what it really needs | 2 GB |
| CPU | 2 vCPU |
| Disk | Small |
| Monthly cost | $12–20/mo, against per-seat secret-management pricing |
| Setup time | 2 hours |
| How you install it | docker compose — app, PostgreSQL, Redis |
| Ongoing maintenance | Moderate, and high-stakes. Encryption key custody is now yours. |
| Where it stops scaling | Fine for typical team sizes. The failure mode is availability, not throughput. |
The thing that catches people out
If you lose the encryption key, the secrets are gone — not recoverable, by design. And if the secrets manager is down, deployments that fetch secrets at boot cannot start, which is exactly when you need it. Store the root key somewhere genuinely separate, and make sure your deploy path degrades gracefully rather than hanging.
When not to self-host Infisical
You need audited compliance evidence for secret handling, or nobody on the team wants to own key custody.
Every guide here carries this section. A site that only ever tells you to self-host is selling something — the useful answer is sometimes no.
Other Layer 3 self-hosting guides
Common questions
- How much RAM does Infisical actually need?
- 2 GB in practice. The documented minimum is 1 GB, which is the figure at which the process starts rather than the figure at which it works under real use. 2 vCPU alongside it.
- What does self-hosting Infisical cost per month?
- $12–20/mo, against per-seat secret-management pricing This is commodity VPS pricing and excludes your time, which is the larger cost for most people — budget for moderate, and high-stakes. Encryption key custody is now yours.
- How long does it take to set up Infisical?
- 2 hours, via docker compose — app, PostgreSQL, Redis.
- When should I NOT self-host Infisical?
- You need audited compliance evidence for secret handling, or nobody on the team wants to own key custody.
- What is the most common mistake when self-hosting Infisical?
- If you lose the encryption key, the secrets are gone — not recoverable, by design. And if the secrets manager is down, deployments that fetch secrets at boot cannot start, which is exactly when you need it. Store the root key somewhere genuinely separate, and make sure your deploy path degrades gracefully rather than hanging.