Self-host Netdata
updated Jul 2026deployed & timed by usprices checked · Aug 2026Install verified on Ubuntu 26.04 · Jul 2026 · how we test
Real-time, per-second monitoring of systems, containers, and applications with zero-configuration auto-detection and a lightweight C agent.
Datadog / yr$180
Self-hosted / yr~$55
You keep$125/yr
Pocket the difference — spin it up on a cheap VPS in minutes.Start free on Kamatera → (opens in new tab)
Key facts
Our recommendation
Run Netdata when you want zero-configuration, per-second visibility into a box the moment the container starts — no dashboards to build, no PromQL to learn. It's the lightest option here by far (256 MB) and the easiest to try. If you need long retention, multi-node correlation, or alerting rules as code, Prometheus plus Grafana is the more deliberate choice.
Follow the Netdata deploy guide →What you need
- Any VPS with at least 256 MB of RAM
- A domain you control — most self-hosted setups need HTTPS in front of them
- Under an hour if you've used Docker before
Install
Run these commands on your server:
# Netdata — official Docker image, host networking for full system visibility
docker run -d --name=netdata --pid=host --network=host \
-v netdataconfig:/etc/netdata -v netdatalib:/var/lib/netdata -v netdatacache:/var/cache/netdata \
--cap-add SYS_PTRACE --cap-add SYS_ADMIN --security-opt apparmor=unconfined \
--restart unless-stopped netdata/netdata # → http://SERVER_IP:19999deploy guideHow to Deploy Netdata on a VPSvps picksBest VPS for self-hostingbenchmarked quarterly · re-priced monthly
What you take on
Netdata's zero-config appeal comes with a few things to know going in:
non-negotiableIt's open-core. The local agent and dashboard are GPL-3.0 and genuinely free, but the multi-node Cloud view and longer-term features sit behind Netdata Cloud — read the split before assuming everything is self-hosted.
non-negotiableRetention is short by default. It's built for real-time, not a year of history — export to Prometheus or another long-term store if you need that.
non-negotiableHost networking and elevated capabilities. The official container wants --pid=host, --network=host, and a couple of --cap-add flags for full visibility — understand what you're granting before you run it.
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