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Should I self-host Flickr Pro?
NOT REALLYkeep paying
$6.17/mo for unlimited hosting plus the last real photo community. Piwigo and Immich store photos superbly (Immich already earned an ownership-driven NO here against Google One) — but Flickr Pro is community + hosting, and half of that doesn't self-host.
The math (nothing hidden, including your time)
| Flickr Pro (2-year plan) | $6.17/mo |
| VPS share + storage | −$3.00/mo |
| Your maintenance: 20 min/mo at $20/h | −$6.67/mo |
| Net saving | $-3.50/mo |
| Setup: 15 min measured (one-time) | $5.00 |
| Break-even | never |
| Markup Index (price ÷ real self-host cost) | 0.6× |
Price: source, checked 2026-08-07. Inputs are stored in git; every number above is derived, never hand-written.
What you lose
- The community and reach; galleries your family already knows how to open
What you're paying Flickr Pro for
- photo hosting
- albums & galleries
- community & groups
- stats
Ranked alternatives
Hardware
Runs comfortably on a real VPS (2 GB+).
Verification
Protocol v1 · verified by zernonia on 2026-08-10 · setup measured at 15 min · AI assistant: claude-code (allowed & stated)
Full timed log
# Flickr Pro — verdict log - **Date:** 2026-08-10 - **Verdict:** NOT REALLY — keep paying - **Protocol:** v1 (2GB reference env, Docker preinstalled, AI assistant: claude-code) ## Why no compose file - This verdict is decided by economics/capability, not setup effort — the rubric doesn't require a timed install to conclude the subscription should stay (or that the replacement's cost lives elsewhere, e.g. GPUs, egress, or an installer script). ## The call $6.17/mo for unlimited hosting plus the last real photo community. Piwigo and Immich store photos superbly (Immich already earned an ownership-driven NO here against Google One) — but Flickr Pro is community + hosting, and half of that doesn't self-host.
Verdict history
- 2026-08-10: unscored → NOT_REALLY — Initial verdict: $6.17/mo for unlimited hosting plus the last real photo community.