Marketing · Distribution

Self-hosted scheduler

Self-host on a $5 VPS. Open source. Own your data.

Same edit + caption pipeline as the recommended stack. Different distribution surface: Postiz, MIT-licensed, self-hosted in Docker. Pays off if you have ops chops, hate per-seat pricing, or run an agency where 10+ team members would balloon a SaaS bill.

MARKETINGVIDEOINTERMEDIATEIntermediateFrom $25/mo
CapCutClaudePostiz
The stack
CapCut
Edit

Same role as the recommended stack.

Free · $9/mo ProAlts: Descript
Claude
Per-platform caption tailoring

Same prompt as the recommended stack works as-is.

$20/mo Pro · API $3/M tokensAlts: ChatGPT
Postiz
Self-hosted scheduler

MIT-licensed Docker container. Run it on a $5/mo Hetzner box, point your team at it, never pay per-seat. Covers the same major platforms as Post Bridge.

Free self-hosted · $29/mo cloudAlts: Post Bridge
Real monthly cost
small
$25/mo
Self-host, solo
  • capcutFree
  • claude$20
  • postiz$5 (Hetzner VPS)
medium
$25/mo
Self-host, small team (no per-seat)
  • capcutFree
  • claude$20
  • postiz$5 (same VPS, multi-user)
heavy
$49/mo
Hosted Postiz (skip ops)
  • capcutFree
  • claude$20
  • postiz$29 Cloud
Workflow
  1. 1
    Edit + caption (same as recommended)Claude

    CapCut edit + Claude per-platform captions. Use the same prompts.

  2. 2
    Spin up PostizPostiz

    One-time: rent a $5 Hetzner box, install Docker, `docker compose up` from the Postiz repo. ~30 minutes for someone who's done this before, longer if it's new.

  3. 3
    Connect your accountsPostiz

    OAuth each platform from the Postiz UI. Set up posting schedule. Invite teammates without paying per seat.

  4. 4
    Schedule + shipPostiz

    Same outputs, different button. The ops cost is real but predictable; the per-seat ceiling is gone.

What it produced
5-person micro-agency

Moved from a $99/seat SaaS to self-hosted Postiz on a $5 VPS. Saved $400/mo across the team. Spent ~2 hours/month on routine maintenance (dependency updates, reconnecting OAuth tokens). Net win once the team crossed 3 members.

Common pitfalls
Underestimating ops time

OAuth tokens expire. Platforms change APIs. You'll pay 1-2 hours/month even when 'nothing is wrong'. Worth it at team scale; not worth it solo unless you enjoy the work.

Mixing up the brand-color palette in scheduling

Postiz is open source — UI changes between versions. Lock the version in your docker-compose to avoid surprise breakage on a release morning.

Other ways to do Short-form distribution (TikTok, Reels, Shorts)
Cross-platform short-form Recommended
Cleanest cross-platform UX. Edit once, ship to 6 platforms.
$29/mo
View stack
AI-native posting
Ghost Feed handles content + scheduling in one. Set-and-forget.
$29/mo
View stack
Viral content engine
GenViral mines trends, Post Bridge distributes. Optimized for breakout reach.
$48/mo
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Curated by @tone-d
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