Our production WordPress server, yours in one command
The same Debian 13 + CloudPanel stack we build for client servers, packaged as a script you run yourself. A fresh Hetzner server becomes a live, secured WordPress site in under 10 minutes. Run it on your own, or add server care and we'll keep an eye on it for you.
Real run, from Hetzner API key to live WordPress in under 10 minutes
Every new WordPress server means another afternoon of setup
You already know hosting isn't the answer
Shared plans slow down when a neighbour's site gets busy. Speed and security cost extra. And the setup you paid for stays with the host when you leave.
But your own server means building it from scratch
Install the OS. Add a control panel. Configure PHP and the database. Lock down SSH. Set up Fail2ban. Then do it all again for the next site, and the one after that.
And then someone has to look after it
A server isn't set-and-forget. Disks fill up, services stall, certificates expire, usually when you're busy with something else. That worry is why most people stay on hosting they've outgrown.
Deployer handles the build. Server care handles the worry, if you want it to.
Once you run it, it builds the server on its own
Deployer is a script you run once from your terminal. It talks to Hetzner Cloud, creates a server, and builds the same setup a developer would build by hand, automatically, in the background.
Creates a real server on Hetzner Cloud
Spins up a server in the location and size you choose. Checks that everything is available before it charges you a cent, so you never pay for a server that can't be created.
Installs WordPress and everything it needs to run
Debian as the foundation, CloudPanel to manage it from a browser, and a working WordPress install on top. All connected, configured, and ready to log into.
Locks it down, the way a professional would
Turns on automatic updates. Switches off password logins. Installs protection against repeated break-in attempts. A safety net makes sure none of this can lock you out. It also switches on daily backups, so there's always a recent copy of your server to go back to.
Hands you the keys, all of them
Every URL, username, and password is printed at the end and saved on the server. Nothing is hidden behind us. It's yours, with full access and no middleman.
Run it yourself, or run it and we watch it
Deployer is the same either way. The only question is whether you want to be the one checking on the server.
Run it yourself
You're comfortable in a terminal and happy to check on your server now and then. Deployer builds it, the included guideline shows you what to check, and the server is yours.
Run it, and we watch it
You want your own server without being its caretaker. We monitor it and fix server-level problems like a full disk, a stalled service, an expiring certificate or a CloudPanel issue. You look after WordPress itself.
It costs about as much as decent managed hosting. The difference is that the server is yours, the price is per server rather than per site, and if you cancel, nothing moves. Your site stays exactly where it is.
You'll need:
- → A Hetzner Cloud account (free to create)
- → A domain name you own
- → Basic comfort with a terminal
- → macOS, Linux, or Git Bash or WSL on Windows
A stack we chose on purpose, not one we threw together
We've run different combinations of these tools across real client servers. What's left is what worked. This is exactly what ends up running on yours:
Debian 13
The OS we run on our own production servers. The industry standard for stable web servers.
CloudPanel
The easiest control panel we tested. Sites, databases, and SSL from a clean browser interface.
WordPress
A clean, vanilla WordPress install. Migrate a site, start a new one, or add several to the same server.
Delivered as:
- Three plain bash scripts, you run one and it handles the rest
- Full documentation, written for someone doing this the first time
- Readable, unobfuscated code, no telemetry, no hidden behavior
Deployer is made by WPSubstrata. We move small businesses onto servers they own and look after those servers for them. Deployer is the same base we build for those clients, packaged so you can run it yourself. Built by Viktor. How we work →
The same result, without the afternoon of work
There's more than one way to get your own server. Here's how they stack up against each other.
| Deployer | Deployer + Care | Managed WP Hosting | Set it up yourself | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price | $49 once | $49 + $29/mo per server | Monthly fee | Free |
| Manage sites from a browser | Yes, CloudPanel | Yes, CloudPanel | Yes, host's panel | Yes, CloudPanel |
| Server skills needed | Basic terminal use | Basic terminal use | None | Linux and server setup |
| Setup time | A few minutes | A few minutes | Minutes | An afternoon |
| Ongoing cost | Server + backups (from €5/mo) | Server + $29/mo per server | Monthly, often per site | Server only |
| Daily backups | On by default | On, and checked by us | Usually included | You set them up |
| Basic hardening (SSH lockdown, Fail2ban, firewall) | Automatic | Automatic | Host handles it | You handle it |
| Security updates | Automatic | Automatic | Host handles it | You handle it |
| Someone watching the server | No | Yes | Yes | No |
| Own the server | Yes | Yes | No, you rent space | Yes |
| Leave without moving your site | n/a | Yes | No | n/a |
| Guidance if you're new to this | Step-by-step included | Step-by-step included | Support team | General docs |
Swipe to compare all options
Pay once. Add care if you want it.
Buy Deployer once and use it on as many servers as you like. Add server care per server if you'd rather not be the one watching it.
What's included:
- A full Debian + CloudPanel + WordPress deployment
- Full documentation
- Unlimited deployments
- Lifetime access to updates
- Daily server backups, switched on for you
What's included:
- Server monitoring
- OS and security updates kept current
- Server-level fixes (disk, services, SSL renewals, CloudPanel)
Add it at checkout or any time after deploying. Cancel any time.
Server costs, including daily backups (starting from €5/month), are paid directly to Hetzner. We never see that money.
Optional, for servers set up with Deployer
We look after the server Deployer built, so you don't have to think about it. Cancel any time.
Covered:
- Server monitoring
- OS and security updates kept current
- Server-level fixes: disk, services, SSL renewals, CloudPanel
- Backups checked regularly, and a full server restore if you ever need one
Not covered:
- — WordPress, themes, plugins, content, and WordPress-level security (for example, a site hacked through an outdated plugin)
- — Backups. Deployer doesn't set them up, and neither does care. Restoring a site needs a backup you've made yourself (see the guideline for Hetzner backups).
- — Problems caused by changes made to the server outside of care, or outages at Hetzner itself
How it works
Billed monthly per server through Gumroad, and you can cancel any time. The server stays yours. We get access through the SSH key you provide at checkout, so there's nothing to set up on your side. If something needs attention, we email you at the address on your Gumroad order, and we aim to reply within 1 business day. Help with anything not covered is available as one-off assistance.
Common questions
Not yet. It's Hetzner-only for now. We chose Hetzner because they're reliable, affordable, and have a clean API. Support for other providers may come later.
No coding required. You need to be comfortable opening a terminal, pasting a command, and following the prompts on screen. If you've ever followed a tutorial that said "paste this into Terminal," you'll be fine.
The script validates everything before committing. If your API key is wrong, or the server type is sold out, it tells you before creating anything. If deployment fails partway through, you can delete the server and try again. Hetzner bills by the hour.
Not before purchase, but the scripts are plain bash and fully readable after. No obfuscation, no compiled binaries. You can audit every line.
Yes. If Deployer doesn't work as described, contact us within 30 days of purchase. We'll first try to help you get your deployment running, and if we can't, we'll refund you. Refunds don't cover problems unrelated to the script, such as your Hetzner account, your domain, or changes made to the server after deployment.
Free support covers the script itself: if it has a bug or doesn't work as documented, we'll help you get it running. Help with your server after deployment is available as a paid service, either as the $29/month care plan or as one-off assistance.
Not day to day. Deployer sets your server up to run on its own, with automatic updates and security patches, so there's no routine work.
It's still your server, though, so it's worth checking on now and then. You can do that yourself with the guideline in the package. Or, if you'd rather not think about it, our optional server care plan is $29/month. We monitor your server, keep an eye on your backups, and fix common issues like a full disk, a stalled service or an expiring certificate. It covers the server only, not your WordPress site or plugins.
Deployer turns on Hetzner's daily backups, which keep the last seven days of your server. If something goes wrong, you can roll back to yesterday's copy from your Hetzner account, or deploy a fresh server in minutes and move your site over. With server care, we handle the restore for you. For extra peace of mind, the guideline also shows how to keep a second copy of your site somewhere else.
Hetzner adds about 20% to the server price, usually €1–2 a month, paid directly to them. You can switch them off during setup, but we'd recommend keeping them on.
Yes, any time after deployment. Add it at checkout or later through Gumroad, and we'll start monitoring the server you already have. Nothing on the server changes.
Server backups are switched on by default. Deployer enables Hetzner's daily backups, so there's always a recent copy of your server to go back to. Hetzner keeps the last seven days, and it costs about 20% extra on your server price, usually €1–2 a month, paid directly to them.
Site backups are still your responsibility. A plugin or service that backs up your WordPress files and database to somewhere outside the server, such as cloud storage, is what you'd use to restore a single site, or to recover if the server itself is gone. Our guideline walks you through setting this up.
Server care covers the server, not your data. We'll keep the server healthy and, if you need a restore, we'll do it for you, but only from a backup that exists.
Nothing changes on your server. It stays yours, exactly where it is, just unmonitored. There's no migration and no downtime. You can add care back at any time.
Stop renting, start owning
One command and a few minutes gets you a WordPress site running on a server that's actually yours.
Get Deployer for $49$49 one-time · Optional server care $29/mo per server