@catalyst lots! Couple questions to start though…

- Are you going to set up your own server and infrastructure or going with a managed provider like masto.host?
- Are you creating an instance around any theme or concept in particular?
- Single-user instance or are you looking to build a community?

@catalyst cool! Despite the small nature I feel like Mastodon doesn’t run well on less than 4GB RAM once you start federating with other instances. It’s less about the number of users you have, more about the number of users you’re all connected to.

Your timeline will be QUIET. Consider getting on relays early on to get some federated content out there for people to see. I can provide a few, there’s also https://relay.fedi.buzz to relay specific hashtags

@catalyst I started the instance on 12/10 and usage is:

PostgreSQL 2.64 GB
Redis 89.7 MB
Media storage 316 GB

I’m deleting media at 90d since I use Wasabi S3 which charges you for 90d of usage even if you delete files early. It’s coming in around $6-7/mo.

SMTP isn’t awful, I went with Sendinblue’s free tier. The big piece is getting SPF and DKIM set up properly so you don’t end up in spam folders. They’ve got guides to help you though!