Self-host Etherpad on a VPS
Real-time collaborative plain-text editing.
Multiple people edit the same pad at once with no accounts required, with version history and a plugin ecosystem.
Why self-host Etherpad?
Etherpad is the simplest possible real-time collaboration tool to self-host — perfect for meetings, notes and code snippets.
How to install Etherpad
- 1
Provision a VPS
Choose a plan with room for your data as well as the app.
- 2
Install the stack
Install Node.js + SQLite/MySQL.
- 3
Deploy the application
Follow the project’s official install guide for your distribution.
- 4
Enable HTTPS
Serve it on your own domain behind a reverse proxy with a certificate.
- 5
Back it up
Schedule a database dump plus a copy of any uploaded files to an off-box location.
Practical tips
- Give Etherpad its own database user with rights only on its own schema.
- Reverse-proxy Etherpad and terminate TLS at the proxy so certificates are managed in one place.
- Take a VPS snapshot before major upgrades so you can roll back cleanly.
- Keep Etherpad patched — most self-hosting incidents are unpatched software.
Frequently asked questions
- How much RAM does Etherpad need?
- Plan on 1–2 GB for typical use; add headroom if you expect many concurrent users.
- What stack does Etherpad run on?
- Node.js + SQLite/MySQL.
- Can I run other things on the same VPS?
- Yes — size the plan so Etherpad plus your other workloads fit in RAM with room to spare.
Looking for something else? Popular alternatives include HedgeDoc, CryptPad, Pad.riseup — browse all app guides.
About Etherpad
Etherpad is open-source software released under the Apache-2.0 licence. HostingSwift does not maintain, sell or support Etherpad itself — you install and run it on your own VPS. These are the official links to the project:
- Website: etherpad.org
- Source code: github.com/ether/etherpad-lite
Read the project's own documentation before deploying. We credit upstream projects because we genuinely run and recommend them — see our full open-source directory.