eJobSiteSoftware has been selling self-hosted job board software since 1999, offering a $600 one-time purchase that includes full source code, a custom homepage, installation, and your first year of hosting and support. With over 500 clients, it appeals to technical users who want complete ownership of their platform. But owning the code means owning every problem that comes with it: security patches, server maintenance, and an interface that hasn't kept pace with modern expectations. If you're weighing whether self-hosted still makes sense in 2026, here's how to think about your options.
How to evaluate eJobSiteSoftware alternatives
Our job board software buyer's guide covers the 9 key decisions for choosing a platform. Here's how those decisions apply when evaluating eJobSiteSoftware alternatives specifically.
The $600 price tag looks attractive until you account for the real cost of running job board software yourself. Evaluating alternatives means being honest about what self-hosting actually demands and whether a different model would serve you better.
Technical architecture: the maintenance burden
Self-hosted software means you're responsible for every update, every compatibility issue, and every bug fix after year one. eJobSiteSoftware includes support and hosting for the first year, but after that you're on your own. Server updates can break things. PHP version changes can break things. A plugin conflict can take your board offline on a Friday night with no one to call. SaaS platforms like Cavuno at $29/month handle all of this invisibly. You never think about server patches or database backups because someone else is paid to worry about them.
Total cost of ownership: hosting and security included
That $600 one-time fee doesn't include hosting after year one, SSL certificates, CDN costs, database backups, or the time you'll spend managing all of it. A basic VPS runs $20–50/month. Add managed database hosting and you're looking at $50–100/month in infrastructure alone. Security is the hidden cost that bites hardest. If your self-hosted board gets compromised, you're responsible for the breach, the cleanup, and notifying affected users. When you add it all up, a hosted SaaS platform often costs less than running your own infrastructure.
Business model: when SaaS makes more sense
Self-hosting made sense in 1999 when SaaS barely existed and $600 was cheaper than any alternative. In 2026, the calculus has flipped. If you don't have a dedicated developer maintaining your job board, SaaS is almost always the better choice. Platforms like Cavuno ($29/month) and Kardow ($17/month) give you a fully managed job board with modern design, automatic updates, and zero server management. You focus on growing your board instead of keeping it running.
