The real cost of owning a Mac mini
Hardware is only the beginning.
The sticker price of a Mac mini is misleading. Once you factor in everything it takes to run one as a server, the true cost is significantly higher:
- Hardware: £599 for a base M4, £1,399+ for an M4 Pro with enough RAM for serious work
- Hosting: Colocation runs £30–£80/mo, or you need a reliable home setup with UPS and static IP
- Connectivity: Business-grade internet with a static IP, or a Tailscale/ZeroTier overlay
- Monitoring: Something needs to alert you when the machine goes down at 3am
- Replacement: Hardware fails. AppleCare doesn't cover servers, and turnaround takes days
Add it up and self-hosting a Mac mini as a server costs £80–£150/month in real terms — plus the upfront capital and your time managing it.
What you get
From £39/mo. Everything included.
Every Halfpenny Mac plan includes:
- Dedicated Apple silicon Mac mini — not shared, not virtualised
- Tailscale access — SSH and VNC over a private, encrypted connection
- Nightly encrypted backups to Backblaze B2
- Active monitoring — we catch issues before you notice them
- UK hosting — Cotswolds-based, UK data jurisdiction
- Direct support from the engineers who run the infrastructure
No contracts, no notice period. Cancel anytime. Annual plans save ~25%.
£39/mo Budget M1
£49/mo Starter M2
£89/mo Pro M4
£149/mo Max M4 Pro
Ready to get started?
Sign up and we'll have your Mac mini provisioned and online within 24 hours. No contracts, cancel anytime.