Cloud Optional. Local Mandatory.

We're often asked why so many of our recommended tools are cloud-based. Even as we swap out mainstream options for privacy-respecting alternatives built on end-to-end encryption and zero-knowledge architecture, many still rely on remote servers. The reality is that self-hosting isn't for everyone, whether due to technical complexity, convenience, or resource limits. But the question stands: do we host anything locally? Absolutely, and for a variety of reasons that might not always be obvious. Sometimes local is simply the right tool for the job; other times, it's about resiliency. Drawing from our corporate IT background, we stick to the classic 3-2-1 backup strategy: three copies of your data, on two different media types, with one stored off-site. Having lived through a few natural disasters, this approach has proven its worth. Nothing beats the speed of local data, while having an encrypted copy sitting safely in the cloud provides essential peace of mind. So, what do we actually…