Site Costs & Support
Cove of Classics is free to use — no ads, no subscriptions, no catch. Running it isn't free, though. This page is a transparent breakdown of what it actually costs to keep the site online and actively developed, and an honest ask for support if you find the project worthwhile.
Infrastructure
The site runs on a single VPS (a virtual private server) that handles everything: the web app, the API, the database, image processing, and the reverse proxy. It's a lean setup — self-hosted and self-managed — which keeps costs low and avoids paying for services that can be run on the same box.
| Item | Notes | Per month |
|---|---|---|
| Server (VPS) | Runs the web app, API, database, and image processing | €6.24 |
| Domain name | coveofclassics.com, billed annually in USD (~$18.68/yr) | ≈€1.43 |
| Offsite backups | Daily database snapshots stored off the main server | €3.99 |
| Image hosting | Cover images and scans — currently within the free tier | €0 |
| Infrastructure total | ≈€11.66 / month | |
Self-hosted open-source tools (ImgProxy, Matomo, Traefik, PostgreSQL) run on the same server and carry no additional licensing fees. Euro figures for USD items are approximate based on current exchange rates.
Development & maintenance
Beyond keeping the lights on, there are costs associated with actually building and improving the site. Cove of Classics is a solo project — it's developed in evenings and weekends, and a couple of AI tools make that sustainable without burning out. These aren't infrastructure costs, but they're real money that goes into the project.
| Item | Notes | Per month |
|---|---|---|
| Claude Code (Pro) | AI coding assistant used for development and refactoring — €15 base + 25% Danish VAT | €18.75 |
| CodeRabbit | AI-assisted code review on every pull request — billed in USD (~$30/mo) | ≈€28 |
| Development total | ≈€46.75 / month | |
Digital services are subject to 25% Danish VAT (Moms) where applicable. USD prices converted at approximate current rates and may vary slightly month to month.
Support the project
If Cove of Classics is useful to you, or you just appreciate that it exists and isn't trying to make money off you, a small donation helps a lot. It directly offsets running costs, and honestly, it also frees up a bit of budget to expand the retro game collection the whole site is built around.
Donations go through Ko-fi — it's straightforward, no account needed, and there's no pressure or expectation. Pay what you want, or nothing at all.
☕ Support on Ko-fiEither way — thank you for using the site. It's genuinely a passion project, and knowing people find it useful makes the hosting bill worth it.