Hawkwatch on Self-Hosted VPS
Host it on your own $5 VPS — your data, your domain, your rules, with no per-seat pricing ever.
Setup on Self-Hosted VPS
Download the installer
Download the latest Hawkwatch installer from the GitHub Releases page (https://github.com/bensblueprints/hawkwatch-mvp/releases) — or build it yourself from the MIT source.
Install
Run the installer — one click, no terminal, no account to create.
Run it locally
Hawkwatch runs 100% on your machine — no account, no telemetry, and it keeps working with the Wi-Fi off.
What works offline: everything. Hawkwatch is a desktop app — once it's installed, no feature needs a connection to us.
Hawkwatch on Self-Hosted VPS — honest answers
Is it really free on GitHub?
Yes — MIT source at github.com/bensblueprints/hawkwatch-mvp, always. The $89 buys the packaged installer, 1-click setup and updates instead of npm and a terminal.
Do I need a server?
No. Desktop mode runs everything in an Electron window. For 24/7 monitoring while your PC sleeps, a $5 VPS with the included Docker setup is the better home — Distill's cloud does have the always-on part built in, to be fair.