That setup does sound feasible, yes especially if you really need a panel for managing websites and email.
In my case, I went the opposite way:
we already have company servers with admin, but I intentionally chose a separate small VPS just for Directus, so I wouldn’t need to bother an admin with every small change or be blocked by internal processes.
I’m running Directus on a basic VPS (8 GB RAM) that costs me about $5/month.
For my workload, that’s more than enough and probably will be for a long time.
Personally, I don’t really see a big problem in having two VPS:
- one with cPanel / Plesk for websites and email
- one clean VPS just for Directus + Docker
In practice, the hosting provider will likely charge more than $5 extra for a bigger all-in-one server anyway, especially once panel licensing is included.
That said, you know your business better than anyone:
- if Directus will have higher load
- if you prefer one server to manage
- if having a “dummy-proof” panel is critical for your workflow
In my case the load is small, autonomy was more important, and having a cheap isolated VPS gave me freedom and peace of mind.
And just to add one more thought, in IT there are very rarely “correct” solutions in the mathematical sense.
I personally realized this through self-hosting: almost every option works, but each comes with different trade-offs. What really matters is choosing the approach that feels right to you.
If later something turns out to be more complex or limiting than expected, it’s much easier to accept it when it was your own conscious choice, not something imposed by circumstances or advice.
So go with the setup that aligns best with how you think and work either way, it will work.
Good luck with the setup 