Managed vs self-hosted
You can use the managed service, or run the open-source project on your own infrastructure. This page helps you choose.
At a glance
| Managed | Self-hosted | |
|---|---|---|
| Setup and upkeep | Handled for you | You run it |
| Updates and scaling | Handled for you | You manage |
| Billing and plans | Built in | Off by default, quotas unlimited |
| Storage | Cloud storage | MinIO, or your own S3 bucket |
| AI | Your own provider key | Your own provider key |
| Control and ownership | Managed | Full |
When to self-host
Self-host when you want full control and ownership, you are comfortable running a database and object storage, and you do not need managed billing. On a self-hosted instance, billing is off and quotas are unlimited by default.
When to use managed
Use the managed service when you would rather not run infrastructure, and you want updates, scaling, and support handled for you.
What self-hosting includes
A self-hosted instance runs the web app, which is the console, the API, and the editor, backed by Postgres and S3-compatible storage. See Architecture and Deploying.
A prebuilt web container is on the roadmap
Today, self-hosting runs the app from source against a database and storage. A prebuilt web image is planned. See the Roadmap.