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Self-hosted or managed
The differences that actually matter, and how to choose.
Both run the same product. The difference is who operates it.
| Self-hosted | Managed | |
|---|---|---|
| Where it runs | Your servers | Ours |
| Install | Docker Compose or Kubernetes | Nothing to install |
| Upgrades, backups, monitoring | You | Us |
| Your content lives | In your database | In ours |
| Can run with no internet access | Yes | No |
| Configuration | Environment variables and the UI | The UI |
| Getting started | Quickstart | Request access |
Choose self-hosted if
- Your data cannot leave your network — regulatory, contractual, or policy
- You want to run entirely offline, including the AI models
- You already run Kubernetes or Docker and adding one more service is routine
Choose managed if
- You want to try LensHub without provisioning anything
- You do not have somewhere obvious to run it
- Nobody wants to own upgrades and backups
What is identical either way
Connectors, agents, roles and permissions, memory, search, the web interface. Every guide in these docs applies to both unless it is marked otherwise.
Pages that differ show tabs like the one below. Pick once and the whole site follows it, including every example URL.