ProjectSend Hosted vs Self-Hosted

The same software runs both ways. If you already self-host ProjectSend, you know the product -- the file management, the client accounts, the permission system. The question when considering ProjectSend Cloud is not whether the software is good. The question is who handles the server.

Is Cloud Just the Self-Hosted Version With a Price Tag?

Technically, yes. ProjectSend Cloud runs the same codebase as the self-hosted community version, under the same GPLv2 license. You can read the source, fork it, contribute to it, or walk away with your data at any time. What you are paying for is operations: hosting, upkeep, and support -- not a different product.

The open source project has 4.8M+ Docker image downloads and over 4,000 active self-hosted instances worldwide. That version is free forever, actively maintained, and a completely reasonable choice for anyone who wants full control over their infrastructure.

ProjectSend Cloud is not a separate company that licensed the software. The team behind Cloud has maintained the open source project for over a decade. Every Cloud subscription contributes to the development -- bug fixes, new features, documentation -- that benefits every self-hosted instance running today.

The story of why ProjectSend Cloud exists explains the reasoning behind the .org / .cloud model and how both surfaces are meant to coexist long-term.

What Exactly Changes When You Move to Hosted?

The server -- and everything that comes with it -- moves off your plate. ProjectSend Cloud handles hosting, daily automated backups, SSL certificates, software updates, outbound email delivery for notifications, and first-line support. Your data lives in a dedicated database, not a shared pool.

Here is what each of those pieces looks like in practice:

• Hosting and uptime: No server to provision, no PHP version to manage, no cron jobs to configure and forget about.
• Daily backups: Automated on every plan, included by default. Nothing to configure.
• Software updates: New releases reach Cloud instances proactively. The community version gets the same updates on your own timeline and your own server.
• Outbound email: Notification emails and upload alerts work from day one on Cloud. On self-hosted installs, SMTP configuration is the most common point of failure -- misconfigured ports, hosting provider blocks, or messages going straight to spam.
• Dedicated database: Every Cloud instance gets its own database, not a row in a shared table. The structure is the same as running your own server -- your data is isolated at the database level.
• Support: Self-hosted users have the community forum and the GitHub issue tracker. Cloud includes email support, with priority response on the Business plan.

One thing worth noting: the Cloud admin interface is the same as the self-hosted admin. If you manage a self-hosted ProjectSend install today, the Cloud dashboard will look exactly the same -- because it is the same software. There is no learning curve in either direction.

What Never Changes?

The code, the license, and your ownership of the data. ProjectSend Cloud runs GPLv2 software. You can export your files, your user list, and your configuration at any time -- on any plan, in either direction. The exit works by design.

• The code: GPLv2 with CLA. Inspect it or fork it on GitHub. Nothing proprietary happens server-side that is not in the source.
• Your files: Export at any time on any plan. No conversion step, no proprietary format -- the same files you uploaded are the same files you get back.
• Your client accounts: The account structure is identical on Cloud and on a self-hosted install. Your clients log in the same way in either setup.
• The open source project: Bugs fixed in Cloud land in the community version. Features go into the shared codebase. The 1,900+ GitHub stars and 70+ language translations are shared resources -- Cloud does not get a separate version.
• The community: Documentation, translations, and contributions all live at projectsend.org. Cloud funds the project; the project belongs to everyone who uses it.

Who Should Stay Self-Hosted?

Anyone who wants full control over their stack, their storage region, and their infrastructure costs -- and has the technical capacity to maintain it -- has good reasons to stay self-hosted. The community version is free forever, GPLv2, and actively maintained.

Self-hosting makes the most sense when:

• You already operate a server and adding a ProjectSend instance is routine
• Your clients or a regulation require files to stay in a specific geographic region
• You want to customize or fork the codebase for your own needs
• Your team has someone comfortable managing PHP, MySQL, and periodic software updates
• You are building on top of ProjectSend rather than simply using it as a client-facing portal

ProjectSend Cloud makes sense when:

• You want to remove server management from the equation entirely -- not delegate it, remove it
• Outbound email keeps failing on your self-hosted install and the fix is not worth your time
• You want daily automated backups without building a separate backup workflow
• You are running a portal for a professional services firm, and uptime is not something you want to personally manage
• You want to start for free: the Free plan is a real plan with no time limit and no credit card required

Migration in Both Directions

Moving from self-hosted to Cloud takes under 48 hours and is included in every plan at no extra cost. The team handles the transfer -- your users, your client accounts, your files. You bring the export; they verify everything landed correctly.

The transfer covers user accounts and permissions, client accounts and their access levels, uploaded files and folder structure, and your working configuration. The Cloud instance picks up from the same state your self-hosted install left.

The return path works the same way. Export from the Cloud admin, import on a fresh self-hosted install using the same GPLv2 codebase. No conversion, no proprietary formats. Zero lock-in is an architectural decision, not a marketing line -- the exit is designed to work.

Before choosing a plan, see the full plan comparison to understand what Free ($0), Pro ($19/mo), and Business ($49/mo) each include.

If you want to explore the open source project first -- the code, the community, the documentation -- visit projectsend.org. If you want the hosted version with someone else running the server, the Free plan requires no credit card and has no time limit.