Overview
InsForge offers two deployment options to fit your needs:- Cloud-Hosted: Fully managed service at insforge.dev
- Self-Hosted: Free, open-source deployment on your own infrastructure
Cloud-Hosted (insforge.dev)
Benefits
- Zero Infrastructure Management: We handle servers, scaling, and maintenance
- Automatic Updates: Always running the latest version with security patches
- High Availability: 99.9% uptime SLA with automatic failover
- Global CDN: Fast content delivery worldwide
- Managed Backups: Daily automated backups with point-in-time recovery
- Premium Support: Priority email and Discord support
- Compliance: SOC 2 Type II certified infrastructure
Pricing Tiers
Visit insforge.dev/pricing for current pricing details. Typical cloud pricing includes:- Free Tier: Ideal for prototypes and learning
- Limited API requests
- Basic authentication
- Community support
- Pro Tier: For production applications
- Higher rate limits
- Custom domains
- Email support
- Advanced analytics
- Enterprise: For large-scale deployments
- Dedicated resources
- SLA guarantees
- Custom integrations
- White-glove support
What’s Included
All cloud plans include:- PostgreSQL database with automatic scaling
- PostgREST API layer
- Authentication (email/password + OAuth)
- File storage (S3-compatible)
- Serverless functions (Deno runtime)
- AI model gateway (OpenRouter integration)
- SSL certificates
- DDoS protection
- Monitoring and logging
Self-Hosted (Free & Open Source)
Benefits
- 100% Free: No usage limits or hidden costs
- Full Control: Complete access to source code and infrastructure
- Data Sovereignty: Keep sensitive data on your own servers
- Customization: Modify any component to fit your needs
- No Vendor Lock-In: Export and migrate data anytime
- Private Deployment: Run on-premises or in your private cloud
License
Apache License 2.0- ✅ Commercial use allowed
- ✅ Modification allowed
- ✅ Distribution allowed
- ✅ Private use allowed
- ⚠️ Must include license and copyright notice
- ⚠️ Changes must be documented
Infrastructure Costs
While InsForge is free, you’ll pay for infrastructure: Estimated Monthly Costs (AWS):| Resource | Minimum | Recommended | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Compute | $10-20 | $50-100 | EC2 t3.small → t3.large |
| Database | $15-30 | $50-150 | RDS PostgreSQL |
| Storage | $0.50-5 | $5-20 | S3 for files |
| Bandwidth | $5-10 | $20-50 | Data transfer |
| Load Balancer | $15-20 | $15-20 | Application LB |
| Total | $45-85 | $140-340 | Per month |
- Start Small: Use t3.micro for testing ($8/month)
- Use Reserved Instances: Save up to 40% with 1-year commitment
- Enable Auto-Scaling: Scale down during off-peak hours
- CloudFront CDN: Reduce bandwidth costs
- Local Storage: Use Docker volumes instead of S3 for dev
Alternative Hosting Providers
Budget-Friendly Options:| Provider | Starting Price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Railway | $5/month | Easy one-click deploy |
| Zeabur | $5/month | Built for developers |
| Sealos | $3/month | Kubernetes-based |
| DigitalOcean | $12/month | Droplets + managed DB |
| Hetzner | $5/month | EU-based, cost-effective |
| OVHcloud | $6/month | Global presence |
Feature Comparison
| Feature | Cloud-Hosted | Self-Hosted |
|---|---|---|
| Setup Time | < 5 minutes | 30-60 minutes |
| Maintenance | Managed | Self-managed |
| Updates | Automatic | Manual |
| Backups | Automated | DIY |
| Scaling | Automatic | Manual |
| Monitoring | Included | Setup required |
| Support | Priority | Community |
| SSL Certificates | Included | Setup required |
| Compliance | SOC 2 Type II | Your responsibility |
| Customization | Limited | Full control |
| Data Location | US/EU regions | Anywhere |
| API Limits | Tier-based | Unlimited |
| Cost | Monthly fee | Infrastructure only |
When to Choose Self-Hosted
Consider self-hosting if:- ✅ Compliance Requirements: Need data in specific regions/on-premises
- ✅ Heavy Customization: Want to modify core functionality
- ✅ Existing Infrastructure: Already have servers and DevOps team
- ✅ Cost Optimization: High usage makes self-hosting cheaper
- ✅ Learning/Education: Want to understand the platform deeply
- ✅ Offline Access: Need to work without internet connectivity
When to Choose Cloud-Hosted
Choose cloud hosting if:- ✅ Fast Time-to-Market: Need to launch quickly
- ✅ No DevOps Team: Don’t want to manage infrastructure
- ✅ Automatic Scaling: Traffic varies significantly
- ✅ Guaranteed Uptime: Need SLA and support
- ✅ Focus on Product: Want to focus on building, not infrastructure
- ✅ Small Team: Limited technical resources
Hybrid Approach
Many teams use both:- Development: Self-hosted locally (Docker Compose)
- Staging: Self-hosted on cloud VM
- Production: Cloud-hosted for reliability
Migration Path
Cloud → Self-Hosted
- Export database:
pg_dumpfrom cloud instance - Export storage files via S3 sync
- Deploy self-hosted instance
- Import database and files
- Update DNS and test
Self-Hosted → Cloud
- Sign up at insforge.dev
- Create new project
- Import database schema and data
- Upload storage files
- Update application connection strings
- Test thoroughly before switching DNS
Support Options
Cloud-Hosted Support
- Free Tier: Community Discord support
- Pro Tier: Email support (24-hour response)
- Enterprise: Dedicated Slack channel, phone support
Self-Hosted Support
- Community: Free Discord support from community
- Professional Services: Paid consulting for custom deployments
- Enterprise Support: Optional paid support contracts
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I try cloud-hosted before committing?
Can I try cloud-hosted before committing?
Yes! We offer a free tier with no credit card required. Perfect for testing and prototyping.
Is self-hosted really free?
Is self-hosted really free?
The software is 100% free (Apache 2.0 license). You only pay for infrastructure costs (servers, database, storage).
Can I switch from self-hosted to cloud later?
Can I switch from self-hosted to cloud later?
Absolutely! Your data is portable. We can assist with migration for paid plans.
What if I need custom features?
What if I need custom features?
Self-hosted: Modify the code yourself (open source).
Cloud: Contact us for enterprise custom development.
How do updates work for self-hosted?
How do updates work for self-hosted?
You control when to update. Pull the latest Docker images or git repository when ready. See GitHub releases.
Can I get support for self-hosted deployments?
Can I get support for self-hosted deployments?
Community support is free via Discord. We also offer paid professional services for custom deployments and ongoing support.
Get Started
Try Cloud-Hosted
- Visit insforge.dev
- Sign up for free account
- Create your first project
- Follow onboarding wizard
Deploy Self-Hosted
- Read Self-Hosting Guide
- Install Docker and Docker Compose
- Clone repository and configure
.env - Run
docker compose up -d
Contact Sales
For enterprise pricing or questions:- Email: info@insforge.dev
- Discord: discord.com/invite/MPxwj5xVvW
- Schedule Call: insforge.dev/contact