Self-Hosted vs. Cloud
Genfeed is available as an open-source core (self-hosted) and a fully managed cloud platform. This page compares product capabilities. For the runtime and account-sync contract, see Execution Boundaries.
Comparison
| Self-Hosted (Core) | Genfeed Cloud | |
|---|---|---|
| Setup | You manage infrastructure | Instant — sign up and start |
| Cost | Your compute + API costs | Subscription (free tier available) |
| Managed inference credits | Optional, through explicit Cloud API key | Yes |
| Image generation | Yes | Yes |
| Video generation | Yes | Yes |
| Text generation | Yes | Yes |
| Audio / voice generation | Yes | Yes |
| Brand kits | Yes | Yes |
| Model selection | Full control (any model) | Curated best models |
| Multi-tenancy | No | Yes — manage multiple brands |
| Publisher | No | Yes — auto-post to X, LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube |
| Analytics | No | Yes — engagement, revenue per post |
| Team collaboration | No | Yes — roles, approvals, workspaces |
| Manager (templates, ingredients) | No | Yes |
| Studio (full editor) | No | Yes |
| Marketplace | No | Yes — workflows, prompts, presets, brand kits |
| API | Yes (REST) | Yes (REST + SDK) |
| Webhooks | Yes | Yes |
| NSFW content | Yes (your models) | SFW only |
| Support | Community (GitHub) | Priority support + SLA |
| Updates | Manual (git pull) | Automatic |
| License | AGPL-3.0 (enterprise features under commercial license in ee/) | Commercial |
Marketplace — marketplace.genfeed.ai is a separate cloud product where creators buy and sell workflows, prompts, presets, and brand kits. It is not available in the self-hosted edition.
When to Self-Host
Self-hosting is right for you if:
- You need NSFW content support (bring your own models)
- You want full control over models, data, and infrastructure
- You’re a developer who prefers to run their own stack
- You have existing infrastructure (Kubernetes, Docker, etc.)
- You need to keep data on-premises for compliance
When to Use Cloud
Genfeed Cloud is right for you if:
- You want to start generating content immediately
- You need multi-brand management (agencies, teams)
- You want auto-publishing to social platforms
- You need analytics and performance tracking
- You want a collaborative workspace for your team
- You prefer managed infrastructure with zero DevOps
Cost Comparison
Self-Hosted
- Infrastructure: $20-100/month (VPS or cloud server)
- AI API costs: Variable (Replicate ~$0.003-0.05/image, fal.ai similar)
- Your time: Setup, maintenance, updates, monitoring
Cloud
- Subscription: Free tier available, paid plans from $29/month
- Per-use pricing: Images and video billed per asset
- Your time: Zero infrastructure management
The math: If you generate fewer than 500 images/month, Cloud is more cost-effective when you factor in infrastructure and maintenance time. Above 500/month, self-hosting saves money, but Publisher, Analytics, and multi-tenancy are not available in the self-hosted edition.
Migration Path
Start with either option — migration is straightforward:
Core to Cloud: Export your workflows, brand kits, templates, and assets, then import them into a Cloud workspace. Until a dedicated sync feature exists, this is an explicit migration step rather than automatic replication.
Cloud to Core: Export your configuration. Self-host with the same brand kits and generation settings.
Cloud signup handoff from Core may preserve onboarding intent, such as brand name and domain, but it does not sync local records into Cloud automatically.
Get Started
- Self-Hosted: Self-Host Genfeed in 5 Minutes
- Cloud: Sign up for Genfeed Cloud
For detailed deployment options, see Deployment Options.