The Hosting Decision
Where your help desk runs matters for security, compliance, performance, and cost. Both self-hosted and cloud options have legitimate advantages — the right choice depends on your specific needs.
When to Choose Cloud
- Small to medium team without dedicated DevOps
- Need to get started quickly (minutes, not days)
- No strict data residency requirements
- Prefer predictable monthly billing over infrastructure management
- Want automatic updates and maintenance
When to Choose Self-Hosted
- Strict data sovereignty or compliance requirements (GDPR, HIPAA, SOC 2)
- Enterprise security policies require on-premises software
- Need full customization of the platform
- High ticket volume makes per-seat pricing expensive
- Want to avoid vendor lock-in completely
The Hybrid Approach
Some platforms offer both options. Helpzen, for example, is open-source and can be self-hosted on your own infrastructure or used as a managed cloud service. Start with cloud for speed, migrate to self-hosted later if needed.
Self-Hosting Considerations
Self-hosting requires server management, backups, security patches, and monitoring. You need a reliable ops team or clear Docker Compose setup. Make sure you factor in the total cost of ownership — not just the software cost.
Making the Decision
If compliance is driving the decision, self-host. If speed is the priority, go cloud. If you want optionality, choose an open-source platform that supports both.
