Dedicated Cloud, self-hosted or source-code handover: choosing the right model.

If you’re torn between Dedicated Cloud, self-hosting and a source-code handover, one thing is worth saying up front: no model is “the best” — there’s only the one that fits your data sensitivity, compliance obligations and cost structure. The common mistake is to frame the decision as a rent-versus-buy price comparison, when the real question is: who needs to hold the keys to the data, and how much operational responsibility can you bear? In this article, we’ll walk through a deliberate three-step decision framework, in place of the reflex to choose by the price list.

Three models, one platform

Apus offers the same product three ways, and every one of them gives you an instance of your own — never shared with another company: Dedicated Cloud (Apus hosts and operates your instance), self-hosted (running on servers or a cloud account inside your perimeter — run by you or managed by Apus), and source-code handover (you own and extend the codebase). The features are identical — the only difference is who holds the infrastructure, who operates it and who keeps the keys. This matters: you don’t trade away product capability to gain sovereignty, so the decision collapses to a single axis — the level of control you actually need.

Start from the data, not the price list

The right way to choose is to start from data and obligations, and only then get to cost. Answer a few questions before you look at the numbers:

• How sensitive is your data, and is there any regulation or customer contract that requires it to stay inside your perimeter?
• Do you have an infrastructure operations team, or do you need a system that runs the moment you switch it on so you can start fast?
• Do you need to customize core logic, or does the existing configuration already meet your needs?
• Do you prioritize deployment speed this week, or a self-controlled asset over many years?

If you want a system of your own without an operations team, Dedicated Cloud is the choice. If regulation or customers require data to stay inside your perimeter, self-hosting removes that question entirely — and if you have no one to run it, Apus can manage it on your infrastructure. If you need deep customization and long-term autonomy, a source-code handover is the path.

Three-year cost, not the first invoice

Because Apus charges by the platform resources consumed rather than by seat, the cost math behaves differently from traditional ERP. An organization with a large headcount usually finds self-hosting or source code cheaper as it scales, because adding users doesn’t inflate the bill. Conversely, a lean team fits Dedicated Cloud, where you don’t buy servers or pay for operations hours. The crux: compute the total three-year cost — licensing, infrastructure, operations staff, and even the risk of downtime — rather than comparing just the first invoice, because that’s exactly where the models change rank.

The operational responsibility that comes with each model

More control, more responsibility — this is the less-discussed side of the comparison. With Dedicated Cloud, Apus handles the infrastructure, backups, updates, and platform security; you focus on the business. Self-hosted, you take on running the servers, backups, and update windows — unless you hand that to Apus to manage. With a source-code handover, you also carry codebase maintenance. Choosing a model beyond your current operational capacity isn’t sovereignty — it’s risk: a self-hosted system that isn’t patched for security in time is less safe than an instance Apus manages well.

You don’t choose once and forever

The biggest psychological barrier is the feeling that this decision locks you in for years. It doesn’t. Many teams start on Dedicated Cloud to prove value fast, then move the instance onto their own infrastructure or take a source-code handover as governance needs and internal capability grow. Because the data layer stays constant throughout, that’s a controlled migration, not rebuilding the platform from scratch.

In summary: a three-step framework

Don’t start from the question of which model is cheaper. Go in order: one, classify data sensitivity and list compliance obligations — it usually rules out one or two options right away. Two, compare honestly against internal operational capacity — don’t choose a level of control you don’t have the people to bear. Three, only then compute the total three-year cost for the remaining models. The right model isn’t about where it’s hosted, but about who needs to hold the keys — and who is capable of holding them.

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