> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://lightdash-mintlify-ca973f84.mintlify.site/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Lightdash Cloud vs. Self-Hosted

> Lightdash is open-source and licensed under the MIT license. This means that you are free to self-host Lightdash on your own infrastructure but without any warranty or support from the Lightdash team.

Self-hosting is great for hobbyist projects or if you want to go wild with a completely custom implementation (maybe you'd prefer the whole app was translated into pirate-speak). For most companies and teams, we recommend Lightdash Cloud.

To self-host Lightdash securely in production, you should have an excellent understanding of running services with Docker and kubernetes, as well as the security considerations.

If you're unsure whether to self-host or use Lightdash Cloud, here are some things to consider:

## When to use Lightdash Cloud

Unless you have a specific need to self-host, we recommend using Lightdash Cloud:

* Suitable for most teams
* Get started with Lightdash quickly
* Secure and reliable out-of-the-box.
* No need to maintain your own infrastructure.
* Always have the latest version of Lightdash.
* Incredible support from the core Lightdash team and maintainers.

## When to self-host

There are a few reasons why you might want to self-host Lightdash:

* You're a large enterprise and want to run a proof-of-concept on your own infrastructure. This can be a great way to get your hands on Lightdash, while your infosec team approves the use of Lightdash Cloud. For enterprise features on self-hosted instances, see our [Enterprise License Keys](/self-host/customize-deployment/enterprise-license-keys) documentation.
* You're a hobbyist and want to run Lightdash on your own infrastructure.
* You want to customise Lightdash to your specific needs.