# Self-Hosted Docs vs Mintlify Cloud

**Short answer:** A hosted cloud removes the build and the hosting at the cost of depending on the platform; a self-hosted static export runs anywhere and cannot be changed by a pricing decision. Choose by whether you want the platform to own the hosting or the files to stay portable.

## What the cloud takes off your plate

The build, the hosting, the domain, and the uptime. That is a real service, and it is the reason a hosted platform is the easy start.

## What self-hosting keeps

| Property | Cloud | Self-hosted static |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Hosting | Managed | Your infrastructure |
| Domain | Configured | Yours |
| Control | Platform | Full |
| Reversibility | Migration | Plain files |

## Why reversibility matters

A static export is a set of files, so a change in price or feature does not trap the work. A hosted platform is a relationship that is harder to unwind.

## The decision rule

Use the cloud when you want the hosting handled and the docs are a broad product. Self-host when the work should stay portable and under your own domain.

This is part of the [Powerduck vs Mintlify comparison](https://www.powerduck.com/blog/powerduck-vs-mintlify/). Next, read [the AI comparison](https://www.powerduck.com/blog/ai-answers-in-docs-mintlify-vs-powerduck/).