Zero-configuration deployment
Connect your repository and deploy. Managed hosting handles the infrastructure configuration that would otherwise require DevOps time to set up correctly and maintain.
Hosting
ApostropheCMS runs on managed hosting provided by the Apostrophe team, or on your own infrastructure. Both are fully supported. The right choice depends on your team's capacity, your infrastructure requirements, and how much control you want over your stack.
Deciding how to host the CMS
Every ApostropheCMS project runs on the same open source core regardless of where it's hosted. The hosting decision is about who manages the infrastructure and how much of your team's time goes toward keeping it running.
Managed hosting means the Apostrophe team handles the infrastructure: deployment, database provisioning, media hosting, scaling, monitoring, and uptime. You focus on building.
Self-hosting means your team owns the infrastructure. You choose your cloud provider, configure your environment, manage your database, provision durable media storage, and handle deployments. You get full control over every layer of the stack.
Either way, you're running the same ApostropheCMS. And if your needs change, you can switch.
Managed hosting: infrastructure handled for you
Best for:
Teams that want to focus development time on building rather than maintaining infrastructure.
Agencies managing multiple client projects.
Organizations where DevOps capacity is limited or better spent elsewhere. Projects where reliable uptime and infrastructure support matter more than full-stack control.
What is the value of managed hosting?
ApostropheCMS managed hosting is purpose-built for Apostrophe projects. Everything is configured to work together out of the box, which means no assembling a stack from separate services, database setup, or deployment pipeline to wire up from scratch.
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Database provisioning and management
Your database is provisioned and managed as part of the hosting environment. Backups, connections, and scaling are handled without requiring your team to manage a separate database service. We host your database on MongoDB, with MongoDB Atlas included for larger deployments. If you'd prefer Postgres as the hosted solution, reach out and let us know.
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CI/CD with git-based deployments
Deployment workflows connect directly to your repository. Webhooks deliver real-time notifications to Slack and Teams so your team knows when deployments succeed or fail.
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On-demand scaling
Adjust production environments as your traffic and workload change. Scaling doesn't require infrastructure work from your team.
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Unlimited test environments
Spin up dedicated environments from feature branches to support QA workflows. Test before you merge, without affecting production.
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Peace of mind with AWS
Our managed hosting solution is built on AWS, the most widely used and trusted hyperscaler.
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Global deployment regions
Deploy to any AWS region for performance and compliance requirements.
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Astro support
Managed hosting supports combined ApostropheCMS and Astro projects with no extra effort: backend and Astro SSR frontend deployed together, without the multi-service configuration that self-hosted Astro deployments require.
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CLI tools for remote management
Access logs, run remote tasks, and sync content across environments directly from the command line without needing to access the server directly.
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99.9% uptime guarantee and 24/7 monitoring
Round-the-clock monitoring with uptime commitments. Infrastructure issues are the Apostrophe team's problem, not yours.
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DevOps support
Direct access to the Apostrophe team for infrastructure questions and support — not a generic hosting support queue.
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Adaptive firewall
Our adaptive firewall automatically defeats the most common denial of service attacks.
Self-hosting: full control over your stack
ApostropheCMS runs on any infrastructure that meets its requirements. If your team has DevOps capacity and a reason to own the stack — data sovereignty, existing infrastructure, specific compliance requirements, or simply a preference for full control — self-hosting is a viable and well-supported path.
Who self-hosting is right for
Teams with existing DevOps infrastructure and the capacity to maintain it. Organizations with data sovereignty or compliance requirements that do not permit the use of AWS (note however that we do support multiple regions within AWS). Developers who want full-stack control and are comfortable managing Node.js infrastructure. Projects already running on a preferred cloud provider they want to stay with.
Team responsibilities for managed vs. self-hosting
Managed Hosting | Self-Hosting | |
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Infrastructure management | Apostrophe team | Your team |
Deployment | Managed CI/CD | Your pipeline |
Database | Managed MongoDB Atlas options | Your database choice |
Scaling | Supported by Apostrophe team | Your responsibility |
Best for | Teams focused on product development | Teams with DevOps capacity |
Control | Less infrastructure control | Full control |
Can I switch between managed and self-hosted later?
Yes, starting on managed hosting doesn't lock you into it. If your team's infrastructure capacity grows, your compliance requirements change, or you decide you want full control over the stack, you can migrate to self-hosted. The platform is the same either way.
Similarly, starting with a self-hosted CMS doesn't mean staying there. Teams that outgrow their infrastructure management capacity, or that want to offload operational overhead as they scale, can move to managed hosting without changing the application itself.
The hosting decision is operational, not architectural. Make the choice that fits your team's current capacity and requirements — you're not betting the project on it.
Want to learn more about Apostrophe managed hosting?
Talk to the team. We'll walk you through the setup, confirm it fits your project's requirements, and get you started. See what's included in each plan on our pricing page.
Planning to self-host?
Start with the deployment guide for your stack and check the database guide to choose the right database for your project. Also see the guide for deploying ApostropheCMS + Astro projects.
ApostropheCMS Hosting FAQ
ApostropheCMS does not require a specific hosting provider. Teams can choose between managed hosting provided by the Apostrophe team or self-host ApostropheCMS on their own infrastructure.
Managed hosting provides a production-ready environment where Apostrophe handles infrastructure management, deployment workflows, monitoring, and operational support. Self-hosting gives your team full control over your infrastructure, deployment process, and hosting environment.
ApostropheCMS supports two hosting approaches:
Managed hosting: The Apostrophe team manages the infrastructure needed to run your project, including deployment, database provisioning, media hosting, scaling, monitoring, and uptime support.
Self-hosting: Your team manages the infrastructure, database, deployment pipeline, and operational requirements. ApostropheCMS can run on any infrastructure that supports Node.js applications.
The right option depends on your team's technical resources, infrastructure requirements, and how much operational control you need.
Yes. Managed hosting does not lock you into a proprietary platform or hosting environment.
Your source code remains in your own repository, your content remains accessible, and you can sync your project data down to your workstation using Apostrophe's hosting CLI. If your requirements change, you can move from managed hosting to self-hosted infrastructure using the same ApostropheCMS application.
The hosting decision is operational, not architectural.
Yes. Your entire database can be "synced down" to your local development environment at any time. You are not storing content in a proprietary cloud system with vendor-controlled exports. More nuanced import / export tools are also available.
If you decide to move to another CMS or hosting environment, your content and data remain accessible for migration.
To self-host ApostropheCMS, you need:
- A Node.js host with a persistent process, outbound network access, and at least 2GB of RAM
- A proxy server such as nginx
- A supported database
- Persistent asset storage for uploaded files and media
- Environment variable configuration for your deployment
- HTTPS support, such as through Let's Encrypt and certbot
ApostropheCMS can run on most cloud providers and infrastructure platforms that support Node.js applications.
Apostrophe managed hosting runs on AWS infrastructure, but self-hosted ApostropheCMS can run on any supported Node.js infrastructure.
ApostropheCMS can run on any infrastructure that supports Node.js with a persistent process, outbound network access, and sufficient resources.
This includes major cloud providers, private infrastructure, and other Node.js-capable hosting platforms. Apostrophe managed hosting runs on AWS infrastructure, but AWS is not required for self-hosted deployments.
ApostropheCMS itself is actively maintained, and security updates are released through the standard package update process. However, self-hosted deployments require your team to manage the infrastructure security responsibilities around the application.
Your team is responsible for areas such as server configuration, operating system updates, network security, access controls, backups, and compliance requirements.
If your team does not have the capacity to maintain infrastructure security, managed hosting can reduce that operational responsibility.
Compliance requirements vary depending on your industry, region, and specific obligations. Organizations in industries such as healthcare, finance, and government may have requirements related to standards such as HIPAA, PCI, SOC 2, GDPR, or ISO 27001.
Contact the Apostrophe team to discuss your compliance requirements and receive the relevant documentation. We routinely answer such questions as part of a customer's own certification process.
ApostropheCMS managed hosting pricing depends on your project requirements, including your environments, traffic, infrastructure needs, and support requirements. Hosting Pricing
Yes. ApostropheCMS does not require a specific cloud provider. If your infrastructure supports Node.js with a persistent process, outbound network access, and the required database and storage configuration, you can deploy ApostropheCMS there.
See the deployment guide for detailed environment requirements and configuration instructions.