Hosted vs Self-Hosted Chauffeur Software: Which Should You Choose?

Self-hosted sounds like "control". In practice, it means becoming a sysadmin. Here's when it's worth it — and when it isn't.

Definitions

Hosted (SaaS): vendor runs the servers, database, backups, uptime.
Self-hosted: you install the software on your own server (VPS, AWS, own hardware).

Hosted (SaaS)

Pros

Zero setup
Automatic updates and backups
99.9%+ uptime SLA
Security patches within hours
Scales automatically at year-end / airport peaks

Cons

Data lives on vendor infra
Monthly bill

Self-hosted

Pros

Full data residency control
One-time (or annual) licence

Cons

You are the sysadmin at 3am when Stripe webhooks stop firing
SSL renewals, OS patches, database backups on you
Peak-day scaling is a Sunday morning problem
Security is on you — one missed patch and you leak customer data

What we recommend

3–50 vehicles: hosted, always. You are not a hosting company.
50+ vehicles with in-house IT: hosted still wins in 90% of cases.
Regulated data residency (e.g. government contracts): self-hosted with a proper ops team.

The middle ground

Some platforms — Chauffix included — offer dedicated hosted environments in the region of your choice (US, UK, EU). You get residency control without becoming a sysadmin.