- Where the data plane runs: Braintrust-managed infrastructure, or a cloud account, project, or subscription that you own.
- Who operates the data plane: Braintrust, or your team.
Options at a glance
- SaaS: Braintrust operates the full service, and your data is stored in Braintrust-managed infrastructure. Best for teams that want the fastest path with no cloud operations.
- BYOC: Braintrust operates the data plane inside your dedicated cloud account or project. Best for teams that need customer-owned data residency without owning day-2 operations.
- Self-hosted: You deploy and operate the Braintrust data plane using Braintrust’s published deployment artifacts. Best for teams with platform capacity and a requirement to operate the environment themselves.
- Non-standard self-hosted: You cannot use the standard deployment artifacts or require material deviations from the reference architecture. This path needs review because it increases upgrade and support risk.
SaaS is available on Starter, Pro, and Enterprise plans. BYOC and self-hosted deployments require an Enterprise plan. Non-standard self-hosted deployments also require review to confirm they are viable. See Manage billing for plan details.
Comparison
| Dimension | SaaS | BYOC | Self-hosted | Non-standard self-hosted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plan availability | Starter, Pro, Enterprise | Enterprise only | Enterprise only | Enterprise only, review required |
| Data location | Braintrust-managed infrastructure | Your cloud | Your cloud | Your cloud |
| Data-plane operator | Braintrust | Braintrust | You | You |
| Infrastructure provisioning | Braintrust | Braintrust, in your account or project | You, using Braintrust artifacts | You, with custom mapping |
| Upgrade owner | Braintrust | Braintrust | You | You, with more manual work |
| Operational burden | Lowest | Low | High | Highest |
| Customization model | Standard service | Standardized managed deployment | Published module or chart configuration | Review required |
| Best fit | Fastest path, no cloud ops | Customer-owned data boundary without day-2 ops | Customer-operated platform | Standard path blocked by constraints |
How to choose
- Choose SaaS when you don’t need a customer-owned data boundary and want the lowest operational burden.
- Choose BYOC when sensitive AI data must remain in your cloud account or project, but you want Braintrust to operate the data plane.
- Choose self-hosted when you must operate the environment yourself and can use Braintrust’s published deployment artifacts.
- Review non-standard self-hosted when you cannot use the standard artifacts or require material architecture changes.
Next steps
- Bring your own cloud (BYOC) — Have Braintrust operate the data plane in your cloud account.
- Self-hosting Braintrust — Deploy and operate the data plane yourself.
- Architecture — Understand the control plane, data plane, and where data is stored.