Self-Hosted vs Managed

Botmem is available in two modes: self-hosted (free, open-source) and managed Pro ($14.99/mo at botmem.xyz).

Comparison

Feature	Self-Hosted	Managed Pro
Price	Free	$14.99/month
Code	Same open-source codebase	Same open-source codebase
API	Same REST + WebSocket API	Same REST + WebSocket API
CLI	Same botmem CLI	Same botmem CLI
Encryption	AES-256-GCM with recovery key	AES-256-GCM with recovery key
Hosting	Your hardware	Managed infrastructure at app.botmem.xyz
AI Backend	You provide Ollama or OpenRouter	Preconfigured cloud AI
Database	You manage PostgreSQL	Managed PostgreSQL
Updates	Manual (git pull)	Automatic
Billing	None	Stripe integration

How It Works

Both modes run the exact same codebase. The difference is determined by the STRIPE_SECRET_KEY environment variable:

• Self-hosted mode — STRIPE_SECRET_KEY is empty (default). No billing features, no Stripe integration.
• Managed mode — STRIPE_SECRET_KEY is set. Enables billing, subscription management, and usage tracking.

End-to-End Encryption

Both modes use the same encryption model. Your recovery key never leaves your device — the server only stores a SHA-256 hash for verification. Connector credentials and sensitive data are encrypted at rest with AES-256-GCM using your recovery key.

This means even on the managed tier, we cannot read your data. If you lose your recovery key, your encrypted credentials cannot be recovered.

Self-Hosted Setup

See the Quick Start for local development and Production Deployment for running Botmem on your own server.

Managed Pro

Sign up at app.botmem.xyz to get started. The managed tier includes:

• Fully managed PostgreSQL + pgvector and Redis infrastructure
• Preconfigured AI backend (no GPU or API keys needed)
• Automatic updates and backups
• Email support

Your data is encrypted with your personal recovery key — same security model as self-hosted.