Binary vs. Cloud
Resistro comes in three forms: the open-source self-hosted binary, Resistro Cloud, and Resistro Enterprise. This page explains which operating model fits which setup.
Resistro comes in three forms: the open-source self-hosted binary, Resistro Cloud, and Resistro Enterprise. The question is not which one is “better”. The question is which operating model fits your setup and the way you work. All three run the same resistro engine — what differs is who operates it, and how much you can steer from a browser: the console gives you a subset of the CLI, not CLI parity.
Resistro Binary
Open source, self-hosted, free. The binary is the right choice if you want to run the tool yourself and take full ownership of the operating model.
- Apache 2.0
- Self-hosted
- Free to run
- Same product core as Cloud
Resistro Cloud
Hosted by Resistro. Cloud is the right choice if you want to use Resistro without carrying the operational workload yourself.
- Hosted by Resistro
- Same core product
- Smaller defined service scope
- Built for small self-managed Postgres setups
Resistro Enterprise
Self-hosted management console. Enterprise is the right choice if you run more than a handful of databases yourself and want access, evidence, and operating data in one place — without backups leaving your network.
- Self-hosted, data stays inside your network
- Same resistro engine as Binary and Cloud
- The console triggers backup, restore test, drill, and PITR restore
- Deliberately a subset of the CLI — not CLI parity
When should you pick the binary?
Pick the binary if you want to operate the tool yourself.
- You already run your own hosts and services.
- You are comfortable owning backup jobs, updates, monitoring, and alerting yourself.
- You want full control over deployment and operating model.
- You prefer an open tool over a hosted service.
The binary makes sense when you deliberately want a self-hosted setup and the additional operational work is acceptable to you.
When should you pick Cloud?
Pick Cloud if you want to use Resistro, but do not want to carry the operation yourself.
- You run self-managed PostgreSQL.
- Hourly backups are sufficient for your setup.
- You do not want to build or maintain your own backup system.
- You want a smaller, tightly-scoped service instead of an enterprise backup product.
Cloud is currently built for solo developers and small teams with small self-managed PostgreSQL setups. It is not for enterprise requirements, not for managed database platforms, and not for setups where PITR or SLA commitments are mandatory.
The core product is the same
- Same product core
- Same basic approach: PostgreSQL backups with a focus on a traceable restore path
- Same narrow product philosophy: no inflated enterprise promises
If you run the binary, you are not using a cut-down demo. It is the same product in a different operating model.
What differs in practice
Binary: You run Resistro yourself. You own deployment, updates, monitoring, and operational upkeep. You decide how far to take alerting, observability, and operating routines.
Cloud: Resistro runs the service for you. Billing runs through Paddle. You are primarily buying less operational overhead, not a fundamentally different product.
Need more than a single binary?
If you run Resistro on your own infrastructure and manage more than a handful of databases, a single binary can start to feel thin: no shared view across hosts, no roles, no audit trail. That’s what Resistro Enterprise is for: a management console you install and run entirely on your own infrastructure.
Enterprise isn’t a different product, it’s the same operating model as Binary and Cloud, just with its own operating layer: identity provider integration, role-based access, audit export, and custom branding. You install it yourself, you own it yourself, data never leaves your infrastructure. The console is deliberately a subset of the CLI, not CLI parity: it triggers backup, restore test, drill, PITR restore, retention changes, and key management, and is read-only otherwise. More in the Resistro Enterprise blog post.
Open Resistro Cloud · See trust model
Enterprise: View the console demo for the self-hosted management console.