Both options use standard MLflow. Self-hosting gives your team infrastructure control and responsibility, while Trackshund operates the server for you.
| Decision | Self-hosted | Trackshund managed |
|---|---|---|
| Control | You choose the host, region, database, storage and network | Trackshund chooses and operates the infrastructure |
| Cash cost | Your infrastructure bill | $40 per server each month |
| Team cost | Engineering time for setup and upkeep | No per-seat price; server operation is included |
| Access | You configure authentication and tokens | Individual sign-in and server-issued tokens are configured |
| Backups | You choose, schedule and check them | Nightly database backups, seven generations |
| Portability | Standard MLflow | Standard MLflow |
Running your own server is a good choice when the infrastructure already exists, a person owns it, or your network and data requirements make the host itself part of the product. You will also have more freedom to change the stack around MLflow.
A managed server suits a team that needs shared tracking without maintaining the address, access, storage, backups, and updates. You still use standard MLflow, with fewer operational decisions.
If the tracking server went down tomorrow, would someone know they own the problem and have time to fix it? If yes, self-hosting may be working as intended. If the answer is “probably whoever notices first,” your team is already paying the operating cost in time.
Keep self-hosting with a clear owner, or let Trackshund operate one private server for $40 a month.