> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.appsignal.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Hosted vs self-hosted collectors

When using AppSignal's [OpenTelemetry integration](/opentelemetry), you have two options for deploying the AppSignal Collector:

* [Hosted](#hosted-collector)
* [Self-hosted](#self-hosted-collector)

This page will help you understand the differences between these approaches and choose the best option for your use case.

## Hosted collector

The hosted collector is a service provided by AppSignal. It runs on AppSignal's infrastructure and receives OpenTelemetry data directly from your applications.

### Benefits

* **Zero maintenance**: AppSignal manages the collector for you, including updates, scaling, and monitoring.
* **No infrastructure costs**: The hosted collector is included in your AppSignal subscription at no additional charge.
* **No setup required**: Great for serverless applications, Platform-as-a-Service deployments (like Heroku, Render), and applications without the option to run additional services like the collector.

### Limitations

* **Data privacy**: Your application data arrives at the hosted collector unfiltered. We will filter the data during processing after it arrives.

## Self-hosted collector

The self-hosted collector runs on your own infrastructure, either as a [Linux package](/collector/installation/linux-package) or [Docker container](/collector/installation/docker-image).

### Benefits

* **Enhanced privacy**: Your application data never leaves your network until it's processed, sanitized, and sent to AppSignal.
* **Compliance**: Some applications are legally required to process sensitive data within their own network before sending it externally.
* **Additional metrics**: You want to collect host metrics from hosts where you install the collector's [Linux package].

### Requirements and considerations

* **Infrastructure management**: You're responsible for installing, configuring, updating, and scaling the collector.
* **Infrastructure costs**: You'll incur costs for the compute resources needed to run the collector.

## Choosing the right option

If you need help deciding which collector to use, we advise the following below.
If you need more help choosing, please [reach out to us](mailto:contact@support.com).

### Use the hosted collector when

* Your application runs on serverless platforms (AWS Lambda, Vercel, Netlify).
* You're using Platform-as-a-Service providers (Heroku, Render, Railway) and can't run the collector as a Linux service or Docker container.
* You want minimal operational overhead.
* You don't have strict data residency requirements.

### Use the self-hosted collector when:

* You have strict data privacy or compliance requirements.
* You want complete control over your infrastructure, including when the collector is updated.
* You have the infrastructure to run the collector.

## Getting started

* **Hosted collector**: Follow the [installation wizard](https://appsignal.com/redirect-to/organization?to=sites/new). A hosted collector will be created for you if none exists yet.
* **Self-hosted collector**: Start with the [installation overview](/collector/installation) and choose between the [Linux package] or [Docker image](/collector/installation/docker-image).

Both options use the same [configuration](/collector/configuration) and provide the same features for collecting and processing your OpenTelemetry data.

[Linux package]: /collector/installation/linux-package.html