Compare
Selfhost.dev vs
ClickHouse CloudSelfhost.dev and ClickHouse Cloud both run real, managed ClickHouse; the difference is cost and ownership. For an always-on analytics instance, a dedicated Selfhost.dev box runs about $56/mo versus about $173/mo on ClickHouse Cloud's serverless model, roughly 3x less, and you can run it in your own AWS account with 150+ MCP tools.
TL;DR
The short
version.
The same always-on 2 vCPU / 8 GB / 100 GB box is about $56/mo on Selfhost.dev versus about $173/mo on ClickHouse Cloud. Roughly 3x less for steady workloads.
A dedicated instance you can see into, with BYOC to run it in your own AWS account. Not a serverless black box with a monthly minimum.
150+ AI-powered MCP tools included, so you provision and manage ClickHouse from your editor. ClickHouse Cloud has no equivalent MCP layer.
Pricing comparison
Same box,
a fraction of the bill.
ClickHouse Cloud's serverless model is priced for spiky, idle-heavy usage. For an analytics database that stays on, a dedicated Selfhost.dev instance is far cheaper and the bill does not move with load.
100 GB, 2 vCPU / 8 GB, always on
- Serverless, usage-based with a monthly minimum
- Priced for the instance running 24/7
- Dedicated instance, pay-as-you-go by the hour
- Pauses to $0 when you stop it, BYOC available
Figures verified on each provider's pricing in July 2026. ClickHouse Cloud's bill is compute-dominated and usage-metered, while a dedicated Selfhost.dev instance is a flat hourly rate whose bill does not move with load. We are cheaper for always-on workloads; a bursty or mostly-idle workload narrows the gap, since ClickHouse Cloud scales compute down. Build your exact Selfhost.dev number on the pricing calculator.
Analytics database that stays on? A dedicated Selfhost.dev instance is about 3x cheaper than ClickHouse Cloud's serverless model, prepaid and paused at $0 when you stop it, and it runs in your own AWS account. Or see how it stacks up against the other real-time analytics databases and the best managed ClickHouse services.
Deploy ClickHouse free →Feature by feature
Full
comparison.
| Feature | Selfhost.dev | ClickHouse Cloud |
|---|---|---|
| 2 vCPU / 8 GB / 100 GB, always on | ~$56/mo | ~$173/mo |
| Model | Dedicated instance, PAYG | Serverless, usage-based |
| Pauses to $0 when stopped | Yes | Idle scaling, monthly minimum |
| BYOC (your own AWS) | Yes, transparent management fee | Enterprise tier only |
| See into the instance | Live metrics, logs, dedicated host | Managed, abstracted |
| Protocols | HTTP 8123 + native 9000 | HTTP + native |
| High availability | Keeper Multi-AZ, auto failover | Managed HA |
| Storage / compute separation | Instance-attached storage | Yes (object storage) |
| Serverless elastic autoscale | Scheduled + reactive resize | Yes (signature) |
| First-party (ClickHouse Inc) | No, we operate it for you | Yes |
| AI management | 150+ MCP tools | No MCP layer |
Deep dive
Where the
differences matter.
Serverless is priced for idle
ClickHouse Cloud bills serverless compute plus a monthly minimum, which is a good fit for spiky or mostly-idle analytics. But most product analytics, dashboards, and log stores run all day. For a database that stays on, a dedicated instance is about 3x cheaper: about $56/mo versus $173/mo for the same 2 vCPU / 8 GB / 100 GB box, and the number does not swing with query load. The advantage is compute-driven. ClickHouse Cloud's storage is cheap, so the gap is widest on compute-heavy configs and narrows as your dataset grows, but a dedicated instance stays the cheaper option even at 1 TB.
A box you can see into
You get a dedicated instance with live metrics and logs, on the HTTP (8123) and native (9000) protocols any ClickHouse client speaks. With BYOC it runs in your own AWS account, so the data and the exit path stay yours. And it lives on the same account as your app, your Postgres or MySQL, and your other services, driven from your editor by 150+ MCP tools.
Real reasons to pick ClickHouse Cloud
It is the first-party service from ClickHouse Inc, with separation of storage and compute over object storage and true serverless elasticity, so it shines for bursty or idle-heavy workloads where you do not want to pay for an always-on box, and for very large datasets that lean on cheap object storage. If your usage is spiky, or you want the vendor that builds ClickHouse to also run it, ClickHouse Cloud is the natural pick. If your analytics database runs steadily and you want a cheaper, dedicated instance you own and can drive from your editor, Selfhost.dev is the better fit.
Migration
Moving off ClickHouse Cloud?
We migrate you, free.
It is standard ClickHouse on both ends, so the data moves with standard tooling. A Selfhost.dev engineer plans and runs the move with you, at no extra cost.
Your ClickHouse Cloud service, dataset size, and version. The free cost audit gives you the exact monthly Selfhost.dev number and a migration plan before anything moves.
Standard ClickHouse paths: the remote and s3 table functions, native INSERT SELECT, or clickhouse-client export and import. Nothing proprietary to convert.
We confirm row counts and query results on the new instance first, and you repoint your app only when you are satisfied.
Free on every plan size. If the numbers do not work for you, you keep the breakdown.