Compare / Deployment choices

Own the stack.
Or skip the maintenance.

The useful question is how much of the system you want to operate. This is a deployment comparison, not an answer-quality benchmark.

Decision	Self-hosted Vane	Perplexity web service
Getting started	Provision and configure your instance	Use the hosted website
Operations	You manage updates, backups, and access	The service runs the application
Costs to consider	Server + inference + maintenance	Check current service plans and limits
Model infrastructure	Configure a supported provider or local model	Use options supplied by the service
Data handling	Depends on hosting, search, and model providers	Review the service’s current privacy policy

Choose self-hosting when…

You want to inspect and operate the application and have time to maintain it. Test with your own questions before committing to infrastructure.

Your priority is starting immediately and avoiding server maintenance. Evaluate current capabilities and terms directly on Perplexity’s website.

No ranking, speed comparison, or savings guarantee is implied. Both products evolve.

Deployment reference: Vane upstream documentation ↗. Reviewed October 21, 2026. Check upstream before upgrading.