Managed Hosting / Redmine Hosting / Self-hosting Redmine or managed hosting?
There are three ways to run Redmine: yourself on your own hardware, with a classic hosting provider, or as managed hosting. The difference is who takes care of the application, meaning updates, plugins, backups and errors. Self-hosting fits when your IT team has experience with Ruby on Rails and time for maintenance. Managed hosting fits when Redmine should simply run without anyone in house having to look after it. With us, the price does not depend on the number of users.
The three options at a glance
- Self-hosting. Redmine runs on your own server. You install and maintain everything yourself: operating system, Ruby, database, web server, Redmine and plugins.
- Classic hosting. A provider supplies a server or a virtual machine. Depending on the contract, it takes care of hardware, network and operating system. You install and maintain Redmine yourself. Even if Redmine comes preinstalled, updates and plugins usually stay with you.
- Managed hosting. The provider runs both the server and the application. Updates, plugins, backups, monitoring and support for Redmine are part of the contract. With us, this runs either in our cloud in Germany or on your own server.
Who takes care of what?
| Self-hosting | Classic hosting | Managed hosting with AlphaNodes | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Server and hardware | you | hosting provider | Cloud: us. InHouse: you provide the server. |
| Operating system and server security updates | you | hosting provider or you, depending on the contract | us, we check for system level security updates every four hours, with InHouse on your server as well |
| Redmine updates and new major versions | you | you | us, new major versions only after testing with every plugin in use |
| Plugins | you, including checking whether they work with the new Redmine version | you | us, eight plugins of the AlphaNodes Core Stack are included |
| Backup and restore | you | depending on the contract, restoring the application is usually up to you | us, encrypted, we restore the backup in an emergency |
| Monitoring | you | server depending on the contract, application you | us, round the clock for critical components |
| Help with errors in Redmine | your team, community | your team, community | support through the customer area, Monday to Friday 9 am to 5 pm, in German and English |
| Server location | your location | depends on the provider | Cloud: data centre in Germany (Bavaria). InHouse: your server. |
| Costs | server plus internal working time | hosting fee plus internal working time | fixed monthly fee, no user limits, prices listed openly |
The work involved in self-hosting
Redmine is a Ruby on Rails application. Besides Redmine itself, running it requires a database, a web server and the Ruby environment. Each of these components gets its own updates.
Security updates do not only concern Redmine, but the whole server: operating system, web server, database, Ruby and remote access via SSH. Vulnerabilities in these components become known all the time. Whoever runs the server has to apply the updates promptly, even when nothing needs doing in Redmine itself. An up to date Redmine is not secure if the server underneath is outdated.
New major versions take the most effort. Every plugin has to work with the new Redmine version, otherwise the update stalls. If it stalls, the installation keeps running on an old version without security updates.
On top of that come backups that can actually be restored when needed, monitoring and email delivery for notifications. Knowledge about operating the system often rests with a single person. If that person is absent or leaves the company, there is no one to turn to.
When self-hosting is the better choice
- You have the experience and the time. Your IT team knows Ruby on Rails and has planned for maintenance in the long term.
- Custom developments must keep running. You have your own plugins or changes to the Redmine code. Our managed hosting only runs current, maintained Redmine versions. Custom developments can usually not be operated there.
- No external access allowed. Nobody outside the company may access the server. Our InHouse package also requires SSH access for us.
- You want to change the server and configuration yourself. Our cloud packages do not provide for this.
When classic hosting fits
Classic hosting takes the hardware off your hands, not the application. It fits when you can and want to maintain Redmine yourself, but do not want to run your own server.
When managed hosting fits
- Nobody in house should have to run it. Updates, backups and monitoring are handled by the provider. We install updates and security updates proactively, without you having to trigger them.
- Fixed costs. A monthly fee instead of internal working time that is hard to plan.
- Data protection. Our cloud runs in a data centre in Germany whose operator is certified to DIN ISO/IEC 27001, with a data processing agreement and no third country transfers. Alternatively, Redmine runs on your own server.
- Current version. We host Redmine 7 and install new versions once they have been tested with all plugins.
Managed hosting on your own server
With the InHouse package, the server stays with you and we take over operation. You provide a physical server or a virtual machine with Ubuntu or Debian, on your premises or in a data centre of your choice. We need SSH access without VPN, which you can restrict to our IP.
We install and set up Redmine, update the operating system, Redmine and plugins, apply security updates, back up the data and fix faults. The data does not leave your infrastructure. This gives you the data control of self-hosting together with the support of managed hosting.
What managed hosting with AlphaNodes includes
Our offer is particularly attractive if you prefer a price that does not depend on the number of users. Many Redmine hosting offers charge per user or limit the number of projects. With us, projects and users are unlimited in all packages, and the price depends on the range of features. There are no additional fees for a new user account. This suits companies, organisations and public institutions with many internal and external project participants. We already run installations with more than 6,000 user accounts.
- Hosting from the plugin developer. We develop the plugins ourselves. Updates for Redmine and plugins come from one source and are tested together beforehand. When you have questions, the people who wrote the code help you.
- AlphaNodes Core Stack included. Eight plugins are part of every hosting package: Automation, DB, DevOps, HRM, Passwords, Reporting, ServiceDesk and Wiki Guide. Planning, AI, SAML/SSO and ClamAV can be added as add-ons.
- AI without an external provider. With Redmine AI Hosting, the AI features run on a local language model (Ollama), either on a dedicated GPU server in a data centre in the EU or on your own hardware. The data does not go to any external AI provider.
- GitLab and Matomo from the same provider. We also run GitLab and Matomo, in our cloud or on your server. With the DevOps plugin, commits from GitLab appear on the matching Redmine issue. You have one contact for all three applications.
- Ready for AI assistants. With the AI Add-On, you connect Redmine to Claude, ChatGPT or Cursor through an MCP server, with permissions per role and the option to switch it off. When self-hosting, you would have to set up and secure such a server yourself.
- Set up fresh, not taken over. We do not take over existing installations. We set up a new Redmine and transfer your data from the old system.
- Ongoing support, not a one-off setup. Setup is part of the package. We do not offer a setup without ongoing support.
- Short contract term. One month minimum term, two weeks notice.
You can try Redmine with our plugins beforehand in the demo, without registration or installation.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between classic hosting and managed hosting for Redmine?
With classic hosting, the provider supplies a server or a virtual machine. Installation, updates, plugins and troubleshooting in Redmine stay with you. With managed hosting, the provider also runs the application: it updates Redmine, plugins and the operating system, backs up the data, monitors the system and helps with errors in Redmine itself.
When is it worth running Redmine yourself?
When your IT team has experience with Ruby on Rails and can plan for ongoing maintenance in the long term. Or when you have your own plugins or changes to the Redmine code that need to keep running. Without the time or the experience, updates tend to be put off, and the installation keeps running on an old version.
Can we use managed hosting on our own server?
Yes, with our InHouse package. You provide a server with Ubuntu or Debian, physical or virtual, on your premises or in a data centre of your choice. We need SSH access, which you can restrict to our IP. We take care of installation, updates, backups and troubleshooting. The data stays on your server.
What happens when a security vulnerability in Redmine or on the server becomes known?
What matters is how quickly the update is installed. When self-hosting, you have to follow security announcements for Redmine, the operating system, web server, database and Ruby yourself and install the updates. In our managed hosting, we check for system level security updates every four hours and install them proactively and promptly, with InHouse on your server as well. You do not need to request this. Security updates for Redmine and the plugins are included too.
Will you take over our existing, self-hosted Redmine?
No, we do not take over existing installations. We set up a new Redmine to our standards and transfer your data: projects, issues, wiki, users, attachments and time entries. We review custom developments one by one. The Redmine 7 upgrade page explains how this works.
Can we still administer Redmine ourselves with managed hosting?
Yes. You have access to the Redmine administration area and manage users, roles, projects and workflows yourself. In the cloud packages, the server and the configuration files are not included, we take care of those.
Does the price depend on the number of users or projects?
No. Projects and users are unlimited in all our hosting packages. The price depends on the range of features in the package. There are no additional fees for new user accounts. We already run installations with more than 6,000 user accounts.
How long are we bound by the contract?
One month minimum term, two weeks notice. This applies to the cloud packages and to InHouse. Prices are listed openly on the hosting page.
Further pages
- Redmine Hosting: packages, services and prices
- Package finder: find the right option in a few questions
- Hosting FAQ: questions about operation, switching and support
- Redmine 7 upgrade: if you run an older Redmine yourself
- Comparisons and decision tools: all comparisons in one place
Let us run your Redmine.
Send us your Redmine version, the plugins in use and any special requirements. You will receive a quote without a preliminary meeting.