Comparison
| Cloud | Local | Docker | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Setup | Sign up + provider config | Plugin install, zero config | docker compose up |
| Data storage | PostgreSQL (hosted) | SQLite on your machine | PostgreSQL (self-hosted) |
| Dashboard | app.manifest.build | http://127.0.0.1:2099 | http://localhost:3001 |
| Auth | Email/password or OAuth | Auto-login (loopback trust) | Email/password |
| Multi-device | Yes — access from any browser | No — localhost only | Yes — within your network |
| API key | Generated in dashboard (mnfst_...) | Auto-generated (mnfst_local_...) | Generated in dashboard (mnfst_...) |
| Email alerts | Built-in (platform mail) | Requires provider config | Requires provider config |
| Privacy | Requests routed through Manifest proxy | 100% on your machine | 100% on your machine |
| Requirements | OpenClaw + account | OpenClaw + Node.js >= 20 | Docker only |
| Cost | Free | Free | Free |
When to use Cloud
- You work across multiple machines.
- You want email alerts without setting up a mail provider.
- You don’t want to run a local server.
When to use Local
- You don’t want any data leaving your machine.
- You don’t need multi-device access.
- You want something that works offline with no setup.
- You want to use local models like Ollama.
When to use Docker
- You want full control over your data with a PostgreSQL database.
- You don’t have Node.js installed.
- You want to deploy Manifest on a server or in a container orchestrator.
- You want the full dashboard experience (login, multi-user) without the hosted cloud.
All three modes are independent. They have separate data stores and are not interchangeable.