A self-managed VPS suits a first internal agent or a highly specific case. Once you operate agents for several clients, a managed platform is often easier to assess. The threshold depends mainly on operating time, access separation, and the responsibility you carry in front of the client.
This guide compares those options without treating Navlet as an LLM provider. Navlet is execution infrastructure for Integrators: you deploy a client agent in a dedicated runtime, keep the commercial relationship, and Navlet bills you for the infrastructure.
Updated 19 August 2026.
VPS or managed platform: the short answer (2026)
Choose a self-managed VPS when you need control of an isolated environment and accept responsibility for operating it. It remains a sound choice for a client with unusual technical constraints, a prototype, or an internal tool.
Choose a managed platform when you sell a recurring service to several clients. The aim is a repeatable operating unit: one client agent, one dedicated runtime, and a named operational responsibility.
With Navlet, a dedicated runtime runs one client agent and separates it from other deployments. The BYOK tier costs €9 per deployed agent per month with your own LLM key. The EU-model-included tier starts at €29 per deployed agent per month.
Both tiers include 2 vCPU, 4 GB RAM, and 6 GB disk per deployed agent. Navlet also offers €1 in starter credit with no card required to test a real case before selling it.
Ongoing operating work per client
A server’s monthly price does not measure the service work. For an Integrator, the relevant unit is the recurring time needed to keep a client agent useful, reachable, and understandable.
| Recurring task | Self-managed VPS | Managed platform | Commercial effect |
|---|---|---|---|
| Initial deployment | You prepare the server, agent, and secrets. | You deploy a dedicated runtime for each agent. | The scope is easier to explain. |
| Updates | You plan, test, and roll back when needed. | You retain the business decisions for the agent. | Support is less easily confused with server maintenance. |
| Backups and restarts | You define and test the procedure. | You check what belongs to your agent and data. | You know who answers an incident. |
| Access and revocation | You organise accounts, keys, and permissions. | You manage access for your client service. | Roles are easier to separate. |
| Client question | You connect the answer to the relevant server. | You start with the relevant client agent. | The answer is easier to connect to the contract. |
That work exists even when a VPS is inexpensive. It grows when fixes, access requests, and support questions repeat across different environments.
Do not reduce the comparison to an infrastructure bill. Compare the number of decisions you will need to revisit after production.
Change threshold: client count and time cost
The change threshold appears when every new client adds an operating routine you can no longer absorb without reducing margin or availability. It is not a universal client count.
Use a simple calculation to compare the options. It is not a market price; it makes your own time cost visible.
| Calculation item | Self-managed VPS | Managed platform |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly direct cost | Chosen infrastructure plus connected services | Dedicated runtime plus extra capacity when needed |
| Monthly time | Updates, backups, access, and incident hours | Agent follow-up and service-support hours |
| Time cost | Monthly hours × your internal hourly rate | Monthly hours × your internal hourly rate |
| Comparable cost | Direct cost + time cost | Direct cost + time cost |
The point changes when the same fix must reach several VPS instances, or when a client waits while you identify the affected environment. The difference comes from repetition, not from an abstract technology choice.
For Navlet, start with one pilot agent. The BYOK tier costs €9 per deployed agent per month. If an agent needs more resources, extra capacity costs €0.80 per vCPU per month, €0.70 per GB RAM per month, and €0.09 per GB disk per month.
| Observed signal | Decision to consider | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| One internal environment | Self-managed VPS | Coordination cost remains limited. |
| A different agent for each client | Dedicated runtime | The agent becomes the operating unit. |
| Frequent access requests | Managed platform | Client access and administration are more clearly separated. |
| Incidents consume sales time | Managed platform | Recovered time can cost more than the server. |
Comparison criteria: isolation, updates, backups, and client access
Useful criteria are operational. A good choice lets you state who acts, on what, and in what order when a request arrives.
Environment isolation
On a VPS, you choose the separation level between environments. That freedom also requires you to document each deployment’s limits.
With a dedicated runtime, you attach an execution environment to a client agent. That unit makes the support scope easier to identify.
Updates and rollback
A VPS lets you define the update cadence. You must therefore assess the impact on each client and prepare the rollback.
A managed platform does not remove your decisions about the agent or its integrations. It mainly avoids turning every client deployment into a separately administered server.
Backups and incident recovery
The relevant question is not only whether a backup exists. You need to know which data it covers, who starts the procedure, and which contact informs the client.
Write that path before the first sale. It is more useful during an incident than a broad availability promise.
Client access and revocation
The Integrator sells the offer and remains the end client’s contact. Plan who can access the client portal, LLM keys, and tools connected to the agent.
Revocation should follow the same path as invitation. If you cannot describe that path in a few steps, the hosting choice has not solved the operating problem yet.
GDPR roles and Integrator responsibility
GDPR qualification does not follow the name on an invoice. The CNIL says it is determined case by case from the facts: who decides the purposes and means of processing, and who carries it out. CNIL, in French — identify your role
A processor handles personal data on behalf of a controller as part of a service or engagement. That qualification should not be presumed merely because an Integrator operates an agent for a client. CNIL, in French — processor
When two organisations jointly determine processing purposes and means, the CNIL describes them as joint controllers. Their respective obligations must then be set out transparently in an agreement. CNIL, in French — AI system actors
For an Integrator, the practical consequence is simple: document each party’s role before the sale. List the agent’s purpose, the data it receives, the services that process it, the people who access results, and the decisions you make yourself.
If processing is performed on behalf of a controller, Article 28 GDPR requires a contract or other legal act. It must cover the subject matter and duration, the nature and purpose, the data concerned, the categories of people, and each party’s obligations. CNIL, in French — GDPR Article 28
Do not treat this guide as a contract template. Use it to prepare the operational questions that need answers in your documentation and, where needed, in legal advice.
| Question to document | Operating decision to record |
|---|---|
| Who decides the agent’s purpose? | The client use case and expected outcome. |
| What data enters the agent? | Sources, data categories, and intended access. |
| Who can change connections? | Authorised people at the Integrator and client. |
| Which providers are involved? | Connected services, their role, and contractual documentation. |
| How is an incident reported? | Contact, procedure, and information to retain. |
The legal sources in this section were consulted on 19 August 2026. They are primary references for roles and contractual context; they do not replace an assessment of your situation.
Data residency and EU hosting
EU hosting answers a specific client question: where does the dedicated runtime run? Navlet provides EU hosting for that execution environment.
That answer does not describe every data flow. An agent can receive data from a business tool, send it to an LLM key chosen by the Integrator, and return a result to another service.
Prepare an answer for each flow, rather than a general formula. Separate the dedicated runtime, data sources, connected tools, the LLM key, and the people viewing the results.
| Element | Client answer to prepare |
|---|---|
| Dedicated runtime | Navlet hosts it in the EU. |
| Client agent | You describe its scope and connections. |
| BYOK LLM key | You identify the provider chosen by the Integrator. |
| Business data | You identify its origin and destination. |
Self-managed VPS: suitable profiles
A self-managed VPS fits when its flexibility creates real value. It becomes less suitable when the same operating discipline must be repeated for every new client.
| Profile | Choice | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Technical team with established procedures | Self-managed VPS | It already handles updates, backups, and access. |
| Client case with unusual dependencies | Self-managed VPS | It can adapt the environment to a specific constraint. |
| Prototype before commercialisation | Self-managed VPS | It tests the need before standardising operations. |
| Integrator selling a recurring offer | Reassess | Maintenance time can become a per-client burden. |
A VPS is not inherently the wrong choice. It simply requires you to sell, explicitly or not, your capacity to administer it over time.
Managed multi-client platform: suitable profiles
A managed platform fits when your offer must remain repeatable without turning each client into an infrastructure project. The Integrator keeps the agent, sale price, and client relationship.
| Profile | Choice | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Freelancer signing first recurring contracts | Managed platform | Starts from a clear unit: one client agent and one dedicated runtime. |
| Agency supporting several agents | Managed platform | Reduces repeated server tasks. |
| Offer with an Integrator-branded client portal | Managed platform | The client reaches a surface associated with the Integrator. |
| Team comparing a real use case | Navlet pilot | Can start with €1 in starter credit with no card required. |
For a compatible agent, Navlet supports this model without requiring you to choose the client’s LLM-key provider. On BYOK, you bring your own LLM key; Navlet does not host model weights.
Hidden costs of both options
Hidden costs are not mysterious line items. They are responsibilities that return after initial deployment and belong in your offer calculation.
| Cost or risk | Self-managed VPS | Managed platform |
|---|---|---|
| Maintenance time | You schedule it for every environment. | You focus it on the agent and your client service. |
| Client support | You connect the issue to the server and agent. | You start from the client agent’s dedicated runtime. |
| Capacity changes | You resize the infrastructure you selected. | Navlet extras cost €0.80 per vCPU per month, €0.70 per GB RAM per month, and €0.09 per GB disk per month. |
| LLM-key cost | You choose and track it. | You also choose it on BYOK. |
| Client billing | You define the package and include it in your margin. | You define the package and include it in your margin. |
Navlet’s BYOK price remains €9 per deployed agent per month. The EU-model-included tier starts at €29 per deployed agent per month. These prices cover the runtime and do not replace your own calculation for support, LLM keys, or onboarding.
Verdict by profile
The right choice is the one whose limits you can explain to the client without improvising. This table closes the decision without replacing review of your contract or data flows.
| Your situation | Verdict |
|---|---|
| You are testing an internal agent or a highly specific case | Self-managed VPS, if you accept the operating work. |
| You are selling an agent to a first pilot client | Compare monthly time against the cost of a dedicated runtime. |
| You operate agents for several clients | Managed platform, to keep the operating unit clear. |
| A client asks about data and roles | Map flows and qualify roles before making promises. |
Frequently asked questions
How much does a Navlet runtime cost for a client agent?
A dedicated runtime costs €9 per deployed agent per month with your own LLM key, or starts at €29 per deployed agent per month with an EU model included. Both tiers include 2 vCPU, 4 GB RAM, and 6 GB disk per deployed agent.
Does the starter credit require a card?
No. Navlet offers €1 in starter credit with no card required.
Does Navlet provide or train a model on client data?
No. On BYOK, the Integrator chooses the LLM provider and key. The EU-model-included tier uses a European offering; Navlet does not host model weights.
Where is a French SME’s AI agent data hosted?
Navlet provides EU hosting for the dedicated runtime. Before selling the offer, the Integrator should also map the data and services connected to the client agent.
Can I use my own LLM key for a client agent?
Yes. The BYOK tier costs €9 per deployed agent per month and uses your own LLM key. You choose that key’s provider.
Can I offer the agent under my own brand?
Yes. The client portal is presented under the Integrator’s brand. Navlet bills the Integrator, who keeps the commercial relationship with the client.
Who is billed for a client agent runtime?
Navlet bills the Integrator. The Integrator defines its offer and invoices the end client.
Is a custom domain available for the client portal?
No. A custom domain is not available in this version. The client portal uses an Integrator subdomain.