Self-host vs Cloud - Qirtaas

Qirtaas follows an open-core model: the editor SDK is open source (MIT), and the backend is available as a managed service or you can plug your own backend. The frontend code you write is the same in both cases — only the apiUrl and who operates the backend differ.

Comparison

	Self-host	Managed Cloud
Editor SDK + Arabic RTL	✓ Included	✓ Included
Backend	Your implementation of the `/v1` contract	Hosted for you
Auth	Self-managed	API key + embed token exchange
Quran / hadith content updates	You pull updates	Always current
Image storage	Your S3-compatible storage	Storage included
Support	Community	Email & priority
Price	Free (MIT)	Paid. Sustains the waqf

When to self-host

While Qirtaas seems simple, the backend that powers it isn’t. To self-host it, you need:

Elasticsearch for content API
S3-compatible storage
Background job processing for content API syncing

You should self host if you already have a cluster that you can deploy these services to, or if you don’t need all of the features in Qirtaas.

When to use the cloud

Choose managed cloud for zero backend maintenanc. This is often the cheapest option for most users. You mint embed tokens from an API key — see Authentication.

Qirtaas is a waqf project by the Alrimaal team. Revenue from managed plans keeps the editor free and open for students of knowledge.