Up and running in under 10 minutes
Download, set three environment variables, start. No servers to configure, no databases to provision separately.
Any VPS works
A €6/month Hetzner or DigitalOcean server is enough to run the full stack — dashboard, widget, and PostgreSQL. No special hardware needed.
PostgreSQL in a volume
All data lives in a named Docker volume on your server. Back up with pg_dump. Move to another server any time. No proprietary storage format.
Auto-migrations on startup
When you update Pensl, the database updates itself on boot. You never have to run migration commands manually.
GDPR-compliant by design
When your clients work under NDAs or are in regulated industries, where data lives is not a preference — it is a requirement. Pensl was built for this from the start.
- No data ever sent to our servers — not even usage statistics
- Client screenshots stored as files on your own disk
- GitHub tokens encrypted at rest in your database
- AI requests go directly from your server to your AI provider
- You control the encryption key — it is your own secret
- Delete data any time — no lock-in, no export hoops
Client leaves feedback
Widget on your client's staging site
Screenshot + feedback saved
Stored on your server — /data/screenshots
AI fix triggered
API call: your server → your AI key → GitHub
We never see any of this
Zero telemetry. No relay. No copy to our servers.
Who runs Pensl self-hosted
The self-hosted option is not just for large teams. It is for anyone who takes client data seriously.
Agencies with NDA clients
Some clients require that project assets — including feedback and screenshots — never leave your own systems. Self-hosting makes that easy to guarantee.
Clients in regulated industries
Healthcare, finance, legal — sectors where data residency rules apply. Running on your own EU server means you can show exactly where data lives.
Teams that hate per-seat pricing
Self-hosted Pensl has no per-seat fees. Add as many team members and clients as you like. Your only cost is the server, which starts at €6/month.
Builders who want full control
No black boxes. The source is open. You can inspect everything, modify anything, and upgrade on your own schedule. No forced migrations.
Self-hosted vs. paying for cloud seats
| Feature | Pensl self-hosted | Typical cloud SaaS |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly cost | Server only — from €6 | Per seat, scales up fast |
| Data location | Your server, your country | Vendor's cloud |
| GDPR control | You own the data | Depends on vendor's DPA |
| Team seats | Unlimited | Charged per seat |
| Client accounts | Unlimited | Often charged per project |
| Vendor lock-in | None — export any time | Proprietary export or none |
| GitHub tokens | Encrypted on your server | Stored on vendor's servers |
| Uptime dependency | Your server | Vendor's uptime |