What type of Odoo Cloud do you need?
A practical guide to choosing the right infrastructure for your company
Before you choose
What does “Odoo Cloud” really mean?
Simply put, Odoo Cloud is where your system and your database live, and who takes care of the servers behind them. That decision defines three things:
All three models that exist today can run Odoo — but they deliver very different levels of control, performance and maintenance responsibility.
The 3 official paths
The 3 real ways to run Odoo in production
Each model solves a different need. Here are the full details of each one.
Odoo Online (SaaS)
Model 1 · Official Odoo S.A. model
It's the fully managed version of Odoo in Odoo S.A.'s cloud. You create an account and work directly from the browser — without installing or managing anything.
- The platform, updates and basic backups are handled by Odoo.
- Only available in the Enterprise edition — the Community edition doesn't run on Odoo Online.
- It doesn't allow installing custom modules or making deep technical changes: sooner or later it falls short if your business depends on custom functionality.
- You can't adjust resources or add workers — it runs on shared infrastructure you don't control.
Best for: small teams using standard Odoo apps, with no need for customization.
Odoo.sh
Model 2 · Official development platform
It's Odoo S.A.'s official cloud platform, designed for development workflows. It runs on Odoo-controlled infrastructure, with its own rules for workers, storage and scaling.
- Git-based workflow, with staging environments and automatic builds.
- Lets you install and update custom modules while Odoo manages the platform.
- You can increase capacity by adding workers and storage — shared resources, unless you choose a dedicated plan.
- Like Odoo Online, it only runs the Enterprise edition; Community isn't available.
- The entire stack runs on Odoo-controlled infrastructure: no root access to the servers.
Best for: development teams and Odoo partners who want the official workflow for custom code and are comfortable hosting on Odoo's infrastructure, without strict data residency or deep control requirements.
Self-Hosted — this is where VTGO lives
Model 3 · Your own infrastructure
It means Odoo runs on infrastructure you control, instead of Odoo's shared cloud. It's the option with the most long-term flexibility.
- It can be a VPS or your own server that you manage yourself, a provider that operates Odoo for you, or a managed platform — like VTGO — that automates on top of your own cloud account.
- It runs both Community and Enterprise (with the corresponding license if you choose Enterprise).
- You choose the cloud provider and region — key if you have data residency requirements.
- Dedicated performance: you don't share resources with other clients.
- Full root access and controlled database access.
Best for: companies that want full control, custom modules, specific regions or dedicated performance.
Full comparison
Which one to choose?
The three models, side by side, feature by feature.
| Odoo Online | Odoo.sh | Self-Hosted (VTGO) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Server ownership | Odoo | Odoo | Yours, with VTGO as operator |
| Server management | Odoo | Odoo | VTGO |
| Odoo edition | Enterprise only | Enterprise only | Community or Enterprise |
| Custom modules | No | Yes | Yes |
| Typical setup effort | Very low | Low | Low to medium |
| Performance | Shared | Shared (dedicated on higher plans) | Dedicated |
| Choice of data location | Limited to Odoo regions | Limited to Odoo regions | You choose |
| Backups | Daily, Odoo cloud | Daily, Odoo cloud | Flexible, any location |
| Root access | No | Restricted | Full |
| External database access | No | Indirect (SSH tunnel; full on dedicated plans) | Yes, with controlled access |
| Pricing model | Per user (platform included) | Per worker (based on usage) | Server cost + platform management |
| Best for | Simple standard use | Partner projects that stay on Odoo's cloud | Growing projects that need control and performance |
Think in scenarios
If you're not sure which one, think about your situation
Just getting started
Odoo Online
You want to start fast with standard apps, no custom modules yet, and you don't mind Odoo managing the platform, updates and backups. It's the lowest-friction way to get a first system into production.
You need modules, but on Odoo's cloud
Odoo.sh
You already work with an Odoo partner or developer, you need custom modules and you like having Git, staging and automatic builds included. You stay on Enterprise and accept Odoo's rules on workers, storage and regions.
Control, performance and long-term cost
Self-Hosted with VTGO
You choose the provider and region, run Community or Enterprise, and get dedicated resources you can size and tune. It's the option with the most flexibility over time — you can run the servers yourself or let VTGO take care of it.
For most companies that depend on Odoo — especially with custom modules, more traffic or stricter compliance requirements — the sweet spot is self-hosted with a managed platform:
Frequently asked questions
Frequently asked questions
Can I switch Odoo Cloud types later?
Yes. You can move from Odoo Online to Odoo.sh, or from Odoo.sh to a self-hosted setup. The process usually involves taking a recent backup, restoring it in the new environment and adjusting the domain and email settings. The sooner you define your long-term model, the less migration work you'll have later.
Which type of Odoo Cloud gives the best performance?
Performance depends mostly on having dedicated resources and a good configuration. Self-hosted setups on a well-sized server usually deliver the fastest response times, especially combined with proper tuning of Odoo and its database. A managed platform like VTGO gives you that performance without having to run the servers by hand.
Do I need to buy Odoo Cloud if I already use Odoo Online?
If you use Odoo Online, Odoo already hosts the software for you and you don't need anything else. You only need your own Odoo Cloud when you want more control over the servers, custom modules, or to run the Community edition instead of Enterprise.
Ready to choose the right infrastructure?
Explore the VTGO Odoo Cloud plans or schedule a conversation with our team.
You're talking to Génesis, Valtriom's AI