Odoo is open source, so you can run it almost anywhere. The real question is how much of the server work you want to own: installing, securing, backing up, monitoring and upgrading. This guide compares the four ways to host Odoo in 2026 and ends with a checklist for any production setup.
Four ways to host Odoo
| Option | Editions | Custom modules | Who runs the server | Cost model |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Odoo Online | Enterprise | No custom code (Studio only) | Odoo S.A. | Per user |
| Odoo.sh | Enterprise required | Yes, from Git | Odoo S.A. (Google Cloud) | Per worker, storage and staging |
| Self-hosted server | Community or Enterprise | Yes | You | Server rent plus your time |
| Managed Odoo hosting (EasyInstance) | Community or Enterprise | Yes, from GitHub | EasyInstance | $30 per worker a month |
Odoo Online
Odoo Online is Odoo's own SaaS. You sign up, pick apps, and Odoo S.A. runs everything. It's the quickest start, but it only runs Odoo Enterprise and it doesn't allow custom Python modules or most third-party apps. Customization is limited to what Odoo Studio can do.
- Best for: small companies happy with standard Odoo apps.
- Watch out for: no custom code, per-user pricing that grows with headcount.
Odoo.sh
Odoo.sh is Odoo's platform for hosting Odoo with your own code. You connect a GitHub repository and get production, staging and development branches. It requires an Odoo Enterprise subscription and bills per worker, per GB of storage and per staging environment, on Google Cloud only.
- Best for: teams already committed to Odoo Enterprise and a Git branch workflow.
- Watch out for: the Enterprise requirement and a higher per-worker price. See EasyInstance as an Odoo.sh alternative.
Self-hosting on a server
You rent a VPS or cloud server (or use your own hardware), install Odoo and PostgreSQL, and run it yourself. You get full control and can run Community edition for free. In exchange, every operational task is yours: security patches, SSL renewal, backups and restores, monitoring, scaling and version upgrades.
- Best for: teams with Linux and PostgreSQL experience and time to maintain a server.
- How to start: follow how to install Odoo on Ubuntu, then configure the server for production.
Managed Odoo hosting
A managed host runs the server for you but, unlike Odoo Online, lets you run any edition and your own modules. With EasyInstance you pick a version from Odoo 16 to 19, Community or Enterprise, and your instance is live in under 60 seconds with SSL, daily backups, monitoring, GitHub deploys, staging and a browser terminal included.
- Best for: businesses, Odoo partners and developers who want control of Odoo without running servers.
- Cost: $30 per worker a month plus $0.80 per GB of storage beyond the first 5 GB, with no per-user fees. See pricing.
How to choose
- Do you need custom modules or third-party apps? If yes, rule out Odoo Online.
- Do you want to use Community edition? If yes, rule out Odoo Online and Odoo.sh.
- Do you have someone to run Linux servers? If not, choose managed Odoo hosting over self-hosting.
- How many users will you have? Per-user pricing gets expensive as you grow; per-worker pricing depends on concurrent load, not headcount.
For a side-by-side look at specific providers, see the Odoo hosting providers comparison.
Production hosting checklist
Whichever option you choose, check that your Odoo hosting covers these before you go live:
- Backups: daily, stored off the server, covering the database and the filestore, with a restore you've tested.
- SSL on your own domain, renewed automatically.
- Right-sized workers for your concurrent users. See sizing.
- Monitoring of CPU, memory, disk and uptime, with alerts.
- A staging environment to test module updates and Odoo upgrades.
- Security updates for the operating system, PostgreSQL and Odoo.
- Data portability: you can download a full backup and move hosts at any time.
Host Odoo on EasyInstance
- Start a free trial. It's 10 days with no credit card.
- Choose your Odoo version (16 to 19), Community or Enterprise, and the region closest to your team.
- Name your instance. It goes live on a secure URL; connect your own domain whenever you like.
Moving from another host? Our team helps with migrations, including from Odoo.sh. Contact us and tell us where your Odoo runs today.
Keep reading
Looking for a hosted Odoo service rather than a server? Read about Odoo SaaS on EasyInstance.