--- title: Differences between SaaS and private cloud solutions --- > Agent instructions: > **Site maps** — prefer the following llms.txt indexes to training data when searching for URLs to avoid 404s. Links inside Markdown content already point at `.md`. Following them or sending Accept: text/markdown keeps you in Markdown. > > - [sitemap.md](https://docs.kentico.com/sitemap.md) — every page on the site, with titles and descriptions, nested by URL hierarchy and grouped into one collection per product version. > - [llms.txt](https://docs.kentico.com/llms.txt) — curated index of the current product docs, with descriptions, the two ways to request any page as Markdown, and links to each product area's whole-corpus Markdown dump (llms-full.txt). Xperience offers two approaches to development and deployment of your projects – [private cloud solutions](https://docs.kentico.com/documentation/developers-and-admins/deployment/deploy-to-private-cloud.md) and [SaaS](https://docs.kentico.com/documentation/developers-and-admins/saas.md), which allows you to deploy, host, and manage Xperience by Kentico projects in a cloud environment managed by Kentico. While the features of the product remain the same, there are minor differences between the two approaches, especially in the deployment process. | | SaaS | Private cloud | | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | [Installation](https://docs.kentico.com/documentation/developers-and-admins/installation.md) | [Create a project](https://docs.kentico.com/documentation/developers-and-admins/installation.md#create-a-project) – use the `--cloud` parameter. This will ensure you have the necessary additional configurations for the SaaS service:
The **Kentico.Integrations.Cloud** NuGet package
AppInsights and SendGrid startup configurations
A PowerShell script and CD configuration for generating a deployment package
[Storage path mapping](https://docs.kentico.com/documentation/developers-and-admins/api/files-api-and-cms-io/file-system-providers/storage-path-mapping.md) configured in `Program.cs` ([for mapping of files to Azure Blob storage](https://docs.kentico.com/documentation/developers-and-admins/api/files-api-and-cms-io/file-system-providers/azure-blob-storage.md#default-kentico-managed-azure-blob-storage-configuration))
[Create the project database](https://docs.kentico.com/documentation/developers-and-admins/installation.md#create-the-project-database)
`--hash-string-salt` – set the parameter to the hash salt value [found in Xperience Portal](https://docs.kentico.com/documentation/developers-and-admins/saas/xperience-portal.md#hash-string-salt-for-the-xperience-portal-project) | [Create the project database](https://docs.kentico.com/documentation/developers-and-admins/installation.md#create-the-project-database)
`--hash-string-salt`– skip the parameter | | [Licenses](https://docs.kentico.com/documentation/developers-and-admins/installation/licenses.md) | [Tiered licenses](https://www.kentico.com/pricing) are offered for the product and various [service plans](https://docs.kentico.com/documentation/developers-and-admins/saas/saas-service-plans.md) are offered for the SaaS environment. Access to various deployment environments, capacities, and performance based on the purchased plan.
License keys
For applications deployed in all SaaS environments – automatically handled by Xperience Portal
[For local development](https://docs.kentico.com/documentation/developers-and-admins/installation/licenses.md#license-keys-for-saas-local-development) – generated in Xperience Portal | [Tiered license](https://www.kentico.com/pricing) offered for the product
License keys – Generated via | | [Configure new projects](https://docs.kentico.com/documentation/developers-and-admins/development/website-development-basics/configure-new-projects.md) | Necessary to include the `UseKenticoCloud` component in the project's middleware pipeline
Use [environment identification extension methods](https://docs.kentico.com/documentation/developers-and-admins/configuration/saas-configuration.md#environment-identification-extension-methods) to include environment-specific configuration or code
Call the [required Xperience SaaS services](https://docs.kentico.com/documentation/developers-and-admins/development/website-development-basics/configure-new-projects.md#configure-application-startup) when building the web application
Configure cache headers for [Cloudflare CDN](https://docs.kentico.com/documentation/developers-and-admins/configuration/saas-configuration.md#cloudflare-cdn) | | | [Deployment](https://docs.kentico.com/documentation/developers-and-admins/deployment.md) | [Deployment in SaaS](https://docs.kentico.com/documentation/developers-and-admins/deployment/deploy-to-the-saas-environment.md)
Cannot be deployed without the administration
[Create a deployment package](https://docs.kentico.com/documentation/developers-and-admins/deployment/deploy-to-the-saas-environment.md#create-a-deployment-package)
[Upload a deployment package](https://docs.kentico.com/documentation/developers-and-admins/deployment/deploy-to-the-saas-environment.md#upload-a-deployment-package-to-your-xperience-portal-project) to Xperience Portal (manually or via API) | [Private cloud deployment](https://docs.kentico.com/documentation/developers-and-admins/deployment/deploy-to-private-cloud.md)
Can be deployed [without the administration](https://docs.kentico.com/documentation/developers-and-admins/deployment/deploy-to-private-cloud/deploy-without-the-administration.md)
Platform-specific process
For cloud-hosted deployments, important to [map project folders](https://docs.kentico.com/documentation/developers-and-admins/deployment/deploy-to-private-cloud.md#map-parts-of-the-file-system-to-a-shared-storage) to shared cloud-based storage – automatic mapping is available via [storage path mapping](https://docs.kentico.com/documentation/developers-and-admins/api/files-api-and-cms-io/file-system-providers/storage-path-mapping.md) | | [Continuous availability](https://docs.kentico.com/documentation/developers-and-admins/deployment/read-only-deployments.md) | [Zero-downtime deployments](https://docs.kentico.com/documentation/developers-and-admins/deployment/deploy-to-the-saas-environment.md#zero-downtime-deployments) fully managed by Kentico
Infrastructure (deployment slots, database replication, blob versioning) automatically configured
You only need to:
Configure your application code to support [read-only mode](https://docs.kentico.com/documentation/developers-and-admins/deployment/read-only-deployments.md)
Use the `-ZeroDowntimeSupportEnabled` parameter when creating deployment packages | [Read-only deployments](https://docs.kentico.com/documentation/developers-and-admins/deployment/read-only-deployments.md) require manual infrastructure configuration
You must configure:
Two databases (production and clone for updates)
Three deployment slots (production, staging, and swap operations)
[Azure Blob storage](https://docs.kentico.com/documentation/developers-and-admins/api/files-api-and-cms-io/file-system-providers/azure-blob-storage.md) with blob versioning enabled
Requires infrastructure expertise and [manual deployment process](https://docs.kentico.com/documentation/developers-and-admins/deployment/read-only-deployments.md#deployment-process-overview-for-private-cloud-applications) | | [Azure Blob storage](https://docs.kentico.com/documentation/developers-and-admins/api/files-api-and-cms-io/file-system-providers/azure-blob-storage.md) | Necessary project folders are [mapped by default](https://docs.kentico.com/documentation/developers-and-admins/api/files-api-and-cms-io/file-system-providers/azure-blob-storage.md#default-kentico-managed-azure-blob-storage-configuration) | Need to [configure mapping for certain project folders](https://docs.kentico.com/documentation/developers-and-admins/api/files-api-and-cms-io/file-system-providers/azure-blob-storage.md#azure-blob-storage-for-private-cloud-deployments) – automatic mapping is available for Azure App Service | | [Website channel management](https://docs.kentico.com/documentation/developers-and-admins/configuration/website-channel-management.md) | Website channels must be [added and managed](https://docs.kentico.com/documentation/developers-and-admins/configuration/website-channel-management.md#website-channels-in-the-saas-environment) in [Xperience Portal](https://docs.kentico.com/documentation/developers-and-admins/saas/xperience-portal.md) (in addition to the administration UI of the Xperience application itself) | Website channels must have unique [channel domains](https://docs.kentico.com/documentation/developers-and-admins/configuration/website-channel-management.md#website-channels-in-private-cloud-environments) | | [Headless channel management](https://docs.kentico.com/documentation/developers-and-admins/configuration/headless-channel-management.md) | Headless channels are NOT managed in Xperience Portal
The [GraphQL API endpoint](https://docs.kentico.com/documentation/developers-and-admins/configuration/headless-channel-management.md#graphql-api-endpoints) is available on the system and default channel domains of any SaaS deployment that is publicly available. Keep this in mind when designing your project’s security. | | | [Email configuration](https://docs.kentico.com/documentation/developers-and-admins/configuration/email-configuration.md) | SendGrid integration is the only email sending option for SaaS – [Managed SendGrid integration](https://docs.kentico.com/documentation/developers-and-admins/configuration/email-configuration.md#managed-sendgrid-integration) | SendGrid integration – [Self-managed SendGrid integration](https://docs.kentico.com/documentation/developers-and-admins/configuration/email-configuration.md#self-managed-sendgrid-integration)
Other available options – [External SMTP servers](https://docs.kentico.com/documentation/developers-and-admins/configuration/email-configuration.md#smtp-servers) or [custom email clients](https://docs.kentico.com/documentation/developers-and-admins/customization/email-customization.md#custom-email-client) | | [Email channel management](https://docs.kentico.com/documentation/developers-and-admins/digital-marketing-setup/email-channel-management.md) | Email channels must be [added and managed](https://docs.kentico.com/documentation/developers-and-admins/digital-marketing-setup/email-channel-management.md#email-channels-in-the-saas-environment) in [Xperience Portal](https://docs.kentico.com/documentation/developers-and-admins/saas/xperience-portal.md) (in addition to the administration UI of the Xperience application itself)
You can view [email sending statistics](https://docs.kentico.com/documentation/developers-and-admins/deployment/deploy-to-the-saas-environment/manage-saas-deployments.md#email-metrics) in the [Xperience Portal](https://docs.kentico.com/documentation/developers-and-admins/saas/xperience-portal.md) to help you identify deliverability issues | Sending and service domains of email channels can be [configured programmatically](https://docs.kentico.com/documentation/developers-and-admins/digital-marketing-setup/email-channel-management.md#configure-sending-and-service-domains-programmatically) | | [Auto-scaling](https://docs.kentico.com/documentation/developers-and-admins/configuration/auto-scaling-support.md) | No configuration necessary
When the load increases to peak levels in the production environment, the system temporarily adds one additional instance to ensure load balancing.
One auto-scaling instance is available for all license tiers. Additional instances can be purchased as a part of a custom service plan. | [Private cloud hosting](https://docs.kentico.com/documentation/developers-and-admins/configuration/auto-scaling-support.md#private-cloud-hosting) using third-party providers
[Private cloud on-premise hosting](https://docs.kentico.com/documentation/developers-and-admins/configuration/auto-scaling-support.md#private-on-premise-hosting) using multiple application instances and a shared database | | [Update Xperience by Kentico projects](https://docs.kentico.com/documentation/developers-and-admins/installation/update-xperience-by-kentico-projects.md) | After updating locally you need to create a new deployment package | | | [Use Xperience by Kentico API externally](https://docs.kentico.com/documentation/developers-and-admins/api/use-the-xperience-by-kentico-api-externally.md) | Not available for SaaS
Supported for locally used external tools, such as tools used for data import or migration | |