Local vs. Remote: Trade-offs

Fully local (available now)

This is what you're using if you installed the desktop app. Everything runs on your Mac.

Pros:

• Full access to your personal computer (files, apps, system)
• Everything stays on your machine (workspace, memories, config)
• No additional infrastructure to manage
• Fastest to set up (download, install, done)
• No recurring hosting costs

Cons:

• Your assistant can see everything on your machine (that's the point, but also the risk)
• Only works when your computer is on
• Tied to one device
• If someone has access to your machine, they have access to your assistant's data

Best for: People who want the full power of a local assistant and are comfortable managing what it can access through the permission system. The “I want my AI to do everything” crowd.

🫣 The honest take: Fully local is the most powerful option and the one that requires the most trust. Your assistant lives on the same machine as your personal files, your photos, your browser history, everything. The permission system protects you (every sensitive action requires approval), but the potential access surface is your entire computer. Be thoughtful about it.

User-hosted remote (coming soon)

You run the assistant on your own cloud infrastructure. Think: a Docker container on an AWS EC2 instance, or a VPS from any provider.

Pros:

• Always on, always available (doesn't depend on your laptop being open)
• Isolated from your personal machine (can't read your local files)
• You control the infrastructure and data
• Can be accessed from multiple devices

Cons:

• Requires DevOps knowledge to set up and maintain
• You're responsible for security, updates, and uptime
• No access to local files (that's also a pro, depending on perspective)
• Hosting costs (whatever your cloud provider charges)

Best for: Technical users who want isolation between their assistant and their personal machine. The “I want a VPS in the cloud running my assistant 24/7” crowd.

Vellum-hosted remote (coming later)

We run it for you. One-click deploy. We handle infrastructure, updates, uptime, everything.

Pros:

• Easiest setup (one click, done)
• Always on, always available
• We handle maintenance, security patches, scaling
• Accessible from any device

Cons:

• Your workspace data lives on our infrastructure (not your machine)
• Monthly subscription cost
• Less control over the underlying system
• You're trusting us with your data (we take that seriously, but it's still a trust decision)

Best for: People who want the convenience of a managed service and are comfortable with cloud hosting. The “just make it work” crowd.

Choosing the right environment

There's no universally “best” option. It depends on what you value: power, isolation, convenience, or control. And you don't have to pick one forever. As more environments become available, you'll be able to migrate your workspace between them.

The common thread

Regardless of where your assistant runs, the core principles don't change:

• It is yours. Your workspace, your configuration, your rules.
• It is not you. Separate identity, separate credentials, clear boundaries.
• It earns your trust. Graduated access, transparent actions, scoped permissions.
• It is inviting. Same progressive disclosure, same “things show up when relevant” design.

The experience adapts to the environment. The principles don't.