Hosted SaaS

The ACMS hosted SaaS platform provides managed infrastructure for content management. Instead of self-hosting storage adapters and dashboards, the platform handles everything for you.

Overview

The SaaS platform offers:

• Managed storage — Content stored in a managed Convex database with global availability.
• Hosted dashboards — A polished editing UI accessible via a URL. No deployment needed.
• Authentication — Built-in user management for developers, agencies, and clients.
• Multi-project support — Manage multiple sites and projects from a single account.
• Client handoff — Give clients a dashboard link and credentials. No technical setup.
• Zero infrastructure — No need to run servers, databases, or dashboards yourself.

How It Works

For Developers

1. Create an account on the ACMS platform.
2. Create a project for your site.
3. Connect your local project to the platform:

acms.config.ts

import { defineConfig } from '@useacms/client';
import { localFile, convex } from '@useacms/cli/adapters';

export default defineConfig({
  dev: localFile({ path: './acms.json' }),
  production: convex({
    deploymentUrl: process.env.ACMS_DEPLOYMENT_URL,
    projectId: process.env.ACMS_PROJECT_ID,
  }),
});

4. Push your content:

acms push

5. Share the dashboard URL with your client.

For Clients

1. Receive a dashboard link from the developer.
2. Log in with provided credentials.
3. Edit content using the visual dashboard.
4. Changes go live based on the configured strategy (immediately for runtime, on next build for build-time).

Self-Hosted vs. SaaS

Feature	Self-Hosted	SaaS
Storage	You choose and manage	Managed (Convex)
Dashboard	You host (optional)	Hosted for you
Authentication	DIY	Built-in
Multi-tenancy	DIY	Built-in
Client access	Share JSON / DIY dashboard	Dashboard link
Cost	Free (+ storage costs)	Subscription
Vendor lock-in	None	Minimal (export anytime)
Infrastructure	You manage	Managed

When to Use SaaS

The SaaS platform is the best choice when:

• You want to hand off content editing to a non-technical client with minimal friction.
• You manage multiple sites and need a single dashboard for all of them.
• You don’t want to manage storage infrastructure or authentication.
• You want built-in user roles and permissions.

When to Self-Host

Self-hosting is the best choice when:

• You need complete control over your data and infrastructure.
• You have specific compliance or data residency requirements.
• You want zero ongoing costs beyond your chosen storage provider.
• You already have a deployment pipeline and editing workflow.

Data Export

You can export your content from the SaaS platform at any time:

acms pull

This downloads your content to a local acms.json file. You can then switch to a self-hosted adapter without losing any data.

Next Steps

• Learn about the Convex adapter that powers the platform
• Read the Getting Started guide
• Explore Configuration options