Can I self-host Presentator, and how does it differ from the hosted app?

Updated

Yes. Presentator is described as a free and open source design feedback and presentation platform, and its site offers two ways to use it: a free hosted app and a self-hosted option. The practical difference is who runs the server. The hosted app gets you started without setup; self-hosting gives you control over the data and server environment, but you take on installation, updates, and maintenance.

What Presentator does

Presentator is built around collecting design feedback and presenting designs. From the site's own description, the core capabilities are:

  • Comments directly on designs — feedback is left in context rather than in a separate thread.
  • Clickable prototypes — static screens become interactive via annotations, hotspots, transitions, and more.
  • Preview links — public and password-protected links for sharing work.
  • Multiple project owners — more than one person can own a project.
  • Figma plugin — export designs from Figma into Presentator.

The current version shown on the site is v3.4.69, and the footer carries a 2016–2026 copyright range.

Hosted app vs. self-hosted: the same dimensions

Dimension Free hosted app Self-hosted
Setup effort None — you use the app as provided You install and configure it yourself
Who runs the server Presentator You (or your infrastructure team)
Data location On Presentator's infrastructure On your own server/environment
Control over environment Limited to what the hosted app offers Full control over the server and configuration
Maintenance Handled for you Yours: updates, backups, uptime
Cost signal Described as free Open source; no pricing published on the page
Best fit Quick start, small teams, evaluating the tool Teams with data-location or environment requirements

The page does not publish pricing for either option beyond calling the hosted app free and the project open source. It also does not list hosting requirements, so treat "self-hosted" as a capability the project supports rather than a documented step-by-step path on this page.

How to choose

Pick the hosted app if you want to try Presentator or run a small feedback workflow without owning any infrastructure, and you are comfortable with your designs living on someone else's server.

Pick self-hosting if you need the designs and comments to stay inside your own environment, or you need to control the server configuration. Accept that you are also signing up for keeping it running and patched.

A middle path worth considering: start on the hosted app to confirm the comment-and-prototype workflow fits your team, then move to self-hosting once the data-location or control requirement becomes real. Nothing in the page suggests the two options differ in features — the difference is operational.

What to verify before committing

  • Hosting requirements — the page does not list them, so check the project's repository or documentation for supported environments before planning a deployment.
  • Update cadence — the version number (v3.4.69) is your signal that the project ships changes; plan who applies them.
  • Access model — the site mentions multiple project owners and both public and password-protected preview links, which is what you would map onto your team's sharing rules.
  • Figma dependency — if your designs originate in Figma, the export plugin is the entry point; confirm it covers the file types you use.

For a fuller picture of what the platform is, see the related question on what Presentator is.