What Is the Difference Between FileMaker Server, FileMaker Cloud, and Claris Connect?

FileMaker Server, FileMaker Cloud, and Claris Connect are three separate Claris products that solve different problems: Server and Cloud are two ways to host and run your custom FileMaker apps, while Claris Connect is an integration and automation layer that links your existing systems together. If you already have a FileMaker app and need to decide where it lives, you're comparing Server vs. Cloud. If your problem is getting data to move between tools that don't talk to each other, that's Claris Connect — and it can be used alongside either hosting option.

FileMaker Server: host on your own infrastructure

FileMaker Server is the option for teams that want to run their databases on infrastructure they control. Per the Claris site, it lets you "manage licenses, add-ons, and team access for FileMaker Server," and the hosting options page frames it as the choice to "host with your own infrastructure."

What that means in practice:

• You (or your IT provider) supply the machine — on-premises hardware, a colocated server, or a cloud VM you rent from a provider.
• You handle the operational work — installation, OS updates, backups, network access, and uptime.
• You manage licensing and team access through the Server admin tooling.

Choose this when you have a reason to keep data on infrastructure you control: existing on-prem requirements, internal IT capacity, or a need to fit into a specific network or compliance setup. The trade-off is that hosting responsibility stays with you.

FileMaker Cloud: Claris runs the hosting

FileMaker Cloud is the managed alternative. The Claris site describes it as the way to "manage your cloud-hosted databases, users, and settings" and positions it as "say goodbye to hosting hassles."

The practical difference from Server:

Choose Cloud when your team wants to build and use apps rather than maintain servers, and you don't have a constraint forcing you onto your own hardware.

Claris Connect: integration and automation, not hosting

Claris Connect is a different category of product. Claris describes it as the tool to "build integrations and automate workflows" and to "integrate your entire tech stack." It is not a place your FileMaker database lives — it's the layer that moves data and triggers actions between FileMaker and other systems.

Use it when the problem is connection, not hosting:

• A form submission in one tool needs to create a record in your FileMaker app.
• A status change in FileMaker needs to notify or update an external service.
• You want a multi-step workflow that spans several systems without manual copying.

Because it's a separate product, Claris Connect can sit in front of either a Server-hosted or Cloud-hosted FileMaker solution. It isn't an either/or choice against Server and Cloud.

How to decide

Ask two questions in order:

1. Where should the database run? If you need your own infrastructure or have IT capacity to run it, look at FileMaker Server. If you'd rather not manage hosting, look at FileMaker Cloud.
2. Do systems need to talk to each other? If yes, add Claris Connect regardless of which hosting option you picked.

A team with no server staff and a need to sync FileMaker with external tools would typically land on Cloud plus Connect. A team with existing on-prem infrastructure and the same integration need would land on Server plus Connect.

What to verify before committing

The Claris site lists a Pricing page and a Start free entry point, but the source material here doesn't state specific prices, plan tiers, or what the free option includes. Check the Pricing page directly for current figures, and confirm licensing details for your team size and deployment model before deciding. If you're unsure which hosting path fits your environment, Claris offers partner and expert resources through its Partners section.