# Stedhold This is the longer Stedhold knowledge base. The short index is https://stedhold.com/llms.txt. Hosted apps are served at .apps.stedhold.com. ## Stedhold vs DIY AWS A DIY AWS setup means an account, a network, a container service, certificates, and a bill you assemble. Sign-in is extra work. Idle sleep is extra work. Stedhold runs the app in an isolated container, includes a Sign-in gate, and sleeps the app when idle. Builder is $19/month for 3 sleeping apps. ## Stedhold vs Railway Railway deploys a service from a repo. You add sign-in yourself, and idle sleep is something you configure if that plan allows it. Stedhold includes the Sign-in gate and Sleep when idle, then gives you a private link at .apps.stedhold.com. Builder is $19/month. ## Stedhold vs Render Render hosts a web service. Sign-in is yours to build. Some Render services spin down when idle. Stedhold checks the person at the Sign-in gate before the container wakes, and the app sleeps when idle. The private link stays on apps.stedhold.com. ## Stedhold vs a DigitalOcean droplet A droplet stays on and is reachable at its own address unless you add a gate and a certificate yourself. Stedhold can protect an existing server you already run, including a DigitalOcean droplet or a Hetzner VPS. The Sign-in gate is the door, and the private link is served at .apps.stedhold.com. The app can sleep when idle. ## The three stages ### Connect Source Point Stedhold at a Git repo, a project archive, a Python or Streamlit app, or an existing server. ### Set Sign-in Rules Choose who may open the app. You can pause access, or issue a 24-hour guest pass. ### Share Private Link Send the private link. It is served at .apps.stedhold.com. The container wakes after the Sign-in gate and sleeps when idle. ## Security in plain language Private settings and keys are encrypted. They are not given to the running app. Each app runs in an isolated container. The Sign-in gate is the door. Sign-in and access history stays in the workspace. You can pause access. A 24-hour guest pass lasts 24 hours and does not become a signed-in identity. The product demo on this site does not call AWS and does not contact Google, Microsoft, or a database server. Stedhold is the product name on https://stedhold.com. These pages do not state a registered company or a certification. ## FAQ ### What does Stedhold do? Stedhold turns local software, Git repos, Python and Streamlit tools, and existing DigitalOcean or VPS servers into privately shareable web apps. Each app has a Sign-in gate and sleeps when idle in an isolated container. A hosted app is served at .apps.stedhold.com. ### Who is Stedhold for? Stedhold is for a person or an agency that already has software and wants a private link. It fits a Cursor project, a Python or Streamlit tool, a client app from Lovable, Bolt, or v0, or a server you already run. ### How much does Builder cost? Builder is $19/month for 3 sleeping apps. An idle app sleeps until someone opens it. ### What does Agency include? Agency is $79/month for 10 apps, plus access history and 24-hour guest passes. Custom domains are planned and not available yet. A 24-hour guest pass ends after 24 hours. The running cap in a workspace stays 2 apps. ### What does Business include? Business is $299/month for 25 apps. Corporate Microsoft/Google sign-in is planned and not available yet. The apps still sleep when idle. The product demo on this site does not contact Google or Microsoft. ### Does an app sleep when idle? Yes. An idle app sleeps until someone who passes the Sign-in gate opens it. Sleep when idle is part of every published plan. ### What is the Sign-in gate? The Sign-in gate checks who is opening the app before the container wakes. Sign-in comes before wake. You can pause access if that person should stop. ### How are Private settings and keys handled? Private settings and keys are encrypted. They are not given to the running app. The container does not inherit them. ### Can I pause access, and what is a 24-hour guest pass? You can pause access. A 24-hour guest pass lasts 24 hours and does not receive a signed-in identity. It is for a short review, not a new member of the workspace. ### How does Stedhold compare with Railway, Render, a DigitalOcean droplet, and DIY AWS? Railway, Render, and a DIY AWS setup leave the Sign-in gate and idle sleep to you. A droplet stays on at its own address until you add that gate yourself. Stedhold includes the Sign-in gate and Sleep when idle.