Perimeter vs cloud AI vs DIY open-source vs enterprise suite. One PDF, one table, no marketing prose. Written to be forwarded: your IT checks the architecture rows, your MD checks the cost rows.
Includes the rows where the cloud wins
Five of the rows. The full matrix covers all ten — access, update path, exit terms and the rest — in the same format.
| Perimeter | Cloud AI | DIY open-source | Enterprise suite | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Where your data lives | Your server room | Provider's regions | Yours — once built | Vendor cloud / heavy on-prem |
| Time to working | 30 days | Instant — the cloud wins here | Months | 6–12 month rollout |
| Who you need to hire | No one | No one | ~3 ML engineers | A project team |
| Cost shape | One box + annual licence | $30–90 per user per month, forever | Salaries, forever | $100k+/year floors |
| Verifiable in person | Yes — pull the cable | No | If you built it right | Rarely |
The matrix is honest by design: the cloud column keeps its wins on instant start and zero upfront cost. The comparison changes when the documents are the business.
The full ten-row matrix as a one-page PDF: data location, access, time to working, hiring, cost shape, verifiability, offline operation, update path and exit terms — for all four options.
Prefer to skip the form? Email hello@humanops.pro with the subject "Comparison matrix" — we reply with the PDF.
Twenty minutes, live system, your questions. See Perimeter answer on real documents instead of comparing rows.