Managed Platforms
We provide readymade, battle-tested software solutions that work for you out of the box.
We install them on your own private cloud server, configure them, and keep them running smoothly. You get the software, we handle the rest.
We are currently offering the following platforms. If you have any other platform in mind, please let us know.
Discourse
The gold standard for modern community forums. Use it for paid communities, fan communities, or internal team discussions.
vs Circle, Facebook Groups
- 100% Data Ownership
- No per-member fees
- Infinite customization
Moodle
A robust Learning Management System (LMS). Used by universities and organizations worldwide to deliver online courses.
vs Teachable, Thinkific
- 0% Transaction fees
- Keep 100% of revenue
- Tailored pedagogy
Campfire
Simple group chat for teams. A distraction-free alternative to noisy chat apps, focused on getting work done.
vs Slack, Discord
- Unlimited users
- No monthly per-user fees
- Your chat logs, your data
Fizzy
Kanban project management. Organize tasks, track progress, and keep everyone on the same page visually.
vs Trello, Asana
- Self-hosted simplicity
- Unlimited boards & cards
- No subscription fatigue
Let’s be precise. What are you actually selling?
Ownership instead of rent.
No lock-ins. No per-user pricing. No software you pay for forever.
But, SaaS dominates for a reason. Subscriptions solve real problems. Don't they?
They do, by hiding complexity.
Running serious open-source software means infrastructure, updates, security, and failure management.
Most teams don’t want that burden.
So people trade ownership for convenience.
Exactly! And over time, that convenience becomes dependency.
Soo true!
Reminds me of the fact that we’re still paying for some of the SaaS tools we barely use, because leaving means losing continuity.
So, what do you offer?
We remove the burden without taking your ownership away.
You choose which open-source software to use.
We handle hosting, maintenance, and security.
So the experience feels like SaaS...but the control stays with us.
Absolutely.
And what's the ultimate form of control?
The power to pause.
SaaS has no pause button.
You either keep paying, or you vanish.
Ownership gives you runway.
Interesting. But this is all still quite abstract for me. Can you make it a bit simple to visualize this?
Sure, let me very quickly show you how all this fits together.
Remember, you don't need to understand or remember this.
It is very simple.
You need to know only three things:
1. We source the software from Github.
2. We host it for you.
3. You don't need to know point-1 and 2, and just use the software.
Why not just use a SaaS?
There is a critical difference. This is the most critical part of the equation. Pay close attention now.
Depending on your priorities and context, you will understand the importance of these facts:
1. Subscription Pause & Data Retention
Imagine you’re restructuring your marketing or taking a seasonal break. With SaaS, you keep paying the full subscription or lose everything. With Sisyphus, we put your entire platform into “Hibernation.” Our management and billing retainer stops, and you pay only a tiny data storage fee (often less than Rs. 100 a month) to secure your data. When you’re ready to resume, we reactivate your service.
2. Data Ownership & AI Control
Most SaaS vendors keep the full database structure locked away, denying you crucial metadata. With Sisyphus, your data is private, complete, and fully accessible. In fact, you own more than just data: the whole database in its raw form. You control the usage of this proprietary data as you see fit, including building your own, private AI workflows.
3. Portability (Moving Setup)
Need to rebrand and change your company domain or URL? With SaaS, you usually have to start a new account. With Sisyphus, we simply move the entire working application and its data to the new domain, seamlessly.
4. Interoperability (Content Exchange)
Running a major training course on Moodle? You can easily export one specific course’s data/content and import it into another, separate Moodle instance (e.g., for a partner company), something most SaaS platforms have no provision for.
5. True Independence
You are not dependent on us. At any point, if you want to transition maintenance to an in-house IT team or another firm, you are free to do so. You retain full control over your cloud infrastructure, operational costs and staffing decisions.
Be an owner, not a renter
Want us to setup a platform for you? Let’s do that.
Projects like this generally start at around ₹60,000.
This service is governed by our terms and conditions, you may want to have a look at them.
If the FAQ doesn’t answer your questions, that’s understandable. Please write to us!Click to copy email
Thanks for all the support, have a great day!
PS: Just hanging around? Check out our Navigator Services
PPS: Want us to list your platform on our website? Write to us!Click to copy email
Frequently Asked Questions
General & Trust
Is this a new or risky approach?
No. This operating model has been used for years by universities, governments, and mature organizations. What’s different is making it accessible and manageable for small and mid-sized teams.
Are you a SaaS company?
No. We don’t own your platform, data, or users. We provide setup and ongoing operational management.
What happens if your company shuts down someday?
Your platform keeps running. You retain the server, domain, data, and backups. Nothing is tied to our continued existence.
Will this feel slower or less polished than SaaS?
No. In many cases, it’s faster because the infrastructure is dedicated to you, not shared with thousands of tenants.
Domain, Branding & Identity
Can we use our own domain?
Yes. Your platform runs on your domain, such as
community.yoursite.org or learn.yoursite.in.
Can we change the domain later?
Yes. The entire application can be moved without losing data or history.
Will there be any Sisyphus branding?
No. This is fully your platform.
Can the interface be branded to match us?
Yes. Logos, colors, wording, and themes can be customized.
Costs, Billing & a Real Example
Why is there a one-time setup cost?
Because this is not a self-service signup. We design, secure, configure, and test a production-grade system tailored to your use case.
What does the monthly retainer cover?
Server monitoring, backups, security updates, application updates, troubleshooting, and support.
Are cloud costs included?
No. Cloud infrastructure is billed directly to you, at actual cost, with no markup.
Is open-source software free or not?
The license is free. Running it reliably and securely is what costs money.
A realistic cost example
Let’s say you want a Discourse community for 1,000–3,000 members.
- One-time setup: starting from ₹60,000
- Monthly management retainer: typically ₹6,000–₹12,000
- Cloud server & backups: roughly ₹1,500–₹3,000 per month
Total monthly operating cost often lands between ₹7,500 and ₹15,000, regardless of member count.
A comparable SaaS setup would usually increase costs as users grow and offers no pause option.
Ownership, Data & Exit
Who owns the server and data?
You fully own the data and the application. By default, the cloud server is provisioned and managed under our infrastructure account for operational simplicity, and cloud costs are transparently reimbursed by you. You always have:
- full access to your data
- full database exports and backups
- the right to move the setup to your own cloud account at any time
There is no data lock-in.
Still, if you prefer full infrastructure ownership from day one, we can set it up in your account instead.
Why don’t you create the server in our cloud account from day one?
For many small teams, maintaining a cloud account, billing setup, security policies, and access management is unnecessary overhead. Using our infrastructure account allows:
- faster setup
- predictable operations
- simpler support and monitoring
If you prefer full infrastructure ownership from day one, we can set it up in your account instead.
What happens if we want to move everything to our own cloud account later?
We migrate the entire setup — server, data, and configuration — to your account. This is a standard, supported transition.
Can we access the server ourselves if needed?
Yes. You’re not locked out.
What if we want to move away from you later?
You can. We hand over access, documentation, and backups. No penalties.
Can we pause the platform instead of canceling?
Yes. We can hibernate the system. Our management billing stops, and you pay only minimal storage costs to preserve data.
Reliability, Security & Support
What happens if something breaks?
We fix it. That’s part of the service.
What if the server crashes?
We restore from backups.
How often are backups taken?
On a scheduled, automated basis with defined retention policies.
Is this compliant with data-localization needs?
Yes. You choose the server region, typically close to your users.
Platform-Specific Questions
Discourse (Community Platform)
Can we run paid or private communities?
Yes.
Can moderators manage things without technical help?
Yes. Moderation tools are built in.
Can we migrate content later if needed?
Yes. You own the full database and media.
Moodle (Learning Management System)
Is Moodle only for universities?
No. It’s widely used by NGOs, training institutes, and independent educators.
Can we sell courses and keep all revenue?
Yes. There are no transaction fees.
Can instructors manage courses on their own?
Yes. No technical involvement required after setup.
Campfire (Team Chat)
Is this suitable for non-technical teams?
Yes. It’s intentionally simple.
Do chat logs remain with us?
Yes. All data stays on your server.
Fizzy (Kanban / Project Management)
Is this similar to Trello?
Yes, without subscriptions, limits, or data lock-in.
Can we create unlimited boards and cards?
Yes.
Who This Is Not For
This is not a fit if:
- You want instant signup with zero thinking
- You’re comfortable paying indefinitely for convenience
- You don’t care where your data lives
- You expect your time-horizon to be short-term
In those cases, SaaS is perfectly reasonable.
Who This Is Built For
This is built for teams that:
- want to own their work and data
- want no lock-ins or vendor dependencies
- want to build AI and non-AI workflows based on their own data
- need the option to pause without disappearing
- want headroom for growth
- think long-term