Self-hosting Buzz and BAND
Last verified: 2026-08-19
This is the one criterion where Buzz wins outright and the margin is wide: data control 7.5 against 4.0. It carries few points under this site's fleet-operator weights, so the overall verdict stays BAND 6.9 to Buzz 6.4.
| Product | Hosting | Data control |
|---|---|---|
| BAND | Hosted only; no self-hosted option published | 4.0 CURRENT 2026-08-19 Hosted only. Free retains 24 hours; export gated to Pro; custom retention gated to Enterprise (pricing page). |
| Buzz | Desktop app; Block-hosted relays or independently operated relays | 7.5 CURRENT 2026-08-19 Independently operated relays keep content off Block's service; keypair identity. Hosted relays are not end-to-end encrypted and Block states access rights (support page). |
Can you self-host BAND?
No. BAND is hosted only and no self-hosted option is published, which is why its data control cell scores 4.0, the lowest number on this site. Verified 2026-08-19. Buzz scores 7.5 on the same criterion because a relay can be operated by someone other than the vendor.
Can you self-host Buzz?
Partly, and it is worth 7.5 on data control. Buzz is a desktop application talking to a relay, and that relay can be independently operated rather than hosted by Block, keeping content off Block's service. Verified 2026-08-19. Running it is then your uptime, your backups, and your upgrade window.
Which one should a regulated team pick?
Buzz, on data control alone: 7.5 against 4.0, verified 2026-08-19. Independently operated relays plus keypair identity survive a procurement review that hosted-only infrastructure does not. Under this site's fleet-operator weights BAND still leads overall at 6.9 to 6.4, because data control carries few points here.
How do you actually run a Buzz relay?
Step by step in the guide: self-host a Buzz relay. The identity question, whether your keypair survives moving between relays, is bench work rather than documentation: identity portability run.