> ## Content Index
> Fetch the complete content index at: https://openbeam.world/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further.

# OpenBeam Cloud vs OpenBeam desktop
- URL: https://openbeam.world/docs/cloud-vs-desktop/
- Published: 2026-10-05T16:15:10.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-05T16:16:00.000Z
- Description: The same open-source engine, two ways to run it: hosted on our GPUs and streamed to your browser, or installed on your own machine.
- Author: Beshoy Hanna
- Tags: #docs

OpenBeam is our open-source soft-body engine. You can use it two ways: **OpenBeam Cloud**, where it runs on our GPUs and streams to a browser tab, and **OpenBeam desktop**, where you run it on your own computer.

## At a glance

|                            | OpenBeam Cloud                                                                                                | OpenBeam desktop                                                                                                                       |
| -------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Where it runs**          | On a cloud GPU we run. Your browser only decodes the video.                                                   | On your own computer.                                                                                                                  |
| **Install**                | Nothing. Open [cloud.openbeam.world](https://cloud.openbeam.world/app/?ref=openbeam.world) in Chrome or Edge. | Install it on your machine.                                                                                                            |
| **Performance**            | The same server hardware for everyone; streamed at 1080p60 by default.                                        | Depends on your CPU and GPU.                                                                                                           |
| **Your maps and vehicles** | A cloud library, available in every session and shareable by link.                                            | Files on your own machine.                                                                                                             |
| **Recording**              | A separate recorder saves the video, your inputs and the engine data without slowing the game.                | The game's local recorder reads every frame back from the GPU, so the game runs slower while it records, and the raw frames are large. |
| **Agents over MCP**        | Add https://cloud.openbeam.world/mcp to your AI app and sign in. It can start and end sessions for you.       | The game has its own MCP server, which runs on your machine and is off unless you turn it on.                                          |
| **Working together**       | Everyone on the project opens the same tests from a browser, and you can share a mod by link.                 | Share files yourself.                                                                                                                  |
| **Cost**                   | Simulation hours by plan. See [Plans, hours and billing](https://openbeam.world/docs/plans-and-billing/).     | Included with the Teams and Enterprise plans.                                                                                          |

## Which to use

- **Use OpenBeam Cloud** when you don't want to provision a workstation, when several people need to open the same tests, when you want recordings without slowing the run, or when an agent should start and drive sessions on its own.
- **Use OpenBeam desktop** to iterate on a test on your own machine before you send it to OpenBeam Cloud, or when you need to work offline.

## One engine

Both run the same OpenBeam engine, which models vehicles, robots and structures as nodes joined by beams. The engine is open source under the GPL-3.0 licence.

To try OpenBeam desktop on a Teams or Enterprise plan, email [Beshoy@openbeam.world](mailto:Beshoy@openbeam.world).