German company
9brains is independently run and has no foreign parent company or investors.
AI platforms compared
9brains combines multi-model AI, data integration and agents with independently run core infrastructure operated at Hetzner in Germany. For companies that want to decide on performance and sovereignty together.
Our position
Europe needs powerful AI that companies here can control. For us, digital sovereignty does not start and end with server location. It also includes infrastructure, ownership, data flows and the legal framework of a provider.
9brains is independently run and has no foreign parent company or investors.
Core infrastructure, workspace data, knowledge bases and files are operated in Germany.
Administrators choose appropriate models and privacy levels for each workspace.
EU hosting is a relevant security and privacy feature. For high sovereignty requirements, the cloud provider, control over core infrastructure, ownership and applicable jurisdiction also belong in the assessment of an AI platform.
Putting self-hosted in context
A self-hosted AI platform can be the right choice when complete isolation, an existing platform organization or particular regulatory requirements are mandatory. However, it shifts operating, approval and release responsibility into your own environment or into a separate managed-services contract.
Self-hosted is a good fit for organizations that deliberately operate their own infrastructure, maintain their own operations and release processes, and value maximum isolation over speed and simplicity.
9brains operates the platform foundation at Hetzner in Germany. This gives SMEs a clear European infrastructure decision while benefiting from a centrally evolving platform.
Updates, security patches, monitoring, capacity and integrations need to be coordinated, tested and approved for each customer environment. A maintenance partner can reduce effort, but the environment remains individual.
New models, features and interfaces must be technically and professionally assessed in an individual environment. This makes sense for special cases, but can delay access to new opportunities compared with a centrally operated platform.
An honest total cost calculation includes licenses and tokens as well as operating effort, release windows, internal coordination and time to new productive features.
Market orientation
Not every alternative is worse. What matters is whether the platform, operations and data paths fit your organisation.
As of July 2026. The assessment is based on publicly available provider information. Features, deployment models and terms may change.
Compare by platform type
Platform type: DACH platforms.
A good fit if
you want to place a multi-model platform with broad enterprise integrations within your cloud strategy.
9brains is a better fit if
you want multi-model AI with German core infrastructure at Hetzner and direct connections to your own systems, without operating the platform yourself.
Platform type: DACH platforms and Sovereign & self-hosted.
A good fit if
you prioritise maximum control by running the platform in your own cloud.
9brains is a better fit if
you want to start sovereignly without having to own a platform, releases and operational processes.
Platform type: Hyperscalers & models.
A good fit if
you work deeply in the Microsoft 365 ecosystem and want AI directly inside familiar Office applications.
9brains is a better fit if
you want to connect multiple models, company knowledge, agents and line-of-business systems in one platform beyond Microsoft.
Platform type: Hyperscalers & models.
A good fit if
you primarily want to rely on the OpenAI ecosystem and GPT as your standard model.
9brains is a better fit if
you want to freely choose between Claude, GPT, Gemini, Mistral and further models for each task.
Platform type: Hyperscalers & models.
A good fit if
your work environment is already strongly aligned with Google Cloud and Google Workspace.
9brains is a better fit if
you do not want to tie your AI workplace to a single hyperscaler cloud while still using leading models.
Platform type: DACH platforms and Sovereign & self-hosted.
A good fit if
you need an individual enterprise deployment with specific industry or governance requirements.
9brains is a better fit if
you want to become productive quickly without first setting up a bespoke deployment project.
Platform type: DACH platforms.
A good fit if
you want to position a secured Azure environment from Telekom within your existing IT strategy.
9brains is a better fit if
you are looking for an independent German platform foundation outside an Azure operating model.
Platform type: DACH platforms.
A good fit if
you value dedicated GPU infrastructure and a regional operating environment.
9brains is a better fit if
you need more than infrastructure: multiple models, agents, curated knowledge and connections to line-of-business systems in one platform.
Platform type: DACH platforms.
A good fit if
you are looking for a privacy-oriented multi-model chat platform for German mid-market companies.
9brains is a better fit if
you want to curate company knowledge, connect local systems and turn both into productive skills and agents.
Platform type: DACH platforms.
A good fit if
you want a guided AI rollout with multi-model access and an academy offering.
9brains is a better fit if
you want to bring models, subject-matter knowledge, data sources and agents together in a controllable AI workplace.
Platform type: DACH platforms.
A good fit if
you want to combine multi-model chat, research and tool integrations in a German platform.
9brains is a better fit if
you want to search, release and trace company knowledge and use it as a reliable foundation for teams.
Platform type: DACH platforms.
A good fit if
you are looking for a broad feature suite with integrations, assistants and guided AI adoption.
9brains is a better fit if
you prioritise a clear AI workplace with curated knowledge, line-of-business system connections and German core infrastructure.
Platform type: DACH platforms.
A good fit if
you are looking for a German AI suite focused on content, creativity and assistants.
9brains is a better fit if
your focus is company knowledge, data sources, model freedom and agents rather than a broad content suite.
Platform type: DACH platforms.
A good fit if
you are looking for a user-friendly mid-market platform with a prompt library, knowledge base and central administration.
9brains is a better fit if
you want to move beyond prompts toward productive skills, agents and direct connections to your line-of-business systems.
Platform type: Sovereign & self-hosted.
A good fit if
you need a Privacy Filter and an individual EU cloud or on-premise setup for regulated processes.
9brains is a better fit if
you want to combine sovereignty and high data security without a separate infrastructure project and individually operated environment.
Platform type: DACH platforms and Sovereign & self-hosted.
A good fit if
you are looking for a German SaaS or on-premise solution with a strong advisory and change focus.
9brains is a better fit if
you are looking for immediately usable multi-model AI with new frontier models and line-of-business system connections, without starting a specialised model project.
Platform type: DACH platforms and Sovereign & self-hosted.
A good fit if
you need maximum isolation for critical data and a deployment in your own infrastructure.
9brains is a better fit if
maximum isolation is not mandatory and you want to become productive quickly with a German platform foundation, without your own hardware and operations team.
Platform type: DACH platforms and Sovereign & self-hosted.
A good fit if
you want to develop specialised language models for a sensitive domain or public-sector project.
9brains is a better fit if
you need multiple leading models, immediate usability and agents for everyday work rather than an individualised language-model project.
Platform type: Hyperscalers & models.
A good fit if
your teams primarily want to use Claude for writing, analysis, coding and knowledge work.
9brains is a better fit if
you want to use Claude while staying free to use GPT, Gemini, Mistral and other models when a task calls for them.
Platform type: Hyperscalers & models.
A good fit if
you rely on European models and flexible deployment in cloud, private cloud or on-premise.
9brains is a better fit if
you want to combine European models with real model freedom, curated knowledge, agents and your own line-of-business systems.
Where 9brains goes further
A platform needs to be secure and keep pace with data, teams and innovation in daily work.
Core infrastructure, workspace data, knowledge bases and files are operated at Hetzner in Germany.
The 9brains Connector connects local sources such as Windows file servers, internal RAG systems, Oracle databases and other specialist systems. The systems remain in your infrastructure.
Teams can curate and approve knowledge, identify contradictions and trace changes. This makes company knowledge searchable and reliably usable.
9brains evaluates new models and capabilities and centrally provides appropriate extensions. Teams benefit without organizing their own platform upgrade projects.
What modern AI platforms should have in common
Personal expertise
Short decision paths, full accountability, no corporation behind it.