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AI Studio Cloud: HighLevel's Built-In App Backend
A landing page doesn't need a backend. A member portal, an order tracker or a client dashboard does: somewhere to save records, a way for people to log in, and a place to keep uploaded files. HighLevel added Cloud to AI Studio for exactly that. This guide explains what Cloud includes, how to switch it on, what's free, and the limits worth knowing before you build a client app on it.
Quick take:
- Cloud is a managed backend for AI Studio projects: database, user accounts, file storage and secrets, all managed from inside AI Studio.
- Every project gets a free Tiny instance, 2 GB of database storage and 1 GB of file storage. You pay only for bigger instances or extra storage.
- It works with projects built on TanStack Start. Older React projects have to migrate to SSR first.
Note: AI Studio Cloud isn't part of HighLevel's Level Up 2026 recap. HighLevel's help docs for it are dated before the event, so we list it as recently added.
What Cloud adds to an AI Studio project
HighLevel describes Cloud as "a managed backend for apps built in HighLevel AI Studio." Each project gets its own Cloud environment. Once it's on, the Cloud dashboard has four areas:
| Area | What it's for |
|---|---|
| Database | Your app's records (profiles, orders and so on), with row-level security (RLS) policies controlling who sees what |
| Users | Sign-ups, user search, adding or inviting users, and sign-in settings |
| Storage | Uploaded files such as images and PDFs, organized into public or private buckets |
| Secrets | The project's sensitive values, such as API keys |
You don't write the schema by hand. You ask AI Studio in chat to create or change tables and policies, and HighLevel says AI Studio checks with you before building features that use Cloud.
Try HighLevel Start monthly → · See annual pricing → HighLevel's standard plans include a 14-day free trial, according to HighLevel's pricing page. Billing starts automatically when the trial ends unless you cancel, and usage fees (phone, text, email, AI) can apply during the trial.
How to turn Cloud on
From HighLevel's help center:
- Open AI Studio from the left navigation and create or open a project.
- Click More → Cloud.
- Open Overview and click Enable Cloud.
- Wait for provisioning. HighLevel says it "typically takes about a minute," and you can keep working while it runs.
If setup fails, HighLevel says your existing app stays unchanged and you can click Try again.
The requirement to check first: Cloud supports projects built on TanStack Start. If you have an existing React project, HighLevel says to go to Project Settings → Migrate to SSR first. Migration creates an upgraded copy and leaves your original live project alone. You then enable Cloud separately on the new copy.
Database, backups and security
- Records: open a table to add rows, double-click a cell to edit, or select rows to delete.
- RLS policies: see each table's policies, and describe the access you want to AI Studio to change them. For example, "signed-in users can only see their own orders."
- Optimize: sends a database health check to AI Studio chat. HighLevel notes this uses AI Studio credits like any other chat request.
- Daily backups: Cloud automatically backs up your database schema and records every day.
- Restoring replaces the live database with the snapshot you pick. Database access is interrupted for a few minutes, and backups don't include uploaded files or app code.
User logins
Under Cloud → Users you can watch sign-ups, search users by email, add a pre-confirmed user, send an invitation, or delete a user. Under Auth settings:
- The initial release supports email and password sign-in.
- You can turn new sign-ups on or off without signing out existing users.
- Password rules include a minimum length (at least 6, with 8 or more recommended), required character types, and an option to reject passwords found in known breaches.
- Email confirmation is on by default. HighLevel says to keep Auto-confirm email off for production apps.
What Cloud costs
HighLevel bases Cloud pricing on three things: instance size, reserved database storage, and actual file storage.
| Resource | Free per project | Beyond the free amount |
|---|---|---|
| Instance (CPU and memory) | Tiny instance (shared CPU, up to 0.5 GB RAM) | Larger sizes (Mini and up) billed hourly while Cloud runs |
| Database storage | 2 GB | About $0.14 per GB per month, billed on the size you reserve |
| File storage | 1 GB | About $0.034 per GB per month, billed on what you actually store |
Three billing details that catch people out:
- Database storage is billed on reserved size, not what you use. HighLevel says the smallest increase is to 8 GB, so after your first increase you pay for 6 GB above the free 2 GB, even if your data is tiny.
- Pausing Cloud doesn't stop storage charges above the free amounts. Only removing Cloud (for the database) or deleting files (for file storage) does.
- Cloud is billed separately from AI Studio building. Building and editing your app uses AI Studio usage; running the backend is a separate Cloud charge.
Good uses for agencies
Based on what Cloud supports, it fits projects like:
- A client member area where customers log in and see their own records
- An upload portal for documents or photos, with private buckets
- A simple internal tool that stores records your team updates
If a project only needs to capture leads, you may not need Cloud at all: AI Studio forms can send submissions straight into your HighLevel sub-account. See our AI Studio guide.
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Frequently asked questions
Is AI Studio Cloud free?
Partly. HighLevel says every project includes a free Tiny instance, 2 GB of database storage and 1 GB of file storage. Larger instances and extra storage are billed, separately from AI Studio build usage.
What do I need to enable Cloud?
An AI Studio project built on TanStack Start. HighLevel says existing React projects must first use Project Settings, Migrate to SSR, which creates an upgraded copy, and then enable Cloud on that copy.
Does Cloud replace a separate backend?
For many simple apps, yes. HighLevel says Cloud gives AI Studio apps a database, user accounts, file storage and secrets without connecting a separate backend service.
Are backups included?
Yes. HighLevel says Cloud backs up your database schema and records daily. Backups don't include uploaded files or app code.
What happens if Cloud setup fails?
HighLevel says your existing app stays unchanged, and you can click Try again to resume setup.
Which sign-in methods does Cloud support?
HighLevel's help doc says the initial release supports email and password sign-in.
Try HighLevel Start monthly → · See annual pricing → HighLevel's standard plans include a 14-day free trial, according to HighLevel's pricing page. Billing starts automatically when the trial ends unless you cancel, and usage fees (phone, text, email, AI) can apply during the trial.