# Get Started with Teleport

Teleport is an identity-based access platform that secures servers, Kubernetes clusters, databases, internal applications, and desktops using short-lived certificates, detailed audit logging, and fine-grained role-based access controls tied to your SSO provider (e.g., Okta, GitHub, Google Workspace).

This guide walks you through four essential steps to get you up and running.

## Choose your Teleport edition

There are several editions of Teleport that differ in their feature sets, deployment options, and support.

Before choosing one, ask yourself:

- Am I looking to evaluate Teleport quickly or explore the full feature set without provisioning infrastructure? → **Enterprise Cloud**
- Do I need to deploy and manage Teleport in my own environment for compliance reasons? → **Enterprise Self-Hosted**
- Do I prefer to self-host Teleport locally to test features or use it for free? → **Community Edition**

#### [Enterprise Cloud](https://goteleport.com/docs/get-started/deploy-cloud.md)

Managed and hosted by Teleport

We handle infrastructure, upgrades, and certificates. Each customer receives a dedicated .teleport.sh subdomain (e.g., example.teleport.sh).

#### [Enterprise Self-Hosted](https://goteleport.com/contact-us/)

Hosted and managed by you

A paid plan for organizations requiring strict compliance, with features like FIPS support. A valid license is required, so use this option to contact our team.

#### [Community Edition](https://goteleport.com/docs/get-started/deploy-community.md)

Free and open source

Includes core features like secure SSH, Kubernetes, databases, and app access. Best for hobbyists, homelabs, or small teams securing small-scale infrastructure.