diff --git a/x-pack/plugins/enterprise_search/public/applications/enterprise_search_content/components/connectors/create_connector/components/connector_description_popover.tsx b/x-pack/plugins/enterprise_search/public/applications/enterprise_search_content/components/connectors/create_connector/components/connector_description_popover.tsx
index 9e0aed3fa75f..f91a8eff670f 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugins/enterprise_search/public/applications/enterprise_search_content/components/connectors/create_connector/components/connector_description_popover.tsx
+++ b/x-pack/plugins/enterprise_search/public/applications/enterprise_search_content/components/connectors/create_connector/components/connector_description_popover.tsx
@@ -6,7 +6,10 @@
  */
 import React, { useState } from 'react';
 
+import { css } from '@emotion/react';
+
 import {
+  EuiButton,
   EuiButtonIcon,
   EuiCallOut,
   EuiFlexGroup,
@@ -83,13 +86,15 @@ const connectorClientPopoverPanels = [
 ];
 
 export interface ConnectorDescriptionPopoverProps {
-  isDisabled: boolean;
   isNative: boolean;
+  isRunningLocally?: boolean;
+  showIsOnlySelfManaged: boolean;
 }
 
 export const ConnectorDescriptionPopover: React.FC<ConnectorDescriptionPopoverProps> = ({
   isNative,
-  isDisabled,
+  isRunningLocally,
+  showIsOnlySelfManaged,
 }) => {
   const [isPopoverOpen, setIsPopoverOpen] = useState(false);
   const panels = isNative ? nativePopoverPanels : connectorClientPopoverPanels;
@@ -111,55 +116,115 @@ export const ConnectorDescriptionPopover: React.FC<ConnectorDescriptionPopoverPr
         setIsPopoverOpen(false);
       }}
     >
-      <EuiPanel hasBorder={false} hasShadow={false}>
-        {isDisabled && (
-          <EuiFlexGroup>
-            <EuiFlexItem>
-              <EuiCallOut
-                title={i18n.translate(
-                  'xpack.enterpriseSearch.createConnector.connectorDescriptionBadge.notAvailableTitle',
-                  {
-                    defaultMessage:
-                      'This connector is not available as an Elastic-managed Connector',
+      <EuiPanel
+        css={css`
+          max-width: 700px;
+        `}
+        hasBorder={false}
+        hasShadow={false}
+      >
+        {(showIsOnlySelfManaged || isRunningLocally) && (
+          <>
+            <EuiFlexGroup>
+              <EuiFlexItem>
+                <EuiCallOut
+                  title={
+                    showIsOnlySelfManaged
+                      ? i18n.translate(
+                          'xpack.enterpriseSearch.createConnector.connectorDescriptionBadge.isOnlySelfManagedAvailableTitle',
+                          {
+                            defaultMessage:
+                              'This connector is not available as an Elastic-managed Connector',
+                          }
+                        )
+                      : i18n.translate(
+                          'xpack.enterpriseSearch.createConnector.connectorDescriptionBadge.isRunningLocallyTitle',
+                          {
+                            defaultMessage:
+                              'Elastic managed connectors are only available in Elastic Cloud',
+                          }
+                        )
                   }
-                )}
-                size="s"
-                iconType="warning"
-                color="warning"
-              />
-            </EuiFlexItem>
+                  size="s"
+                  iconType="warning"
+                  color="warning"
+                />
+              </EuiFlexItem>
+            </EuiFlexGroup>
+            <EuiSpacer size="m" />
+          </>
+        )}
+
+        {!isRunningLocally && (
+          <EuiFlexGroup>
+            {panels.map((panel) => {
+              return (
+                <EuiFlexItem grow={false} key={panel.id}>
+                  <EuiFlexGroup
+                    direction="column"
+                    alignItems="center"
+                    gutterSize="s"
+                    style={{ maxWidth: 200 }}
+                  >
+                    <EuiFlexItem grow={false}>
+                      <EuiFlexGroup responsive={false} gutterSize="s">
+                        {panel.icons.map((icon, index) => (
+                          <EuiFlexItem grow={false} key={index}>
+                            {icon}
+                          </EuiFlexItem>
+                        ))}
+                      </EuiFlexGroup>
+                    </EuiFlexItem>
+                    <EuiFlexItem grow={false}>
+                      <EuiText size="s" grow={false} textAlign="center">
+                        <p>{panel.description}</p>
+                      </EuiText>
+                    </EuiFlexItem>
+                  </EuiFlexGroup>
+                </EuiFlexItem>
+              );
+            })}
           </EuiFlexGroup>
         )}
-        <EuiSpacer size="m" />
-        <EuiFlexGroup>
-          {panels.map((panel) => {
-            return (
-              <EuiFlexItem grow={false} key={panel.id}>
-                <EuiFlexGroup
-                  direction="column"
-                  alignItems="center"
-                  gutterSize="s"
-                  style={{ maxWidth: 200 }}
-                >
-                  <EuiFlexItem grow={false}>
-                    <EuiFlexGroup responsive={false} gutterSize="s">
-                      {panel.icons.map((icon, index) => (
-                        <EuiFlexItem grow={false} key={index}>
-                          {icon}
-                        </EuiFlexItem>
-                      ))}
-                    </EuiFlexGroup>
-                  </EuiFlexItem>
-                  <EuiFlexItem grow={false}>
-                    <EuiText size="s" grow={false} textAlign="center">
-                      <p>{panel.description}</p>
-                    </EuiText>
-                  </EuiFlexItem>
-                </EuiFlexGroup>
+        {isRunningLocally && (
+          <>
+            <EuiSpacer size="m" />
+            <EuiFlexGroup direction="column" justifyContent="center">
+              <EuiFlexItem grow>
+                <EuiText textAlign="center">
+                  <h3>
+                    {i18n.translate(
+                      'xpack.enterpriseSearch.createConnector.connectorDescriptionBadge.learnMore',
+                      { defaultMessage: 'Explore Elastic Cloud with your 14-day free trial' }
+                    )}
+                  </h3>
+                </EuiText>
               </EuiFlexItem>
-            );
-          })}
-        </EuiFlexGroup>
+              <EuiFlexItem grow>
+                <EuiText size="s" textAlign="center" color="subdued">
+                  {i18n.translate(
+                    'xpack.enterpriseSearch.createConnector.connectorDescriptionBadge.learnMore',
+                    {
+                      defaultMessage:
+                        'Take advantage of Elastic managed connectors and generative AI capabilities to address search challenges across your organization in real time, at scale.',
+                    }
+                  )}
+                </EuiText>
+              </EuiFlexItem>
+              <EuiFlexItem grow={false}>
+                <EuiButton
+                  data-test-subj="enterpriseSearchConnectorStartFreeTrialButton"
+                  href="https://cloud.elastic.co/registration?onboarding_token=connectors"
+                  target="_blank"
+                >
+                  {i18n.translate('xpack.enterpriseSearch.createConnector.startTrialButtonLabel', {
+                    defaultMessage: 'Start free trial',
+                  })}
+                </EuiButton>
+              </EuiFlexItem>
+            </EuiFlexGroup>
+          </>
+        )}
       </EuiPanel>
     </EuiPopover>
   );
diff --git a/x-pack/plugins/enterprise_search/public/applications/enterprise_search_content/components/connectors/create_connector/create_connector.tsx b/x-pack/plugins/enterprise_search/public/applications/enterprise_search_content/components/connectors/create_connector/create_connector.tsx
index 6e83bf98c237..095990c823f0 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugins/enterprise_search/public/applications/enterprise_search_content/components/connectors/create_connector/create_connector.tsx
+++ b/x-pack/plugins/enterprise_search/public/applications/enterprise_search_content/components/connectors/create_connector/create_connector.tsx
@@ -65,9 +65,14 @@ export const CreateConnector: React.FC = () => {
   const { setCurrentStep } = useActions(NewConnectorLogic);
   const stepStates = generateStepState(currentStep);
 
+  const { config } = useValues(KibanaLogic);
+  const isRunningLocally = (config.host ?? '').includes('localhost');
+
   useEffect(() => {
-    // TODO: separate this to ability and preference
-    if (selectedConnector && !selectedConnector.isNative && selfManagePreference === 'native') {
+    if (
+      (selectedConnector && !selectedConnector.isNative && selfManagePreference === 'native') ||
+      isRunningLocally
+    ) {
       setSelfManagePreference('selfManaged');
     }
   }, [selectedConnector]);
@@ -141,6 +146,7 @@ export const CreateConnector: React.FC = () => {
           setSelfManagePreference(preference);
         }}
         error={errorToText(error)}
+        isRunningLocally={isRunningLocally}
       />
     ),
   };
diff --git a/x-pack/plugins/enterprise_search/public/applications/enterprise_search_content/components/connectors/create_connector/start_step.tsx b/x-pack/plugins/enterprise_search/public/applications/enterprise_search_content/components/connectors/create_connector/start_step.tsx
index 46840d577e4d..ce42c19453ff 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugins/enterprise_search/public/applications/enterprise_search_content/components/connectors/create_connector/start_step.tsx
+++ b/x-pack/plugins/enterprise_search/public/applications/enterprise_search_content/components/connectors/create_connector/start_step.tsx
@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@ import { SelfManagePreference } from './create_connector';
 
 interface StartStepProps {
   error?: string | React.ReactNode;
+  isRunningLocally: boolean;
   onSelfManagePreferenceChange(preference: SelfManagePreference): void;
   selfManagePreference: SelfManagePreference;
   setCurrentStep: Function;
@@ -49,6 +50,7 @@ interface StartStepProps {
 
 export const StartStep: React.FC<StartStepProps> = ({
   title,
+  isRunningLocally,
   selfManagePreference,
   setCurrentStep,
   onSelfManagePreferenceChange,
@@ -208,14 +210,15 @@ export const StartStep: React.FC<StartStepProps> = ({
                     { defaultMessage: 'Elastic managed' }
                   )}
                   checked={selfManagePreference === 'native'}
-                  disabled={selectedConnector?.isNative === false}
+                  disabled={selectedConnector?.isNative === false || isRunningLocally}
                   onChange={() => onSelfManagePreferenceChange('native')}
                   name="setUp"
                 />
               </EuiFlexItem>
               <EuiFlexItem grow={false}>
                 <ConnectorDescriptionPopover
-                  isDisabled={selectedConnector?.isNative === false}
+                  showIsOnlySelfManaged={selectedConnector?.isNative === false}
+                  isRunningLocally={isRunningLocally}
                   isNative
                 />
               </EuiFlexItem>
@@ -233,7 +236,7 @@ export const StartStep: React.FC<StartStepProps> = ({
                 />
               </EuiFlexItem>
               <EuiFlexItem grow={false}>
-                <ConnectorDescriptionPopover isDisabled={false} isNative={false} />
+                <ConnectorDescriptionPopover showIsOnlySelfManaged={false} isNative={false} />
               </EuiFlexItem>
             </EuiFlexGroup>
           </EuiPanel>
diff --git a/x-pack/plugins/translations/translations/fr-FR.json b/x-pack/plugins/translations/translations/fr-FR.json
index 141f0513bf84..c32522cef9ce 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugins/translations/translations/fr-FR.json
+++ b/x-pack/plugins/translations/translations/fr-FR.json
@@ -18433,7 +18433,6 @@
     "xpack.enterpriseSearch.createConnector.configurationStep.configurationLabel": "Configuration",
     "xpack.enterpriseSearch.createConnector.configurationStep.h4.finishUpLabel": "Terminer",
     "xpack.enterpriseSearch.createConnector.configurationStep.p.description": "Vous pouvez synchroniser manuellement vos données, planifier une synchronisation récurrente ou gérer vos domaines.",
-    "xpack.enterpriseSearch.createConnector.connectorDescriptionBadge.notAvailableTitle": "Ce connecteur n'est pas disponible en tant que connecteur géré par Elastic",
     "xpack.enterpriseSearch.createConnector.connectorDocsLinkLabel": "référence du connecteur",
     "xpack.enterpriseSearch.createConnector.DeploymentStep.Configuration.description": "Maintenant, configurez votre robot Elastic et synchronisez les données.",
     "xpack.enterpriseSearch.createConnector.DeploymentStep.Configuration.title": "Configuration",
diff --git a/x-pack/plugins/translations/translations/ja-JP.json b/x-pack/plugins/translations/translations/ja-JP.json
index e3740459ff87..b1d13acf8a42 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugins/translations/translations/ja-JP.json
+++ b/x-pack/plugins/translations/translations/ja-JP.json
@@ -18407,7 +18407,6 @@
     "xpack.enterpriseSearch.createConnector.configurationStep.configurationLabel": "構成",
     "xpack.enterpriseSearch.createConnector.configurationStep.h4.finishUpLabel": "終了",
     "xpack.enterpriseSearch.createConnector.configurationStep.p.description": "データを手動で同期したり、繰り返し同期をスケジュールしたり、ドメインを管理したりできます。",
-    "xpack.enterpriseSearch.createConnector.connectorDescriptionBadge.notAvailableTitle": "このコネクターは、Elasticマネージドコネクターとして利用できません。",
     "xpack.enterpriseSearch.createConnector.connectorDocsLinkLabel": "コネクター参照",
     "xpack.enterpriseSearch.createConnector.DeploymentStep.Configuration.description": "次に、Elasticクローラーを構成し、データを同期します。",
     "xpack.enterpriseSearch.createConnector.DeploymentStep.Configuration.title": "構成",
diff --git a/x-pack/plugins/translations/translations/zh-CN.json b/x-pack/plugins/translations/translations/zh-CN.json
index a93665d17565..284939c29f80 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugins/translations/translations/zh-CN.json
+++ b/x-pack/plugins/translations/translations/zh-CN.json
@@ -18450,7 +18450,6 @@
     "xpack.enterpriseSearch.createConnector.configurationStep.configurationLabel": "配置",
     "xpack.enterpriseSearch.createConnector.configurationStep.h4.finishUpLabel": "结束",
     "xpack.enterpriseSearch.createConnector.configurationStep.p.description": "您可以手动同步数据，计划重复同步或管理您的域。",
-    "xpack.enterpriseSearch.createConnector.connectorDescriptionBadge.notAvailableTitle": "此连接器不可用作 Elastic 托管连接器",
     "xpack.enterpriseSearch.createConnector.connectorDocsLinkLabel": "连接器参考",
     "xpack.enterpriseSearch.createConnector.DeploymentStep.Configuration.description": "立即配置您的 Elastic 网络爬虫并同步数据。",
     "xpack.enterpriseSearch.createConnector.DeploymentStep.Configuration.title": "配置",