Disclosure: Some links on this page are affiliate links. We may earn a commission if you make a purchase through these links, at no extra cost to you. This helps support our work in maintaining this directory.
Dokku vs Coolify
A detailed comparison to help you choose between Dokku and Coolify.
Last reviewed:
| Feature | Dokku | Coolify |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing Model | Open Source | Open Source |
| Free Tier | Yes | Yes |
| Monthly Cost (Solo) | $0 | $0-5 |
| Target Audience | developers, solopreneurs, solopreneurs | developers, solopreneurs, solopreneurs |
| Verified | No | No |
| Solo-Friendly | Yes | Yes |
| Open Source | Yes | Yes |
| Editorial Rating | 4.1/5 | 4.2/5 |
| Categories | Developer Tools | Developer Tools |
| Key Features | Git push deployment, Buildpack support, Docker container management, Plugin system, SSL via Let's Encrypt | One-click app deployment, Database hosting, Automatic SSL, Docker and Docker Compose, Git integration |
| Free Tier Quality | excellent | excellent |
Pricing Breakdown
Dokku
Free forever. Open-source. Server costs: $4-10/month (VPS).
Coolify
Self-hosted: free forever. Server costs: $4-10/month (VPS). Coolify Cloud: from $5/month.
Integration Overlap
Shared Integrations (4)
DockerLet's EncryptPostgreSQLRedis
Only in Dokku (4)
GitHeroku BuildpacksMySQLMongoDB
Only in Coolify (4)
GitHubGitLabBitbucketDocker Compose
Use Case Fit
Dokku
- * Personal app hosting
- * Side project deployment
- * Simple production hosting
- * Learning DevOps
- * Cost-effective web hosting
Coolify
- * Self-hosted app deployment
- * Personal PaaS
- * Database hosting
- * Side project hosting
- * Development environments
Dokku
Pros
- + Simplest self-hosted PaaS
- + Heroku buildpack compatible
- + Extremely lightweight
- + Mature and stable project
Cons
- - Single-server only
- - CLI-only (no web dashboard)
- - Limited scaling options
- - Requires Linux server knowledge
Coolify
Pros
- + Free and open-source
- + Heroku-like DX on your own server
- + Supports Docker, static sites, databases
- + Beautiful modern dashboard
Cons
- - Requires a server to run on
- - Newer project with some bugs
- - Limited to Docker-capable hosts
- - Community support only (no SLA)
Editorial Verdict
For solo founders on a budget, Dokku wins with solo-friendly pricing and a excellent free tier. For the highest-rated experience, Coolify edges ahead with a 4.2/5 editorial rating.
SaaSLens Editorial Team
Editorial Team