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Alternatives · Web Hosting

Dokku alternatives

As of Nov 13, 2026, the highest-graded Dokku alternative is Coolify (2.4 GPA). It's also the best free one.

Dokku compared with 7 alternatives: Coolify, CapRover, Dokploy, Heroku, Render and 2 more.

Dokku has a free plan. Paid plans start at $849 one-time for Dokku Pro; core Dokku is free to self-host. 5 of the 7 alternatives are free or have a free plan. One more offers a free trial.

Listings checked up to Nov 13, 2026 · Where the facts come from

Black Friday: is there a Dokku sale?

At a glance

ToolPriceFree planRuns on
DokkuThis toolFree plan · from $849 one-timeYesLinux
CoolifyFree plan · from $5/moYesWeb
CapRoverFreeFreeWeb
DokployFree trial · from $4.50/moTrial onlyWeb
HerokuFrom $5/moNoWeb
RenderFree plan · from $25/moYesWeb
CloudronFree plan · from €15/moYesWeb
ConvoxFree plan · from $165/moYesWeb

How each one differs from Dokku

  1. Coolify

    Open-source platform to deploy apps and databases to your own servers

    • Coolify starts at $5 per month for up to 2 connected servers (Cloud), or free to self-host.
    • Coolify also lists a web app.
    • Coolify lists no Linux app, which Dokku has.

    Suits: Developers who want a Heroku or Vercel style workflow on their own servers

    Coolify vs DokkuCoolify pricing and details

  2. CapRover

    Free, self-hosted platform for deploying apps with Docker

    • CapRover is free.
    • CapRover also lists a web app.
    • CapRover lists no Linux app, which Dokku has.

    Suits: Developers who want a Heroku-style workflow on their own VPS

    CapRover vs DokkuCapRover pricing and details

  3. Dokploy

    Open-source platform to deploy apps and databases on your own servers

    • Dokploy starts at $4.50 per server / month on the Cloud Hobby plan.
    • Dokploy has no free plan, only a free trial, unlike Dokku.
    • Dokploy also lists a web app.
    • Dokploy lists no Linux app, which Dokku has.

    Suits: Developers who want a managed dashboard for their own VPS servers

    Dokploy vs DokkuDokploy pricing and details

  4. Heroku

    Platform for deploying apps in containers called dynos

    • Heroku starts at $5 per month for an Eco dyno plan.
    • Heroku has no free plan, unlike Dokku.
    • Heroku also lists a web app.
    • Heroku lists no Linux app, which Dokku has.

    Suits: Developers who want to deploy an app from Git without running servers

    Heroku vs DokkuHeroku pricing and details

  5. Render

    Cloud hosting for web services, databases and workers

    • Render starts at $25 per month plus compute (Pro workspace).
    • Render also lists a web app.
    • Render lists no Linux app, which Dokku has.
    • Render also covers workflow automation.

    Suits: Teams moving off Heroku-style platforms that want services and Postgres in one place

    Render vs DokkuRender pricing and details

  6. Cloudron

    Self-hosted platform for installing and updating apps on your server

    • Cloudron starts at €15 per month, billed yearly (€30 billed monthly), excluding VAT.
    • Cloudron also lists a web app.
    • Cloudron lists no Linux app, which Dokku has.
    • Cloudron also covers dMARC.
    • Cloudron does not cover databases, which Dokku does.

    Suits: Individuals and small organizations self-hosting several open-source apps

    Cloudron vs DokkuCloudron pricing and details

  7. Convox

    Heroku-style deploy platform that runs in your own cloud account

    • Convox starts at $165 per month, billed annually ($199 billed monthly).
    • Convox also lists a web app.
    • Convox lists no Linux app, which Dokku has.
    • Convox also covers workflow automation.

    Suits: Teams moving from Heroku to their own AWS or Google Cloud account

    Convox vs DokkuConvox pricing and details

Limits worth knowing in Dokku

  • Dokku does not supply servers or hosting; you provide and maintain an Ubuntu or Debian machine.
  • It runs on a single server by default; the docs list K3s and Nomad schedulers for larger setups.
  • The web interface and API need Dokku Pro, a separate $849 one-time license.
  • The Dokku Pro page says its current price reflects an early-bird discount and may rise.
Dokku pricing and details

Common questions

What are the alternatives to Dokku?

The alternatives to Dokku in this directory are Coolify, CapRover, Dokploy, Heroku, Render, Cloudron and Convox. Each one has a side-by-side comparison with Dokku.

Is there a free alternative to Dokku?

Yes. CapRover is free to use. Coolify, Render, Cloudron and Convox have a free plan alongside paid ones.

When were these prices checked?

Each listing shows its own date. On this page they run from Nov 12, 2026 to Nov 13, 2026. Vendors change prices without notice, so confirm on their site before you buy.