Dokku vs Heroku (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Dokku and Heroku share a 1.8 GPA, and only Dokku has a free plan.
Checked Nov 12, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 · graded Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
Dokku grades higher on the free plan. Heroku grades higher on features and platforms. They get the same grade on value for money and ease of use.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Dokku
Open-source, single-server platform as a service you run yourself
Which one is for you
Pick Dokku if
- Fits if you are comfortable with a command line and want git-push deploys on your own server
- Makes sense if one server is enough for your apps
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you want a web dashboard without paying, as the UI and API need Dokku Pro at $849
- Not for you if you use Windows or Mac servers, since it needs Ubuntu or Debian
- Tight if you need more than one server, as it is single-server by default
- Watch out: the Pro page says the current price reflects an early-bird discount and may rise
Pick Heroku if
- Fits if you are a developer who wants to push code and not run servers
- Makes sense if you want managed Postgres next to your app
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you want a free plan, as the lowest tier is $5 a month
- Tight if you need an app awake, because Eco dynos sleep after 30 minutes and are for personal accounts only
- Pricey as you scale, since prices are per dyno and the database is billed separately
- Watch out: Eco charges the $5 in full even if you subscribe mid-month
How we grade them
| 1.8GPADokkuWeak | 1.8GPAHerokuWeak | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | CThe core is free but only if you host it yourself, so it counts as C. The web interface and API are Dokku Pro at $849 once, the only one-time price in this category. | CEco is $5 a month and Basic $7, but always-on scaling and metrics start at $25 per dyno, and a Postgres database is billed separately from $5. |
| Free plan and trial | BThe open-source core is free with no cap, but you pay for the server and support is the community channels. | FNo free plan and no trial are listed anywhere on the pages read. |
| Features | CGit-push deploys, several builders, plugins, proxy and SSL options and cron. A web UI and JSON API need Pro, and it runs on a single server by default. | BDynos, managed Postgres and key-value, an add-ons marketplace, many languages, zero-downtime deploys and AI inference. |
| Ease of use | DNo store rating on record. It is driven from the command line on a server you install and maintain. | DNo store rating on record. You deploy with Git or Docker and a command line, which puts it below 3.8 on our ladder. |
| Platforms and integrations | DRuns on Linux only, Ubuntu or Debian. It connects to Docker, GitHub Actions, GitLab CI and Woodpecker. | BA web platform with a Git and Docker workflow and a large add-on marketplace. No desktop or phone apps. |
| Best for | git-push deploys on one server | developers deploying apps without managing servers |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: Dokku and Heroku. How we grade
Where they differ
- Dokku is open source and self-hostable, according to its own site.
At a glance
| Dokku | Heroku | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Paid |
| Starts at | $849 one-time for Dokku Pro; core Dokku is free to self-host | $5 per month for an Eco dyno plan |
| Free plan | The open-source core is free to install on your own server. You pay for the server, and support comes from the community channels. | None |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| Web | ||
| Linux | ||
| Made by | Dokku | Salesforce |
| Price read from | pro.dokku.com | heroku.com |
| Checked | Nov 13, 2026 | Nov 12, 2026 |
Worth knowing
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.
Heroku
- No free plan is listed on the pricing page; the lowest dyno price is $5 a month.
- Eco dynos are for personal accounts only and sleep after 30 minutes without traffic.
- Databases are priced separately from dynos: Postgres Essential-0 is $5 a month for 1 GB of storage.
- Dyno prices are per dyno, so running several dynos multiplies the monthly cost.
Key features
Dokku
- Git-push deployment
- Applications are pushed with git and built on the server, either from a Dockerfile or by detecting the language with buildpacks, then started as containers.
- Several builders
- The docs list Cloud Native Buildpacks, Herokuish buildpacks, Dockerfile, Nixpacks, Railpack and a Lambda builder, plus deploys from Docker images and archives.
- Plugin system
- Dokku is built from plugins. Official datastore plugins add databases, and anyone can write plugins in any language and share them.
- Proxy and SSL options
- Routing can use nginx, Caddy, Haproxy, OpenResty or Traefik, and the docs cover domain configuration and SSL setup.
- Process and cron management
- Apps can run web and background processes, scheduled cron tasks and one-off commands, with zero-downtime deploy checks.
- Dokku Pro web interface
- The paid add-on gives a browser dashboard for apps, datastores, environment variables, scaling and live log tailing, plus a JSON API.
Heroku
- Dynos
- Apps run in managed containers deployed with Git or Docker. The Cedar generation is the full-integration option and Fir is the Kubernetes-based one.
- Managed data services
- Heroku Postgres, Key-Value Store and Apache Kafka run as managed services, with Postgres plans starting at $5 a month.
- Language support
- The site lists Python, .NET, Java, Node.js, Go, PHP, Ruby, Scala and Clojure.
- Add-ons marketplace
- Heroku Elements lists add-ons, integrations and buildpacks that extend an app.
- Zero-downtime deploys and scaling
- Standard dynos add preboot, horizontal scaling and metrics, and Performance dynos add dedicated compute and autoscaling.
- Heroku AI
- Managed inference and agents, with MCP support, for building AI features into apps.
Plans
Dokku
Dokku (open source)$0
Install it yourself on an Ubuntu or Debian server. Git-push deploys, buildpacks and Dockerfiles, plugins, command-line management.
Dokku Pro$849
one-time, lifetime license
Add-on for an existing install: web UI, JSON API, HTTP(S) app push, team management and email support. Covers 1 production and 2 pre-production servers.
Heroku
Eco$5
per month, a shared pool of 1,000 dyno hours
0.5 GB RAM, personal accounts only, two process types. Dynos sleep after 30 minutes of inactivity. The $5 is charged in full for the month even if you subscribe late.
Basic$7
per dyno / month
0.5 GB RAM, always on, free SSL and up to 10 process types.
Standard-1X$25
per dyno / month
0.5 GB RAM with horizontal scaling, app metrics and alerts, preboot and zero-downtime deploys.
Standard-2X$50
per dyno / month
1 GB RAM with the Standard-1X features.
Performance-M$250
per dyno / month
2.5 GB RAM on dedicated compute with autoscaling.
Performance-L$500
per dyno / month
14 GB RAM on dedicated compute with autoscaling. Performance-XL is $750 with 62 GB RAM.
Ways to pay less
Dokku
- Lifetime license
Lifetime Dokku Pro license
Dokku Pro is sold as a one-time lifetime license with free upgrades and no per-seat fees, at a discounted price while it is in development.
Heroku
No public discounts listed.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Dokku or Heroku?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Dokku starts at $849 one-time for Dokku Pro; core Dokku is free to self-host, and Heroku starts at $5 per month for an Eco dyno plan.
Which has a free plan, Dokku or Heroku?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only Dokku has a free plan. Heroku does not.
Which platforms do Dokku and Heroku run on?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only Dokku lists a Linux app and only Heroku lists a web app. A platform missing from a listing is one its maker's pages did not mention.
More comparisons
How this page was made
- The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
- The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
- Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
- The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.