CapRover review (2026): is it any good?
Free, self-hosted platform for deploying apps with Docker
CapRover report card
Fair · out of 4.0 · graded Nov 13, 2026
Best for self-hosting your own app platform
CapRover is a free app platform you install on your own server, with one-click apps and automatic HTTPS. You rent and maintain the server, and support is documentation and a community Slack.
Who CapRover is for
- Fits if you run your own server and want a simple app dashboard
- Works for developers who know Docker and DNS
Who CapRover is not for
- Skip it if you want a hosted service, as the site lists none
- Not for you if you cannot set wildcard DNS or open ports 80, 443 and 3000
- Tight if you want paid support, as none is listed
- Watch out: the docs target a fresh Ubuntu 24.04 install
Why CapRover gets a 2.0
Five grades, each with its reason. The GPA is their average: an A is 4 points, an F is none.
- CValue for moneyFree software, but only free if you host it yourself, and you pay for the server.
- BFree plan and trialThe whole platform is free to install, with no paid tier. You need your own server.
- CFeaturesApps in any language, one-click apps, HTTPS, several deploy methods and Docker Swarm clusters. No hosted version, so updates and backups are yours.
- DEase of useSelf-hosting with a fresh Ubuntu server, wildcard DNS and open ports 80, 443 and 3000.
- CPlatforms and integrationsWeb dashboard with one-click apps and no API or apps listed.
What these grades rest on. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from CapRover's own pages on 13 November 2026. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews. How we review and grade.
Make CapRover? Put this grade on your site
Paste this where you want the badge. It links here and follows the grade if it changes. About badges
<a href="https://toolgpa.com/tools/caprover#review"><img src="https://toolgpa.com/badge/caprover.svg" alt="CapRover: 2.0 GPA on ToolGPA" width="196" height="56"></a>Where CapRover stands among web hosts
CapRover's GPA of 2.0 is higher than 49 of the 122 other web hosts we grade, and level with 24.
It stands best on free plan and trial (B, above 99 of 122) and worst on ease of use (D, above 0).
CapRover has no paid plan.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 1.7 out of 4. Nothing scores higher for less, though at least one tool matches that score at a lower price.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 123 web hosts we grade, cut by the letter each got. CapRover’s own letter is outlined.
- CValue for moneyAbove 13 of 122, level with 65
- BFree plan and trialAbove 99 of 122, level with 21
- CFeaturesAbove 0 of 122, level with 85
- DEase of useAbove 0 of 122, level with 39
- CPlatforms and integrationsAbove 1 of 122, level with 55
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 111 web hosts. Further left costs less, and higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Point at a dot to see which tool it is.
Features, ease of use and platforms, averaged
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
- The best score at each price
- Has a free plan
- No free plan
Keep CapRover, or make your own?
Keep it
CapRover is free, so making your own would save you nothing.
What you could not
- Databases with views, filters and links between them.
- It plugs into other products, Docker, nginx and Let's Encrypt among them.
What this rests on. CapRover’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
What is CapRover?
CapRover is a free, self-hosted platform for deploying and managing apps on a server you control. It builds on Docker, nginx, Let's Encrypt and Docker Swarm, and apps can be deployed from the dashboard, a command-line tool, a webhook or an existing Git workflow. There is no paid edition or hosted service described on its site; funding comes from community donations.
Worth knowing
- CapRover does not supply servers; you rent and maintain your own, and the docs target a fresh Ubuntu 24.04 install.
- Setup needs a domain with wildcard DNS access and public inbound ports 80, 443 and 3000.
- Support comes from documentation and a community Slack group; no paid support is listed.
- The site lists no hosted version, so updates, backups and security fall to you.
Key features
- Apps in any language
- Node.js, Python, PHP, Java, Ruby, .NET or anything that runs in a container can be deployed.
- One-click apps
- Databases, WordPress, monitoring tools and other popular services can be launched from a catalog.
- Automatic HTTPS
- Let's Encrypt certificates are issued and renewed, with a one-click redirect from HTTP to HTTPS.
- Several ways to deploy
- Deploy from the dashboard, the command-line tool, a webhook, or an existing Git workflow.
- App settings in one place
- Ports, persistent directories, environment variables and instance counts are managed from the dashboard.
- Docker Swarm clusters
- Additional nodes can be added to a Docker Swarm cluster, with load balancing handled by CapRover.
CapRover pricing
As of Nov 13, 2026, CapRover is free to use.
- Starts at
- Free
- Free plan
- The whole platform is free to install on your own server; the site's headline says "free forever".
- Free trial
- None listed
| Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Self-hosted | $0 | Install it yourself on Ubuntu 24.04 with at least 1 GiB of RAM and 5 GiB of free disk. Server costs are yours; the project asks for donations via OpenCollective. |
Read from caprover.com on Nov 13, 2026. Prices change, so confirm with CapRover before you buy.
Works with
CapRover alternatives
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- CapRover vs Dokku
Free plan · from $849 one-time
- CapRover vs Render
Free plan · from $25/mo
- CapRover vs Railway
Free trial · from $5/mo
Common questions
Does CapRover have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 13, 2026. CapRover is listed for Web.
Does CapRover have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 13, 2026. CapRover is listed for Web.
Is CapRover open source?
CapRover is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Nov 13, 2026.
Can CapRover be self-hosted?
Yes. CapRover's own site says it can be run on a server of your own.
Sources for this page
The prices, plans, platforms and features above were read from these pages on Nov 13, 2026.