The Cloudron Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Cloudron in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.
Cloudron
The Insider’s Guide
Self-hosted platform for installing and updating apps on your server
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among web hosts, read from Cloudron’s own pages.
Made by Cloudron UG (haftungsbeschränkt) · checked Nov 13, 2026 · toolgpa.com
Contents
- 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
- 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
- 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
- 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
- 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
- 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
- 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
ToolGPA put this guide together from Cloudron’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Cloudron’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Nov 13, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
2.0
GPA, above 49 of the 122 other web hosts we grade
Cloudron is software you install on your own Ubuntu server to run web apps from the Cloudron App Store. It handles app installs and updates, user management with single sign-on, per-app backups, a firewall and a built-in mail server. The company says it has no access to your server.
To get you started, here are 9 things to know about Cloudron, taken from its own pages and our grades.
The free plan stops at two apps, and everything about the setup, from the server to the domain, is yours to provide.
- 1
Best for running a few self-hosted apps on one Ubuntu server
Cloudron installs apps from its App Store onto your own Ubuntu server and handles updates, backups, single sign-on and mail.
- 2
Paid plans start at about $16.76 a month
As its pricing page puts it: €15 per month, billed yearly (€30 billed monthly), excluding VAT.
- 3
There is a free plan
Two apps.
- 4
It runs on Web
Web.
- 5
App Store installs
Apps are installed from the Cloudron App Store without writing Dockerfiles or provisioning databases by hand.
- 6
Timely updates
The company says it publishes new app releases within days and security fixes within 24 hours, pulled by your server rather than pushed.
- 7
User management
Users can be invited and given access to chosen apps, with a dashboard that lists the apps they can open.
- 8
A 2.0 GPA, above 49 of 122
That is against the other web hosts we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 9
Your call
Cloudron sits between: not beyond making, and not a weekend's work either.
Cloudron at a glance
- Pricing
- Free plan, from €15 per month, billed yearly (€30 billed monthly), excluding VAT
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- None stated
- Runs on
- Web
- Made by
- Cloudron UG (haftungsbeschränkt)
- Category
- Web Hosting
- Our grade
- 2.0 GPA, fair
The report card
Best for running a few self-hosted apps on one Ubuntu server
Cloudron installs apps from its App Store onto your own Ubuntu server and handles updates, backups, single sign-on and mail. The free plan stops at two apps, and everything about the setup, from the server to the domain, is yours to provide.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | C | Pro is 15 euros a month billed yearly, in the middle of web hosting at $10.99 to $20.83. The server is paid for separately, and the free plan is only free if you host it yourself. |
| Free plan and trial | C | A free plan for two apps, which is a cap you will hit quickly. There is no trial, and you still pay for a server. |
| Features | C | App installs, updates, backups, a firewall, mail and single sign-on. Groups and roles, a directory server and multiple backup sites need Max, and the free plan has no more than two apps. |
| Ease of use | D | No store rating on record. You install it on a fresh Ubuntu server with at least 2 GB RAM and a domain, so it means self-hosting. |
| Platforms and integrations | B | Web only, but backups can go to Amazon S3, Google Cloud Storage or DigitalOcean Spaces, and the App Store carries apps such as Immich and Vaultwarden. |
An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.
Who Cloudron is for
- Fits if you want to run a few open-source apps on your own server with updates handled
- Makes sense if you are comfortable renting and securing a server but don't want to hand-configure each app
Who it is not for
- Skip it if you don't want to run a server, because Cloudron is software you install and maintain
- Tight if you need more than 2 apps, as the free plan stops there
- Pricey if you want groups, roles or a directory server, which need Max at 25 euros a month
- Watch out: prices are in euros, exclude VAT, and the install page asks for Ubuntu 26.04 with 2 GB RAM and 20 GB disk
Good to know
Good for
- Individuals and small organizations self-hosting several open-source apps
- Teams that want single sign-on across self-hosted apps
- People who want a private server without managing each app's updates
Worth knowing
- Cloudron is installed on your own server, so the hosting bill is separate; the install page asks for a fresh Ubuntu 26.04 server with at least 2GB RAM and 20GB disk, plus a domain.
- The Free plan stops at two apps.
- User groups and roles, a directory server and multiple backup sites need the Max plan.
- Prices exclude VAT where applicable and are shown in euros.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
~$16.76
A month to start. There is a free plan too
Cloudron has a free plan. Paid plans start at €15 per month, billed yearly (€30 billed monthly), excluding VAT.
The server is paid for separately, and the free plan is only free if you host it yourself.
Free
€0
Run up to two apps on your own server.
Pro
€15
per month, billed yearly (€30 billed monthly)
Unlimited apps with app updates, per-app backups, firewall, email solution and single sign-on. Excludes VAT where applicable.
Max
€25
per month, billed yearly (€50 billed monthly)
Everything in Pro plus user groups and roles, a directory server, multiple backup sites and VPN-only app access.
The free plan
Two apps.
Read from cloudron.io on Nov 13, 2026.
Ways to pay less
Annual discount
Yearly billing halves the monthly price
Pro is €15 a month billed yearly against €30 billed monthly, and Max is €25 against €50.
Stated on cloudron.io
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
1
Place it runs: Web
Self-hosted platform for installing and updating apps on your server. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: self-hostable, dMARC.
App installs, updates, backups, a firewall, mail and single sign-on.
- App Store installs
- Apps are installed from the Cloudron App Store without writing Dockerfiles or provisioning databases by hand.
- Timely updates
- The company says it publishes new app releases within days and security fixes within 24 hours, pulled by your server rather than pushed.
- User management
- Users can be invited and given access to chosen apps, with a dashboard that lists the apps they can open.
- Built-in mail server
- Includes catch-all addresses, aliases, per-domain relays, delivery logs and spam filtering rules, with DKIM, SPF and DMARC set up automatically.
- Backups and portability
- Encrypted backups can go to external storage such as Amazon S3, Google Cloud Storage or DigitalOcean Spaces, and a whole server can be moved to another provider.
- Firewall and audit
- A built-in firewall and an audit log of events are included on every plan.
Where it runs
- Web
What it works with
- Amazon S3
- Google Cloud Storage
- DigitalOcean Spaces
- Immich
- Vaultwarden
Cloudron is made by Cloudron UG (haftungsbeschränkt).
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
49/122
Other web hosts it is graded above
Cloudron'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 platforms and integrations (B, above 57 of 122) and worst on ease of use (D, above 0).
Its paid plans start at about $16.76 a month, against a middle price of $9.69 for the category: 77 of the 107 others that charge start lower.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.0 out of 4. 42 tools score higher and cost less.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 123 web hosts we grade, cut by the letter each got. Cloudron’s own letter is outlined.
- CValue for moneyAbove 13 of 122
- CFree plan and trialAbove 74 of 122
- CFeaturesAbove 0 of 122
- DEase of useAbove 0 of 122
- BPlatforms and integrationsAbove 57 of 122
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 111 web hosts. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Cloudron is the marked dot.
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
Keep it, or make your own?
Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.
Your call
Cloudron sits between: not beyond making, and not a weekend's work either.
What you would give up is listed below. Whether that is worth the price is your call. It costs $201.10 a year.
What you could make
- It runs in a browser, which is where something home-made would run too.
What you could not
- Reading the reports inbox providers send about your domain.
- It plugs into other products, Amazon S3, Google Cloud Storage and DigitalOcean Spaces among them.
- What a company asks for before it lets staff use something: single sign-on and audit logs.
What this rests on. Cloudron’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.
Part 05 · Alternatives
The alternatives
The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
Coolify, Dokploy, CapRover, Dokku and CloudPanel
The 5 tools Cloudron is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 2.4GPA
Coolify
Free plan · from $5/mo
Open-source platform to deploy apps and databases to your own servers.
- Coolify is open source, according to its own site.
- Cloudron also covers dMARC.
- Coolify also covers databases.
- 2.2GPA
Dokploy
Free trial · from $4.50/mo
Open-source platform to deploy apps and databases on your own servers.
- Cloudron has a free plan. Dokploy does not, though it has a free trial.
- Dokploy is open source, according to its own site.
- Cloudron also covers dMARC.
- 2.0GPA
CapRover
Free
Free, self-hosted platform for deploying apps with Docker.
- Cloudron also covers dMARC.
- CapRover also covers databases.
- 1.8GPA
Dokku
Free plan · from $849 one-time
Open-source, single-server platform as a service you run yourself.
- Only Cloudron lists a web app.
- Only Dokku lists a Linux app.
- Dokku is open source, according to its own site.
- 2.4GPA
CloudPanel
Free
Free server control panel for PHP, Node.js and Python sites.
- Cloudron also covers dMARC.
- CloudPanel also covers managed WordPress.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
14
Questions, each answered in a line or two
The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.
Is Cloudron free?
Cloudron has a free plan. Two apps.
How much does Cloudron cost?
Cloudron lists 3 plans. Free: €0.
What platforms does Cloudron work on?
Cloudron is available on Web.
Does Cloudron offer any discounts?
Cloudron publicly lists the following: Yearly billing halves the monthly price.
Does Cloudron have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 13, 2026. Cloudron is listed for Web.
Does Cloudron have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 13, 2026. Cloudron is listed for Web.
Is Cloudron open source?
Cloudron is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Nov 13, 2026.
Can Cloudron be self-hosted?
Yes. Cloudron's own site says it can be run on a server of your own.
What does Cloudron integrate with?
Cloudron's listing names Amazon S3, Google Cloud Storage, DigitalOcean Spaces, Immich and Vaultwarden.
Who makes Cloudron?
Cloudron is made by Cloudron UG (haftungsbeschränkt).
What are the alternatives to Cloudron?
The closest alternatives to Cloudron in our directory are Coolify, Dokploy, CapRover, Dokku and CloudPanel.
How does Cloudron compare with other web hosts?
Cloudron's GPA of 2.0 is higher than 49 of the 122 other web hosts we grade, and level with 24.
Is Cloudron good value for money?
ToolGPA grades Cloudron C for value for money. Its paid plans start at about $16.76 a month, against a middle price of $9.69 for the category: 77 of the 107 others that charge start lower.
Could I make my own version of Cloudron?
Cloudron sits between: not beyond making, and not a weekend's work either.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Cloudron’s own pages on Nov 13, 2026, and the grades were given on Nov 13, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Cloudron's own pages on 13 November 2026. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews.
Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by Cloudron UG (haftungsbeschränkt). Prices change, so check cloudron.io before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
7,721
Tools graded, in 95 categories
ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.
Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.
7,721
tools graded
95
categories
739
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- Cloudron, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/cloudron
- How grades are givenThe rules behind every letter and every GPAtoolgpa.com/grades
- Value chartsWhat each tool costs against what it scores, for every categorytoolgpa.com/charts
- CompareAny two tools side by side, plan by plantoolgpa.com/compare
- Price changesEvery price rise and cut on record, each with its sourcetoolgpa.com/price-changes
- Prices by countryWhat apps cost on the App Store in 12 countriestoolgpa.com/prices-by-country
- Pay lessEvery public discount: yearly billing, students, nonprofitstoolgpa.com/save
- Keep or makeWhich tools are worth paying for, and which you could build yourselftoolgpa.com/keep-or-make
Scan for the live page
Prices and grades as they are today
Quoting this guide?
Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:
ToolGPA, "Cloudron: The Insider's Guide", checked Nov 13, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/cloudron
Know someone choosing between web hosts?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/cloudron/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
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- Web Hosting Insider's GuideEvery one of the 123 web hosts we grade, compared
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- GitHub Pages Insider's GuideStatic site hosting built into GitHub repositories2.8 GPA
- Netlify Insider's GuideGit-based hosting for sites and web apps, priced by monthly credits2.8 GPA
Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.
Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what Cloudron’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Cloudron is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Cloudron UG (haftungsbeschränkt). Prices and plans change: check cloudron.io before you buy.