Coolify vs Dokploy: Complete Comparison Guide 2026

When you choose between Coolify vs Dokploy, you have to decide how much more important control and efficiency are than simplicity to you. Both are open-source, self-hosted SaaS platforms that let you turn a basic VPS into your own application hosting layer. There are no big bills, no vendor lock-in, and no surprises. But they solve the same problem in different ways, and that difference gets bigger when you start using production apps.

This guide shows you what each platform can do, how they are different, and which one works best for your actual workflow.

Coolify is an open-source PaaS that you can run on your own server. You install it on a VPS, link your Git repositories, and start pushing code. Coolify takes care of the environment management, SSL, containerization, and database provisioning.

The main promise is simple: take infrastructure friction off your plate so you focus on shipping features. It uses Docker, Traefik (a reverse proxy), and nixpacks, which automatically finds out what your app needs to be built.

Coolify works with a number of Git providers, including GitHub, GitLab, Bitbucket, and Gitea – but GitHub has the best full integration experience. You can deploy apps that are written in Node.js, Python, PHP, Ruby, Go, Rust, or a compiled language. If nixpacks detection isn’t enough, you can also run pre-built services or custom Dockerfiles with Docker Compose support.

Coolify has one-click services for PostgreSQL, MySQL, MongoDB, Redis, and MariaDB on the database side. If you need them, it also has less common options like ClickHouse, DragonFly, and KeyDB. Automated backups can go straight to S3, which frees up a lot of time for other tasks.

You also get Coolify features for working together, like teams, permission roles, environment variables for each environment (prod/staging/preview), and a terminal in the browser that shows you what’s going on in real time so you can debug deployments. You can automate deployments outside of the web UI using an API and a command line interface (CLI).

Under the Apache 2.0 license, Coolify is completely open source. The self-hosted version is forever. If you don’t want to run the Coolify control panel yourself, you can also choose a managed cloud option that starts at $5 a month.

Dokploy has the same goal as Coolify, but it focuses more on efficiency and giving Git providers more options. It runs on Docker with Traefik for routing and SSL, and it is meant to stay small on single servers where CPU and memory are very important.

It works with GitHub, GitLab, Bitbucket, and Gitea using built-in integrations instead of deploy-key workarounds. This is helpful if you move between platforms. It works with Heroku Buildpacks, Nixpacks, and Paketo Buildpacks for builds, and you can always use custom Dockerfiles or Docker Compose if you need to.

It supports MySQL, PostgreSQL, MongoDB, Redis, and MariaDB on the data side, as well as volume backups that let you protect any persistent storage, not just databases. Built-in CPU, memory, disk, and network metrics, optional Gotify alerts, Organizations for multi-tenant setups, and AI-powered Docker Compose templates are some of its best features.

You can see what will happen when you deploy a pull request, and you can also set up scheduled tasks at the app and machine level if you need cron-like behavior. Dokploy features include built-in support for Docker Swarm and a custom build server, so you can separate build workloads from your main deployment nodes. Its self-hosted version is free under a source-available license, and you can pay $4.50 per server for a managed cloud version.

Both Coolify and Dokploy address the same core problem: they act as a VPS control panel for deploying and operating applications on your own infrastructure. In this control panel comparison, the important differences are less about “can it deploy?” and more about how each platform handles workflows, multi-server growth, and day-2 operations.

As a VPS control panel, Coolify organizes resources into a structured UI where you manage applications, databases/services, domains, and backups through distinct sections. This feels consistent and predictable once you learn where things live – good if you prefer clear separation of concerns.

Dokploy’s Docker GUI is designed to feel more “platform-like”, with a modern single-page UI style and quick access to common actions. For many teams, that can make it an easy deployment platform, especially early on, because you spend less time navigating and more time deploying.

When troubleshooting, both provide the essentials: log viewing and in-dashboard container access for inspection and debugging. The day-to-day experience depends more on personal preference than a hard capability gap.

For application deployment, both platforms support common workflows:

• Nixpacks: both support nixpacks-style auto-detection builds when you want “push code, it builds and runs.”
• Docker deployment: both support Docker deployment via Dockerfile, and both support Compose-based workflows for multi-container apps.

Dokploy offers multiple build approaches, including buildpacks alongside nixpacks and Dockerfile builds, which can be useful when a project doesn’t fit cleanly into a single build strategy.

Regarding databases, Coolify offers more compatibilities with database management systems and database support than Dokploy, which focuses on the most widely used databases most teams deploy day-to-day. If you know you need a more niche database template out of the box, Coolify is more likely to have it ready.

Both platforms commonly run behind a traefik proxy setup that enables automatic HTTPS and routing, and both are built to support typical production needs like custom domains and TLS.

On automation, both provide an API surface and tooling that can be used as a webhook API-style trigger (for example, to initiate deployments from outside systems) and to integrate with external pipelines.

For Git integration, both can deploy from Git providers, but the setup experience varies by provider and method. In practice, teams that already do CI CD deployment (GitHub Actions/GitLab CI/etc.) can use either platform effectively by triggering deployments from the pipeline rather than relying entirely on built-in Git workflows.

As open source PaaS, both platforms give you an “escape hatch” when you outgrow one-click templates:

• Docker Compose deploy: you can deploy full stacks (app + worker + queue + database + cache) using Compose.
• Container management: you still keep the underlying Docker model, which makes it easier to reason about what’s running and how to migrate.

In general, Coolify tends to emphasize flexible “choose your deployment method” workflows (auto-build vs Dockerfile vs Compose), while Dokploy tends to encourage choosing a deployment type intentionally from the start (which can be a good thing for repeatability). Either way, Compose remains the practical tool for real-world stacks.

Platform overhead depends heavily on your VPS size, enabled features (monitoring/logging), and how many services you run. Both are built on Docker-era primitives, so performance bottlenecks are usually about configuration and workload, not the UI.

For server scalability, both can be used beyond a single machine, and both can participate in Docker Swarm management workflows. In multi-server setups, you’ll also need to think about your load balancer approach and how traffic is routed across nodes.

In practice, if you’re planning a move from one server to a small cluster, prioritize the platform whose multi-server workflow and documentation matches your operational comfort level because the biggest risk is misconfiguration, not raw throughput.

Both platforms commonly support Lets Encrypt SSL workflows and Auto SSL behavior when a domain is properly configured and reachable. They also support custom certificates. Whether you consider the built-in issuance a “free SSL certificate” depends on your DNS and validation setup, but the goal is the same: HTTPS without manual renewal work.

On vendor lock-in, both reduce it compared to hosted PaaS: your apps run as Docker containers on your infrastructure. That makes it easier to migrate because you’re not locked into proprietary runtimes, your deployment artifacts are standard Docker/Compose concepts.

For secrets and environment variables, treat both like any self-hosted platform: verify how your installed version stores sensitive values, restrict access, and assume you are responsible for hardening.

As open source control panels, both are free to self-host.

Coolify pricing: Coolify’s managed cloud offering is priced per server tier with a base plan covering 2 servers for $5/month and an additional per-server cost of $3/month beyond that.

Dokploy pricing: Dokploy also offers a managed cloud plan priced per server. Their $4.50/month base only includes one server, and each additional server costs $3.50/month on top.

If cost is your main driver, self-hosting is the straightforward win no matter the panel: your recurring cost is the VPS bill, plus the operational cost of maintaining your own open source control panel.

Choose Coolify if:

• You want a self-hosted Heroku alternative with a wide range of built-in app and database templates.
• You prefer a structured, guided UI in your server panel rather than a very minimal interface.
• You plan to run a mix of applications and services and want flexibility out of the box.
• You value a more mature ecosystem with more tutorials, examples, and community discussions.
• You’ve tried a Coolify alternative and found it less forgiving when deploying more complex or unusual apps.

Best for: solo developers and small teams who want convenience, flexibility, and a familiar Heroku-style experience on their own infrastructure.

Choose Dokploy if:

• You want a clean, modern Docker control panel with a flat UI and low learning curve.
• Fast onboarding and quick deployments matter more than having lots of built-in templates.
• You like having multiple build options (for example, buildpacks alongside Docker-based workflows).
• You expect multi-server or cluster setups to be part of your future and want those concepts to be visible early.
• You’re comparing platforms and want a lighter, more deployment-focused Dokploy alternative to larger all-in-one panels.

Best for: developers and teams who want a straightforward docker control panel optimized for speed, clarity, and scaling workflows.

In the Coolify vs Dokploy comparison, both platforms clearly deliver on the promise of a modern self-hosted PaaS. They remove much of the operational overhead of deployments while keeping full control of your infrastructure, making each a solid alternative to hosted platforms.

The real difference lies in approach. Coolify feels closer to a full PaaS platform, with more built-in features, templates, and guidance for running diverse workloads. Dokploy focuses on simplicity and speed, offering a cleaner interface and a deployment-first experience that works especially well for Docker-centric teams.

If you want flexibility and a feature-rich self-hosted platform, Coolify is the safer choice. If you value fast onboarding and a lightweight, modern PaaS platform focused on deployment and scaling, Dokploy is the better fit.

What is Coolify?

Coolify is an open-source self-hosted PaaS that lets you deploy and manage applications on your own servers with a Heroku-like experience. It handles builds, deployments, databases, and HTTPS through a web interface. It’s commonly used as a self-hosted alternative to managed PaaS platforms.

What is the difference between Coolify and Dokploy?

In the Coolify vs Dokploy comparison, Coolify focuses on flexibility and a feature-rich PaaS platform, while Dokploy emphasizes simplicity and fast, Docker-first deployments. Coolify offers more built-in services and guidance, whereas Dokploy prioritizes a cleaner UI and deployment speed. Both are self-hosted and rely on standard Docker workflows.