Coolify
Open-source Heroku/Netlify you host
CapRover
An open-source, self-hostable PaaS with a web UI and one-click app templates on top of Docker Swarm; good for hosting many small apps on your own hardware.
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CapRover is a free, open-source self-hosted PaaS that wraps Docker Swarm, Nginx, and Let's Encrypt into a single web dashboard and CLI for deploying apps and databases on your own servers. It targets a Heroku-style push-to-deploy workflow while keeping your infrastructure and data on hardware you control. One of the older and more mature projects in the self-hosted PaaS space, it runs on a single node or scales across a Docker Swarm cluster.
Key features
- Web dashboard and CLI (caprover deploy) for deploying apps and databases
- One-click app templates for databases, WordPress, and other common self-hosted tools
- Automatic Let's Encrypt SSL with HTTP-to-HTTPS redirection and certificate auto-renewal
- Multiple deploy methods: CLI tarball upload, Git push with webhooks, and Dockerfile/captain-definition
- Docker Swarm clustering with automatic Nginx load balancing across nodes
- Persistent volumes, custom domains, and a fully customizable Nginx template
- Optional built-in server resource monitoring via NetData
Specs
| Category | Self-hosted PaaS |
|---|---|
| Pricing model | free-open-source |
| Free tier | Yes |
| Managed database | Yes |
| Regions | self-hosted |
| Self-hostable | Yes |
| Docker-native | Yes |
| Git deploy | Yes |
| Open source | Yes |
Last reviewed 2026-07-16 โ see our methodology. Specs, pricing and free tiers change often, so confirm current details on the provider before deciding.
Pros & cons
Our editorial assessment โ not vendor-stated facts.
Pros
- Fully free and open source, with no paid tier or usage caps
- Mature and stable, one of the longest-running and most established projects in this category
- Low operating cost since you only pay for your own server
- No lock-in: apps keep running as plain Docker containers even if you remove CapRover
Cons
- Dashboard UI is functional but dated compared to newer alternatives like Coolify or Dokploy
- Ships updates less frequently than fast-moving newer competitors like Coolify or Dokploy (check its GitHub release history for current cadence)
- Built around its own captain-definition format and a one-service-per-app model; multi-container Docker Compose stacks aren't natively deployable (only partial Compose parsing behind one-click templates)
- Limited database administration tooling and app-level observability; you self-manage OS updates, backups, and security
Pricing
Fully free and open source, with no paid tier and no hosted or commercial version. Your only costs are the servers and infrastructure you run it on.
Who should use CapRover?
Developers and small teams comfortable managing their own Linux server who want a low-cost, self-hosted Heroku-style workflow for deploying containerized apps and databases, and who value stability and no lock-in over a modern UI or the newest features.
Frequently asked questions
- Does CapRover have a free tier?
- Yes.
- How much does CapRover cost?
- Fully free and open source, with no paid tier and no hosted or commercial version. Your only costs are the servers and infrastructure you run it on.
- Who should use CapRover?
- Developers and small teams comfortable managing their own Linux server who want a low-cost, self-hosted Heroku-style workflow for deploying containerized apps and databases, and who value stability and no lock-in over a modern UI or the newest features.
CapRover alternatives
Dokploy
Self-hosted deploy platform
Dokku
The smallest PaaS you can build
Heroku
The original git-push PaaS
~$25/mo
Render
Often called the closest Heroku replacement
~$7/mo
Cloudways
Managed cloud on DO/AWS/Vultr, no server ops
~$11/mo
See all CapRover alternatives โ
CapRover head-to-head
CapRover pricing โ ยท Free tier โ ยท Compare all โ ยท Estimate cost โ
Recommended VPS to run CapRover on
CapRover is free to self-host โ you just need a server. Solid, low-cost options:
- DigitalOcean โ โ Reliable droplets, predictable pricing, and a managed Postgres option if you want it.
- Hetzner โ โ The cheapest verified pricing here โ EU/US cloud VPS from a few dollars a month, strong price/performance.
- Contabo โ โ High RAM for the money, good for budget self-hosting (list pricing not independently re-verified).
Recommended-VPS links may be affiliate links โ see disclosure.