Heroku-like PaaS for self-hosted deployments
Visit WebsiteThe Bottom Line
Entry price
Free plan available, paid tiers above
Biggest pro
Free Heroku alternative
Biggest con
Single server only
TL;DR - Dokku
- Dokku is a lightweight PaaS that lets you deploy apps with git push on your own servers
- It provides Heroku-like deployments using Docker containers on any Linux server
- Completely free and open-source
What is Dokku?
Available on: Linux
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Free Heroku alternative
- Simple deployment
- Git push deploy
- Docker based
- Active community
Cons
- Single server only
- No HA built-in
- Learning curve
- Limited GUI
- Self-managed
Ratings Across the Web
Dokku holds an aggregate rating of 4.2 out of 5 from 55 reviews across G2, last checked March 18, 2026.
Ratings aggregated from independent review platforms. Learn more
Key Features
Pricing Plans
Pricing checked Aug 19, 2026
Free
Open source
- Self-hosted PaaS
- Docker-based
- Heroku buildpacks
- Git push deploy
Is Dokku worth the price?
Dokku offers an incredibly generous pricing model, being entirely free and open-source.
This makes it an exceptionally fair and cost-effective solution compared to commercial PaaS offerings. It's best for developers and small teams seeking a self-hosted, Heroku-like experience without recurring costs.
Hidden Costs & Gotchas
Infrastructure costs (VPS, cloud)
Time for setup and maintenance
No official support channels
Learning curve for new users
How Dokku Compares to Competitors
Dokku stands out significantly against commercial PaaS providers like Heroku, which can quickly accrue costs (e.g., Heroku's Eco dynos start at $5/month per app). While Dokku is free, it requires users to manage their own server infrastructure, unlike fully managed services such as Render or Vercel which offer free tiers but scale up in price for more resources or features.
Reviews
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Dokku FAQ
How does Dokku facilitate application deployment?
Which teams would benefit most from using Dokku?
How is Dokku priced?
What kind of limitations should users be aware of when choosing Dokku?
Can Dokku be extended with additional functionality?
How does Dokku compare to Caprover for self-hosted deployments?
Source: dokku.com