Dokku
The original tiny Heroku-on-one-box; excellent once you are comfortable treating a server like a pet.
Technical Profile & Specs
verified 2026-08-10
- Cost
- $0 / forever (Open Source)
- License
- MIT
- Hosting Model
- Self-host (your server)
- Platforms
- desktopself-hostedcliself-host, real ops
- Installation
- Bootstrap script on a fresh supported Ubuntu or Debian VM, then add an SSH key and domain
- Operational Setup
- A fresh Linux VM, sudo/SSH competence, DNS, and command-line-only administration
- Where Your Data Lives
- Application images, configuration, logs, and persistent Docker volumes live on the user's server; service data lives in installed database-plugin volumes
- The Catch / Trade-off
- Dokku is excellent on one box, but its CLI-first, single-host model lacks Fly.io's global regions, edge networking, and managed operational surface.
Replaces 4 paid apps
up to $14/mo ($168/yr) in subscriptions
Dokku FAQ
Common questions
Is Dokku free and open source?+
Dokku is an open-source tool licensed under MIT that runs on self-host. The original tiny Heroku-on-one-box; excellent once you are comfortable treating a server like a pet.
What paid software does Dokku replace?+
Dokku serves as a free replacement for 4 paid SaaS applications: Fly.io, Heroku, Railway, Render, saving up to $14/month ($168/year) in subscription bills.
How do you install and set up Dokku?+
Installation: Bootstrap script on a fresh supported Ubuntu or Debian VM, then add an SSH key and domain. Setup notes: A fresh Linux VM, sudo/SSH competence, DNS, and command-line-only administration
What is the catch or trade-off with Dokku?+
Dokku is excellent on one box, but its CLI-first, single-host model lacks Fly.io's global regions, edge networking, and managed operational surface.