Coolify vs Dokploy (2026): Self-Hosted PaaS Cost, Footprint and Fit

Coolify is the better pick for most developers in 2026: it is free to self-host with every feature, its docs ask for a smaller server (10 GB of disk against Dokploy's 30 GB), and its managed cloud costs $5 a month for 2 servers plus $3 per extra server, cheaper than Dokploy's from the third server on. Dokploy is the better pick if you want Docker Swarm clustering built in, or one server on its $4.50 Hobby plan. Prices were read on both vendors' pricing pages on 19 October 2026.

Both tools do the same job: they turn a Linux box into a Heroku-style platform where a git push builds a container, puts it behind a proxy with TLS and keeps databases and backups in one dashboard. Both are open source. The real cost of either is the server underneath; the license is free, and the managed cloud only replaces the dashboard host.

Toolradar data: Dokploy's entry paid plan ranks #3 of 36 for price among the CI/CD tools on Toolradar with a verified entry price, where the median is $20 a month, as of October 2026. Coolify is listed as an alternative to 6 tools on Toolradar and Dokploy to 7, so builders shopping for one usually see the other. Toolradar's Coolify vs Dokploy page holds both tool records.

Coolify vs Dokploy at a glance

All cloud prices are on monthly billing. Both vendors offer a 20% discount on yearly billing but print the monthly figure on their pricing pages, so this page compares monthly prices only.

What the managed cloud costs by server count

Self-hosting either tool costs nothing beyond the server. The managed clouds charge for running the control panel on the vendor's infrastructure while your apps stay on servers you rent. Here is the monthly control-panel fee by number of connected servers, before the servers themselves:

Coolify's figures are its base fee for 2 servers plus its fee for each additional server. Dokploy's are Hobby for one server, then Startup's $15 for up to 3 servers plus the Hobby per-server fee for each additional server. Dokploy is $0.50 cheaper at one server; from three servers on, Coolify costs roughly half to two thirds of Dokploy's bill.

Dokploy's Startup fee buys things Coolify's base fee does not separate out: unlimited users, 3 organizations, unlimited backups and scheduled jobs, basic roles and email and chat support. Coolify Cloud includes unlimited team members and connected servers but bills each additional team as its own subscription, with community and limited email support. A solo developer should compare the server column; a small agency should compare what each extra seat or team costs.

Round 1: self-hosted cost. Tie, with Coolify ahead on footprint

Both are free to self-host. Coolify says its self-hosted edition has full access to every feature with no limitations, and Dokploy calls itself free and open-source software. The difference is the box you need. Coolify's docs ask for 2 CPU cores, 2 GB of RAM and 10 GB of free disk, and say it can run on 1 core and 512 MB of RAM, though they do not recommend it. Dokploy's docs ask for at least 2 GB of RAM and 30 GB of disk, to absorb Docker build usage.

On a small VPS the disk requirement is the one that bites. Our best cheap VPS ranking and the Hetzner review cover servers that meet either spec, and DigitalOcean vs Hetzner prices the two hosts most self-hosters start with.

Round 2: managed cloud. Coolify wins past one server

At one server Dokploy Hobby is the cheapest managed option on this page, but it also caps you at 1 user, 1 organization, 2 environments and one backup per database. Coolify's base fee already connects 2 servers with unlimited deployments per server, and each extra server costs less than Dokploy's. For a side project on one box, Dokploy Hobby; for anything with staging plus production on separate servers, Coolify Cloud.

Round 3: teams and access control. Dokploy wins

Dokploy's plan table spells out access control: Hobby has one user, Startup has unlimited users with Admin and Developer roles and 2FA, and Enterprise adds fine-grained RBAC, SSO and SAML, SCIM provisioning and audit logs. Coolify lists unlimited team members on both editions, and its pricing page does not tier access control the same way. A team that needs SSO with a vendor contract behind it has a documented path on Dokploy Enterprise.

Round 4: scaling out. Dokploy for clusters, Coolify for many single servers

Dokploy's feature table lists multi-server support, Docker Swarm clusters and separate build servers, so one app can span several nodes. Coolify connects unlimited servers on both editions, with unlimited deployments per server, which suits teams that place each app on its own machine. If you already think in Swarm services, Dokploy's model fits; if you think in one app per box, Coolify's does.

Round 5: support and updates. Depends on what you pay

Self-hosted users of both get community support, through Discord for Dokploy and community channels for Coolify. On the clouds, Coolify adds limited email support, free email alerts and managed updates of the Coolify instance, which it calls founder-tested. Dokploy Startup adds email and chat support, and Enterprise adds priority support with an MSA and SLA. Dokploy offers a 7-day free trial of its cloud with no card required.

Who should pick which

Pick Coolify if you want the smallest self-hosted footprint, the cheapest managed control panel for two or more servers, or a deployment target for a Next.js app; our guide to deploying Next.js without Vercel uses Coolify on a single server, and cheaper Vercel alternatives prices the same setup against managed hosts.

Pick Dokploy if you want Docker Swarm clusters and build servers, unlimited users with roles on a small team plan, or an enterprise path with SSO, SCIM and audit logs. Hobby is the cheapest way to run one server with a managed dashboard.

Pick neither if you do not want to patch servers or own your backups. Our Heroku alternatives ranking and Railway vs Render cover managed platforms that bill for the server too, and how to migrate from Heroku prices a self-hosted move against them. The wider field of self-hosting tools is ranked in best self-hosting tools.

Devshot is the daily brief on tools and changes developers act on. Join at devshot.co.

Strengths and weaknesses

Coolify strengths: every feature free when self-hosted; the lowest documented minimum disk; a cloud base fee that covers 2 servers; the lower extra-server fee; unlimited team members.

Coolify weaknesses: each additional team on Cloud is a separate subscription; cloud support is community plus limited email; the pricing page does not list SSO or audit logs.

Dokploy strengths: the cheapest single-server managed option; Docker Swarm clusters and build servers in its feature table; unlimited users with roles on Startup; SSO, SCIM and audit logs on Enterprise; a 7-day cloud trial with no card.

Dokploy weaknesses: Hobby stops at one user and one backup per database; each server past three costs more than on Coolify Cloud; the docs ask for 30 GB of disk.

How we checked

Coolify prices come from Coolify's pricing page and its hardware requirements from the Coolify installation docs. Dokploy prices and plan contents come from Dokploy's pricing page, and its requirements from the Dokploy installation docs. All were read on 19 October 2026.

The server-count table adds each vendor's per-server fee to its base price on monthly billing; it excludes the servers themselves. Devshot did not install either tool for this page. Both pricing pages change, so re-read them before you commit.

Cite this: Devshot, "Coolify vs Dokploy (2026): Self-Hosted PaaS Cost, Footprint and Fit", November 2026.

FAQ

Is Coolify or Dokploy better in 2026?

For most developers Coolify, because self-hosting is free with every feature, its documented minimum disk is 10 GB against Dokploy's 30 GB, and Coolify Cloud's base fee already covers 2 servers. Dokploy is better for Docker Swarm clusters and for teams that need roles, SSO or audit logs. Prices were read on 19 October 2026.

Is Dokploy free?

Yes, when you self-host it: Dokploy is open source and free to install on your own server. Its managed cloud starts at $4.50 a month on Hobby for one server, and Startup costs from $15 a month for up to 3 servers with unlimited users.

How much does Coolify Cloud cost?

Coolify Cloud costs $5 a month as a base price that connects 2 servers, plus $3 a month for each additional server, on monthly billing. Yearly billing saves 20%. The servers your apps run on are a separate bill from your cloud provider.

What server do I need for Coolify or Dokploy?

Coolify's docs ask for 2 CPU cores, 2 GB of RAM and 10 GB of free disk. Dokploy's docs ask for at least 2 GB of RAM and 30 GB of disk, and need ports 80, 443 and 3000 free before installation.

Which is cheaper for 5 servers?

Coolify Cloud, at $14 a month for 5 servers against $24 a month on Dokploy Startup, on monthly billing. Dokploy Startup's base covers 3 servers to Coolify's 2, but its higher base price and higher fee for each server past the base leave it $10 a month behind.

Can I move from Coolify to Dokploy later?

Both run your apps as Docker containers on servers you control, so the app code and images move with you. Neither vendor's pricing page or install docs describe an import from the other, so plan the move service by service, copy environment variables by hand and test database restores before you switch DNS.

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