CapRover vs Coolify
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted self-hosting platforms (paas) options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Not the right match-up?
CapRover
Scalable PaaS built on Docker Swarm and Nginx
VS
Coolify
Self-hosted platform-as-a-service alternative to Heroku
| Feature | CapRover | Coolify |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Self-Hosting Platforms (PaaS) | Self-Hosting Platforms (PaaS) |
| License | Apache-2.0 | Apache-2.0 |
| Language | TypeScript | PHP |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 1,024 MB | 2,048 MB |
| Deployment | docker, one-click | docker, one-click |
| GitHub stars | ★ 15,123 | ★ 60,232 |
| First released | 2017 | 2021 |
| Replaces | Heroku | Heroku, Netlify, Vercel |
Why pick each one
Choose CapRover if…
- Released under the Apache-2.0 license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- One-click install on common self-host platforms
Choose Coolify if…
- Released under the Apache-2.0 license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- One-click install on common self-host platforms
Frequently asked questions
Is CapRover or Coolify better?
Neither is universally better. Coolify has the larger community; both share a easy setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are CapRover and Coolify free and open-source?
Yes. CapRover is licensed under Apache-2.0 and Coolify under Apache-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run CapRover and Coolify with Docker?
CapRover: yes. Coolify: yes.