Dokku vs Kubero
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted self-hosting platforms (paas) options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Dokku
Smallest open-source PaaS implementation you can run
VS
Kubero
Self-service developer platform for Kubernetes
| Feature | Dokku | Kubero |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Read-the-docs project |
| Health score | 98 · Excellent | 81 · Excellent |
| Category | Self-Hosting Platforms (PaaS) | Self-Hosting Platforms (PaaS) |
| License | MIT | GPL-3.0 |
| Language | Go | TypeScript |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 1,024 MB | 1,024 MB |
| Deployment | bare-metal, docker | kubernetes, helm |
| GitHub stars | ★ 32,154 | ★ 4,425 |
| First released | 2013 | 2022 |
| Replaces | Heroku | Heroku |
What are Dokku and Kubero?
Dokku
Dokku is a lightweight platform-as-a-service that turns a single server into a Heroku-style deployment target using Git push and Docker. It supports buildpacks and a rich plugin ecosystem.
- Git push deployments
- Buildpack and Dockerfile support
- Plugin ecosystem
- Minimal resource footprint
Kubero
Kubero is a self-hosted PaaS that brings a Heroku-like developer experience to Kubernetes clusters. It deploys apps from Git, manages add-ons, and exposes pipelines without requiring deep Kubernetes knowledge.
- Git-based pipelines
- Add-on catalog
- Multi-cluster support
- Simple developer UI
Dokku vs Kubero: key differences
Dokku is written in Go, while Kubero is built with TypeScript. Licensing differs — MIT for Dokku versus GPL-3.0 for Kubero. Dokku is the more established project (first released 2013), while Kubero arrived in 2022. Dokku has the considerably larger community, at 32,154 GitHub stars versus 4,425. Dokku lists first-class Docker deployment; Kubero does not.
Why pick each one
Choose Dokku if…
- Heroku-style Git deploys
- Minimal resource footprint
- Rich plugin ecosystem
Watch out for
- Single-server by design
- CLI only, no dashboard
Choose Kubero if…
- Released under the GPL-3.0 license
- Kubernetes-ready with Helm charts available
- Active community (4.4k GitHub stars)
- Written in TypeScript
Frequently asked questions
Is Dokku or Kubero better?
Neither is universally better. Dokku has the larger community; both share a medium setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are Dokku and Kubero free and open-source?
Yes. Dokku is licensed under MIT and Kubero under GPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Dokku and Kubero with Docker?
Dokku: yes. Kubero: check the project docs for container support.