Portainer CE vs Smashing
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted dashboards & startpages options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Not the right match-up?
Portainer CE
Lightweight management UI for Docker and Kubernetes
VS
Smashing
Sinatra-based dashboard framework for custom widgets
| Feature | Portainer CE | Smashing |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Dashboards & Startpages | Dashboards & Startpages |
| License | Zlib | MIT |
| Language | TypeScript | JavaScript |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 256 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | docker, kubernetes, helm | docker, bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 38,184 | ★ 3,301 |
| First released | 2016 | 2016 |
| Replaces | Rancher, Docker Desktop | Geckoboard |
Why pick each one
Frequently asked questions
Is Portainer CE or Smashing better?
Portainer CE is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider Smashing if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are Portainer CE and Smashing free and open-source?
Yes. Portainer CE is licensed under Zlib and Smashing under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Portainer CE and Smashing with Docker?
Portainer CE: yes. Smashing: yes.