Coolify
Self-Hosting Platforms (PaaS)Self-hosted platform-as-a-service alternative to Heroku
Replaces Heroku, Netlify
Easiest Self-Hosting Platforms (PaaS) to self-host
4 self-hosting platforms (paas) apps that are easy to get running, ranked by verified deploy effort, project health, and popularity. 3 have a verified ≈5-minute Docker setup.
Dokploy
Self-Hosting Platforms (PaaS)Open-source deployment platform for apps and databases
Replaces Vercel, Heroku
CapRover
Self-Hosting Platforms (PaaS)Scalable PaaS built on Docker Swarm and Nginx
Replaces Heroku
PocketBase
Self-Hosting Platforms (PaaS)Open-source backend in a single file
Replaces Firebase
No apps match these filters.
The shortlist at a glance
| App | Deploy effort | Difficulty | Min. RAM | License | ★ Stars |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coolify | ≈5-minute setup | Easy | 2,048 MB | Apache-2.0 | 62,953 |
| Dokploy | ≈5-minute setup | Easy | 2,048 MB | Apache-2.0 | 37,780 |
| CapRover | ≈5-minute setup | Easy | 1,024 MB | Apache-2.0 | 15,184 |
| PocketBase | Under-an-hour setup | Easy | 64 MB | MIT | 61,400 |
Last reviewed Oct 11, 2026 · 698 words
Start with Coolify. It ranks first here, it is the most popular platform in the category at about 63,000 stars, and like Dokploy and CapRover it carries the directory's ≈5-minute badge because the install is a single script or container. The catch is the same for all three: a one-command PaaS assumes the whole machine is its own. Give it a fresh VPS or a spare box, not the server that already runs your homelab, and the easy part stays easy.
Three platforms and one backend
| App | Install takes over | Directory RAM estimate | Best first use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coolify | Docker, a proxy on ports 80 and 443, UI on port 8000 | 2,048 MB | Deploying apps you already have from Git or compose |
| Dokploy | Docker Swarm, Traefik on 80 and 443, UI on port 3000 | 2,048 MB | Running existing compose files with a domain attached |
| CapRover | Docker Swarm, Nginx on 80 and 443, UI on port 3000 | 1,024 MB | Small side projects plus a one-click template marketplace |
| PocketBase | Nothing; one binary on whatever port you choose | 64 MB | A backend for an app you are writing |
PocketBase does a different job: it is the backend your own app talks to, not a tool that deploys software. If you are not building an app, skip it.
Between the three platforms, the Coolify vs Dokploy comparison covers the closest race. CapRover is the lightest at the directory's 1 GB estimate, but it ties you to Swarm and its own deploy file format, so I only pick it for a small VPS that will never host anything else.
What "five minutes" still leaves you to do
The installer gives you a dashboard, not a platform you can depend on.
The admin account comes first. Whoever reaches the first-run page creates the owner, so finish setup immediately, turn on 2FA where it exists (Dokploy has it built in), and keep the dashboard on a VPN, because it controls every app on the host.
Reverse proxying is handled for you, which is the trap. Each platform runs its own proxy on ports 80 and 443 and issues certificates from there, so an existing Caddy or Traefik on the same host will fight it for those ports. You also need DNS records pointing at the server before certificates will issue; CapRover wants a wildcard record.
Backups are the job beginners skip. Coolify and Dokploy can schedule database dumps to any S3-compatible bucket; configure that before you create a database you care about, then restore one dump into a scratch database to prove it works. CapRover keeps its whole state in /captain, so that directory belongs in your backup set.
Persistence follows from the platform: databases created through the UI get persistent volumes, while anything you deploy yourself needs its volumes declared, or a redeploy wipes it.
How much RAM does a self-hosted PaaS need?
The 2 GB estimates for Coolify and Dokploy cover the platform alone. Apps and their builds come on top, and two JavaScript frontend builds at once on a 2 GB box end in swap or an out-of-memory kill. Plan on 4 GB for the platform plus a few small apps, or build images in CI so the server only pulls them.
When to step up
If you want fewer moving parts rather than more, Dokku (Medium) drops the web UI for git push deploys over SSH. If several machines need real scheduling, Kubero brings the same idea to Kubernetes, and you will be learning Kubernetes along the way. If PocketBase's single SQLite file stops being enough for your app, the multi-container backends covered in the category guide are the next rung.
What I'd do
Rent a fresh 4 GB VPS, run the Coolify script, create the admin account at once, and put the dashboard behind a VPN. Set up S3 backups on day one, then deploy one app you already run elsewhere. If you have any reason to want plain compose files over Coolify's integrations, run Dokploy the same way instead.