Deploy apps with a git push on a server you rent yourself. These tools give you a Heroku-style workflow on any VPS.
Category: App hosting · GitHub data as of Oct 29, 2026 · FAQ · Cost & self-hosting
| Project | What it is | License | GitHub stars | Last release | Runs as | Hosted plan |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coolify Active Apache-2.0 | An open-source, self-hostable PaaS alternative to Vercel, Heroku & Netlify that lets you easily deploy static sites, databases, full-stack applications and 360+ one-click services on your own servers. | Apache-2.0 | 65.3k | Oct 28, 2026 | Self-hosted web app | Yes, from the project |
| Dokku Active MIT | A docker-powered PaaS that helps you build and manage the lifecycle of applications. | MIT | 32.2k | Oct 29, 2026 | Self-hosted web app | Not confirmed |
| CapRover Active Mixed or custom | Scalable PaaS (automated Docker+nginx) - aka Heroku on Steroids. | Mixed or custom | 15.2k | Oct 23, 2026 | Self-hosted web app | Not confirmed |
3 of 3 Heroku alternatives here had a code push or release in the last 180 days (checked Oct 29, 2026).
See every project in the "Is it still maintained?" tracker →
Heroku: current plans and prices are on Heroku's pricing page.
| Alternative | How you run it | Software cost | What you pay for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coolify | Your server, or the project's hosted plan | $0 (Apache-2.0) | A server you rent (or own), or the project's paid hosted plan. |
| Dokku | Your server | $0 (MIT) | A server you rent or own, plus your time for updates and backups. |
| CapRover | Your server | $0 (Mixed or custom, check terms) | A server you rent or own, plus your time for updates and backups. |
Self-hosting basics: Coolify, Dokku and CapRover need a server, which can be a small cloud server or a spare machine at home. For a sense of scale, DigitalOcean's price list shows a 1 GiB server at $6/month and 2 GiB at $12/month (checked Oct 29, 2026). Check each project's documented requirements before choosing a size, and budget time for updates and backups.
Don't want to run a server? Coolify offers a hosted plan run by the project itself. Prices change, so check each project's site.
License check: CapRover does not use a single standard open-source license that GitHub can detect. Read the license before using it in a business.
An open-source, self-hostable PaaS alternative to Vercel, Heroku & Netlify that lets you easily deploy static sites, databases, full-stack applications and 360+ one-click services on your own servers.
65.3k GitHub stars · Apache-2.0 · last code push Oct 29, 2026 · GitHub · Website
A docker-powered PaaS that helps you build and manage the lifecycle of applications.
32.2k GitHub stars · MIT · last code push Oct 29, 2026 · GitHub · Website
Scalable PaaS (automated Docker+nginx) - aka Heroku on Steroids.
15.2k GitHub stars · Mixed or custom · last code push Oct 26, 2026 · GitHub · Website
It depends on how you use Heroku. Of the 3 options here, Coolify is the most followed on GitHub (65.3k stars) and is actively maintained, with its latest release on Oct 28, 2026.
Yes. Coolify, Dokku and CapRover run on a server you control, so your data stays with you. If you'd rather not run a server, Coolify also offers a hosted plan from the people who make it.
Yes. Every project on this page can be downloaded and used at no cost from its public repository. Server apps are free software, but you pay for the server they run on. Check the license of CapRover before using it in a business.
As of Oct 29, 2026, 3 of 3 had a code push or release in the last 180 days. None are flagged as inactive or archived. We re-check every project weekly.
The software itself is free. For server apps, the main cost is hosting: as a reference point, DigitalOcean lists a 1 GiB server at $6/month and a 2 GiB server at $12/month (checked Oct 29, 2026). Check each project's documented requirements before choosing a size. The hidden cost is time: moving your data and, for self-hosted apps, keeping up with updates and backups.
Not all under a standard license. CapRover: GitHub could not identify a single standard license for this repository (often a mix of open-source and commercial parts). Read the LICENSE file before using it. The others use OSI-approved open-source licenses.
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