Dokploy: Open-Core alternative to Heroku in 2026
Dokploy deploys apps, databases and Docker services with a Heroku-like workflow on top of Docker Swarm, with native Traefik integration for domains and automatic HTTPS, as a self-hosted alternative to Heroku or Vercel.
Core is open source, but advanced features or enterprise support may be behind a paid tier — check the license.
Audit Snapshot
View notes →License — Not verifiable on GitHub
GitHub — Active
Latest release — v0.30.8 · 14 days ago
Docker Compose — Official installer, no compose
Production — Not production-tested by AltFreeStack
Dokploy vs. Heroku
Pros
- Much simpler onboarding than running your own Kubernetes
- Very active development and fast-growing community
Things to consider
- Dokploy Cloud (the managed version) is paid; self-hosting requires your own server
- Younger project than Coolify or CapRover, with less time in production
Quick Docker installation guide
This tool doesn't install via a plain docker-compose.yml — it uses the project's own official installer. Review it before running it. See the full step-by-step guide →
💡 Official SaaS or self-hosted with AltFreeStack?
- On the official cloud: a recurring monthly fee and usage limits on Heroku.
- On your own VPS: the core is free to self-host on your own server — no more monthly SaaS fee, though some advanced features stay behind a paid plan.
# Dokploy se instala con su propio script oficial, que prepara Docker Swarm
# y despliega la plataforma completa (no un docker-compose.yml suelto).
# Descárgalo e inspecciónalo antes de ejecutarlo — nunca lo hagas con un
# pipe directo a ciegas:
curl -sSL https://dokploy.com/install.sh -o dokploy-install.sh
cat dokploy-install.sh # revísalo antes de continuar
sh dokploy-install.sh
This docker-compose corresponds to an actively maintained project — last commit today.
This docker-compose not working for you? Report it on GitHub →Technical profile
- License
- Apache-2.0
- Category
- Deployment, PaaS & Hosting
- Replaces
- Heroku, Vercel
- Tech stack
- Node.jsPostgreSQLDocker SwarmTraefik
Under the hood
Database
PostgreSQL
Language
TypeScript (Node.js)
Platforms
Web
Key features
- Deploy apps, databases and Docker services with a Heroku-like workflow
- Native Traefik integration for domains and automatic HTTPS
- One-click templates for dozens of open source apps
Preview
Public image provided by Dokploy on its own website.
🌐 Connect your domain with free SSL
Step 1 — Set up the DNS
In your domain registrar's dashboard (Cloudflare, Namecheap, GoDaddy...), create a record:
- Type
- A
- Name/Host
- @ (root domain) or a subdomain, e.g. app
- Content/Value
- Your server's public IP
Wait 5 to 15 minutes for the record to propagate across the internet.
Step 2 — Automatic reverse proxy with Caddy
One single file, no Nginx config or manual certificates — Caddy issues and renews Let's Encrypt HTTPS on its own.
Create a file called Caddyfile:
yourdomain.com {
reverse_proxy localhost:YOUR_APP_PORT
}Start Caddy with this command (pulls the image and runs it in the background):
docker run -d -p 80:80 -p 443:443 --name caddy --restart always -v $PWD/Caddyfile:/etc/caddy/Caddyfile -v caddy_data:/data caddy