A detailed comparison of Dokku and Heroku to help you choose the right tool for your needs.
Cloud platform for building, running, and operating applications entirely in the cloud.
| Plan | Dokku | Heroku |
|---|---|---|
| Free Tier | ✓ Fully open source | ✗ No |
| Lowest Paid | Free | $5/month |
| Enterprise | Free | Custom |
| Feature | Dokku | Heroku |
|---|---|---|
| Git Push Deploy | ✓ | — |
| Buildpack Support | ✓ | — |
| Docker Support | ✓ | — |
| Let's Encrypt | ✓ | — |
| Plugins | ✓ | — |
| Process Management | ✓ | — |
| Dyno containers | — | ✓ |
| Add-on marketplace | — | ✓ |
| Git deployment | — | ✓ |
| Multiple languages | — | ✓ |
| Open Source | ✓ | ✗ |
| Rating | ⭐ 4.3 | ⭐ 4.2 |
Choose Dokku if: You need developers wanting heroku-like deployments on their own server. Dokku excels with its simple and focused and heroku-like experience.
Choose Heroku if: You need established applications with add-on requirements. Heroku stands out with its mature platform and extensive add-ons.
Best free option: Dokku offers a free tier (Fully open source).
It depends on your needs. Dokku is better for developers wanting heroku-like deployments on their own server, while Heroku is better for established applications with add-on requirements. Both are excellent tools rated 4.3 and 4.2 respectively.
Dokku starts at Free while Heroku starts at $5/month. Dokku also has a free tier.
Most tools offer import/export features to help you migrate. We recommend trying Heroku's trial before fully committing to a switch.
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