Dokku
Dokku: A Heroku-style deployment workflow for teams managing their own Linux infrastructure. Ranked #24 of 34 in Deployment Automation Software by our editors (6.8/10); pricing: Free plan; best for self-hosted teams seeking Heroku-style workflows.
At a glance
- Editor score6.8 / 10
- PricingFree plan
- Best forSelf-hosted teams seeking Heroku-style workflows
- Free planYes
- Paid from$849 one-time
- Facts checked22 Sep 2026
Where it wins
- Free open-source core with Git, Docker, and buildpack deployments
- Zero-downtime checks, traffic switching, logs, build records, and rollback
- Supports Docker, Kubernetes/K3s, Nomad, and plugin-based extensions
Where it doesn't
- Requires a customer-managed Linux server and self-hosted operations
- Dokku Pro costs $849 as a one-time lifetime license
- Scheduler behavior can differ, including rollback support for K3s
Our verdict on Dokku
Dokku is an extensible, open-source Platform as a Service for teams that want Heroku-style application deployment on infrastructure they manage. It builds applications from Git pushes, Dockerfiles, or supported buildpacks, then runs them in containers. The free Dokku plan includes an open-source self-hosted PaaS, with command-line tools for deployment, domains, SSL, processes, logs, scheduling, storage, plugins, and resource management. It suits developers and infrastructure teams comfortable operating a Linux server rather than relying on a fully managed platform.
Pricing is split between the free Dokku plan and Dokku Pro. The core plan provides the deployment engine and supports Git, Dockerfiles, buildpacks, local Docker, Kubernetes/K3s, and Nomad through scheduler plugins. Dokku Pro costs $849 one time and adds a lifetime license, web UI, JSON REST API, team management, one production server, and two pre-production servers. That makes the free plan the clear entry point for individual or technically self-sufficient teams, while Pro is aimed at organizations that need administrative features and a defined server allowance.
Deployment coverage is broad for a self-hosted tool: Dokku offers zero-downtime deployment checks and traffic switching, application and failed-deployment logs, structured build records, captured build logs, rollback support, and plugin extensibility. Its ecosystem includes Nginx, Caddy, HAProxy, Traefik, GitHub Actions, and GitLab CI, alongside container and scheduler integrations. Choose Dokku when infrastructure control, open source, and flexible deployment targets matter. Teams seeking a fully managed service, minimal server administration, or a lower-cost paid management layer should look elsewhere.
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Dokku pricing
All 2 Dokku plans and prices →
Dokku fact sheet
| Free plan | Yes |
|---|---|
| Paid from | $849 one-time |
| Deployment targets | single server; Docker containers; K3s cluster |
| Rollout strategies | Not verified |
| Deployment rollback | Yes |
| Approval gates | Not verified |
| Concurrent deployments | Not verified |
| Self-hosted option | Yes |
| Deployment audit log | Yes |
| Deployment | Self-hosted |
| Platforms | Linux |
| Support | Email, Docs |
| Built for | Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise (editorial estimate) |
| Integrations | 8 integrations: Git, Docker, Heroku buildpacks, Dockerfiles, Docker images, K3s … |
| Pricing | Free plan (source) |
| Website | dokku.com |
| Facts checked | 22 Sep 2026 |
Dokku integrations
Dokku lists 8 integrations on its own site.
- Git
- Docker
- Heroku buildpacks
- Dockerfiles
- Docker images
- K3s
- Nginx
- Cron
Alternatives to Dokku
- IBM DevOps DeployA governance-focused deployment automation solution for hybrid application estates.9.3
- AWS CodeDeployA capable AWS deployment service with low usage pricing and limited platform breadth.9.2
- Google Cloud DeployA focused, managed delivery service for Google Cloud deployment pipelines.9.1
Also Ranked In
Dokku is ranked in 11 of our directories; the 6 strongest besides Deployment Automation Software.
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Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
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