Self-host Dokku

updated Sep 2026deployed by usprices checked · Jul 2026Install verified on Ubuntu 26.04 · Sep 2026 · how we test

We earn commissions when you shop through the links below. Full disclosure →

A lightweight, extensible, open-source PaaS built on Docker — a single-server Heroku alternative that turns a `git push` into a running app via Herokuish buildpacks.

Heroku / yr$300

Self-hosted / yr~$283

You keep$17/yr

Pocket the difference — spin it up on a cheap VPS in minutes.Start free on Kamatera →

Key facts

CategoryPlatform-as-a-Service

LicenseMIT

StackShell, Herokuish

Min RAM1024 MB

Official imageyes

Difficulty

Sourcegithub.com/dokku/dokku

Websitedokku.com

Our recommendation

Choose Dokku when you want the smallest possible Heroku: a git-push deploy engine that runs happily on a 1 GB box, driven entirely from the command line and a plugin system. It's the leanest self-hosted PaaS by far — if you want a dashboard, previews, or multi-server, Coolify or Dokploy are the heavier but friendlier picks.

Follow the Dokku deploy guide →

What you need

Any VPS with at least 1024 MB of RAM
A domain you control — most self-hosted setups need HTTPS in front of them
Under an hour if you've used Docker before

Where to host itaffiliate disclosure

Hetzner Cloudrun it on

From $23.59/mo · 2 vCPU / 4 GB / 80 GB · EU + US

Get Hetzner Cloud

Kamaterafree trial

From $4/mo · 1 vCPU / 1 GB / 20 GB · US + EU + Asia

Start free on Kamatera →

DigitalOceanalso works on

From $6/mo · 1 vCPU / 1 GB / 25 GB · US + EU + Asia

Deploy on DigitalOcean →

Paid link — we earn a commission if you shop through it.

Install

Run these commands on your server:

# Dokku — official version-pinned bootstrap installer
# v0.38.28 (2026-09-17) is the first release whose installer accepts Ubuntu 26.04 —
# earlier tags exit "Unsupported Linux distribution". Not yet re-tested by us.
wget -NP . https://raw.githubusercontent.com/dokku/dokku/v0.38.28/bootstrap.sh
sudo DOKKU_TAG=v0.38.28 bash bootstrap.sh

deploy guideHow to Deploy Dokku on a VPS vps picksBest VPS for self-hostingbenchmarked quarterly · re-priced monthly

What you take on

Dokku trades polish for minimalism, and that trade shows up in day-to-day operation:

non-negotiableIt's CLI-first. There's no web dashboard by default — everything is dokku commands over SSH, which is fast once learned and opaque until then.

non-negotiableDatabases are plugins. Postgres, Redis, and friends come from official plugins you install and link yourself — powerful, but more assembly than a managed add-on.

non-negotiableIt's single-server by design. Dokku runs your apps on the one host — plan capacity for that box, and back up its app and database volumes off-machine.