[{"content":"🧠 Self-Hosted PaaS Showdown Coolify · CapRover · Dokploy · Dokku · EasyPanel\nSelf-hosting your applications gives you privacy, cost control, and flexibility, but choosing the right platform can be tricky. This post compares five popular self-hosted PaaS and deployment panels in 2026, focusing on real-world usability for homelabs and indie infrastructure.\n🚀 What Each Platform Is Coolify A modern, web-based deployment platform with Git integration, database provisioning, automatic SSL, logs, and dashboards.\nSource: https://coolify.io/docs\nCapRover A Docker-based PaaS offering a web UI and CLI, one-click app installs, automatic SSL, and optional Docker Swarm scaling.\nSource: https://kloudshift.net/blog/comparing-self-hostable-paas-solutions-caprover-coolify-dokploy-reviewed/\nDokploy A newer Docker-focused platform with native Docker Compose support, a modern UI, multi-node orchestration, and team permissions.\nSource: https://docs.dokploy.com/docs/core/comparison\nDokku A lightweight, Heroku-style PaaS built around git push deployments, powered by Docker and an extensive plugin ecosystem.\nSource: https://dokku.com/\nEasyPanel A GUI-first server control panel offering push-to-deploy workflows, app templates, automatic SSL, and in-browser logs and terminal access.\n⚠️ Important: EasyPanel includes paid features and plans. Some advanced capabilities (such as team features, advanced automation, and higher limits) require a subscription.\nSource:\nhttps://easypanel.io/ https://easypanel.io/pricing 📦 Feature Comparison Feature Coolify CapRover Dokploy Dokku EasyPanel Web UI ✅ ✅ ✅ ❌ ✅ Git Deploy Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Docker Compose Yes Limited Yes Via plugins Yes Automatic SSL Yes Yes Yes Plugin Yes Multi-Node Support Yes Docker Swarm Yes No Docker Swarm* Built-in Databases Yes Add-ons Yes Plugins Yes* CLI-First Workflow Optional Yes Yes Yes Limited Fully Free / Open Source ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅ ❌ (Paid tiers) * Some EasyPanel features are limited or gated behind paid plans.\nSources:\nhttps://docs.dokploy.com/docs/core/comparison https://coolify.io/docs https://easypanel.io/pricing 🔧 Deployment \u0026amp; Workflow Breakdown 🐳 Coolify GitHub/GitLab/Bitbucket integration Automatic deployments and preview environments Built-in database and service management\nSource: https://coolify.io/docs Best for: Users who want a Heroku-like experience with full UI visibility and GitOps workflows.\n🧑‍💻 CapRover Deploy via CLI, Git, or UI One-click apps and automatic SSL Optional Docker Swarm scaling\nSource: https://kloudshift.net/blog/comparing-self-hostable-paas-solutions-caprover-coolify-dokploy-reviewed/ Best for: Homelabs and small teams that want flexibility without complexity.\n🧬 Dokploy Native Docker Compose support Multi-node orchestration and role-based access Built-in monitoring and backups\nSource: https://docs.dokploy.com/docs/core/comparison Best for: Users running complex Docker stacks or multi-service apps.\n🚀 Dokku Classic git push deployment model Large plugin ecosystem for databases, SSL, cron jobs Minimal UI, CLI-driven\nSource: https://dokku.com/ Best for: Developers who prefer lightweight, scriptable infrastructure.\n💠 EasyPanel One-click app deployments Automatic SSL and zero-downtime deploys Clean UI with logs and terminal access Advanced features require a paid plan\nSource: https://easypanel.io/pricing Best for: Beginners who value convenience and are okay with paid tiers for advanced functionality.\n📊 Which One Should You Choose? EasyPanel → Best for beginners, but note the paid feature tiers Coolify → Best balance of power, UI, and fully open-source Git integration CapRover → Great middle ground for most homelabs Dokploy → Ideal for Docker Compose and multi-node setups Dokku → Best lightweight, CLI-driven PaaS 🏁 Final Thoughts All five platforms let you self-host applications and avoid cloud vendor lock-in. The key differences come down to workflow preference, complexity, and licensing.\nIf you want a fully open-source stack with no paywalls, Coolify, CapRover, Dokploy, and Dokku are safer long-term choices. EasyPanel trades openness for convenience — which may or may not align with your homelab philosophy.\n📚 Sources https://coolify.io/docs https://dokku.com/ https://docs.dokploy.com/docs/core/comparison https://easypanel.io/ https://easypanel.io/pricing https://kloudshift.net/blog/comparing-self-hostable-paas-solutions-caprover-coolify-dokploy-reviewed/ ","date":"2026-02-01T00:00:00Z","image":"/p/choosing-the-best-self-hosted-paas-in-2026-coolify-vs-caprover-vs-dokploy-vs-dokku-vs-easypanel/cover.png","permalink":"/p/choosing-the-best-self-hosted-paas-in-2026-coolify-vs-caprover-vs-dokploy-vs-dokku-vs-easypanel/","title":"Choosing the Best Self-Hosted PaaS in 2026: Coolify vs CapRover vs Dokploy vs Dokku vs EasyPanel"},{"content":"Welcome to ShadowBlog! This is the place where I\u0026rsquo;ll be sharing my thoughts, experiments, and discoveries in the world of self-hosting, homelabs, and open-source technology. My goal is to create a space that\u0026rsquo;s informative, practical, and respectful of your privacy—no tracking, no algorithms, no noise. Just good content for people who love building and tinkering with their own digital infrastructure.\nWhat to Expect Over time, you\u0026rsquo;ll find posts covering a range of topics, including:\nSelf-hosted services: Deep dives into the tools and platforms I use to manage my digital life, from cloud storage and media servers to productivity apps and home automation. Homelab adventures: Real-world insights into building and maintaining a home lab, including hardware recommendations, network configurations, and troubleshooting tips. Open-source software: Showcases of open-source projects I admire, along with guides on how to get the most out of them. Privacy and security: Practical advice on protecting your digital privacy and securing your systems, without the fear-mongering or unnecessary complexity. Tech experiments: Honest accounts of my own experiments, including what worked, what didn\u0026rsquo;t, and what I learned along the way. Why This Matters In a world where so much of our digital lives are controlled by large corporations, the ability to self-host and control our own data is more important than ever. It\u0026rsquo;s about more than just saving money or avoiding ads—it\u0026rsquo;s about digital autonomy, privacy, and the freedom to build the technology that serves us, rather than the other way around.\nWhether you\u0026rsquo;re just starting your self-hosting journey or you\u0026rsquo;re a seasoned homelab enthusiast, I hope you\u0026rsquo;ll find something valuable here. This blog is a work in progress, just like my homelab, and I\u0026rsquo;m excited to share the process with you.\nThanks for stopping by. Let\u0026rsquo;s build something cool together.\n","date":"2026-02-01T00:00:00Z","image":"/p/welcome-to-shadowblog/cover.png","permalink":"/p/welcome-to-shadowblog/","title":"Welcome to ShadowBlog"}]