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CapRover logo

CapRover

Free self-hosted PaaS

freeopen sourceupdated Apr 21, 2026

Open-source self-hostable PaaS that turns any VPS into a Heroku-style platform. CapRover wraps Docker Swarm with a friendly web UI for one-click app deploys, automatic NGINX reverse proxy with free Let's Encrypt SSL, and a one-click app store for Postgres, Redis, MongoDB, WordPress, and dozens more. Define apps via captain-definition files, scale containers, view logs, and manage volumes — all without touching the Docker CLI. Free, MIT licensed.

CapRover is an open-source self-hosted Platform-as-a-Service that brings Heroku-style developer ergonomics to any virtual private server. Built on Docker Swarm and NGINX, it gives small teams and indie developers a one-click deploy experience without surrendering control to a hosted vendor or paying per-app fees. After a single bash installer, the web dashboard handles app creation, environment variables, persistent volumes, custom domains, and free Let's Encrypt SSL automatically.

Apps are deployed by pushing a tarball, connecting a Git repository, or using the official CLI. A captain-definition file (similar to a Dockerfile pointer) tells CapRover how to build the image; from there, container scaling, rolling updates, and zero-downtime restarts are handled by Docker Swarm under the hood. The one-click app store ships with curated templates for Postgres, MySQL, Redis, MongoDB, WordPress, Ghost, MinIO, and dozens of other common services — each configurable through the same UI as user apps. Webhook-based deploys, basic monitoring, and rolling logs round out the daily workflow.

CapRover is MIT licensed and free to self-host with no usage limits — you only pay for the underlying server and bandwidth. It does not offer a managed/cloud version; the entire value proposition is keeping infrastructure under your own AWS, DigitalOcean, Hetzner, or on-prem account. For developers who want the convenience of a PaaS UI without the lock-in or recurring per-resource charges of Heroku and Render, CapRover is one of the more polished options in the self-hosted ecosystem alongside Coolify and Dokku.

Pricing

Free

Platforms

Self-hosted (Linux, Docker)

Categories

Tags

Use Cases

Kamal logo

Kamal

Deploy web apps anywhere

Zero-downtime deployment tool created by 37signals (Basecamp/HEY) that deploys Docker containers to any VPS or bare metal server over SSH without requiring Kubernetes. Manages rolling deploys, health checks, SSL via Let's Encrypt, container registry, and load balancing with Traefik. Simple YAML-based config. Ideal for small teams deploying Rails, Node.js, or any Dockerized app. Ships as a Ruby gem. 12K+ GitHub stars and a growing alternative to complex container orchestration.

Open Source
Dokku logo

Dokku

The smallest PaaS implementation

Dokku is a Docker-powered, open-source mini-Heroku that gives you the smallest PaaS implementation for deploying applications on your own server. Push with Git, build via Heroku buildpacks or Dockerfiles, and get automatic subdomains, SSL, zero-downtime deploys, and add-on plugins for databases and services. Ideal for self-hosted developers who want Heroku ergonomics without the cloud vendor bill.

Open Source
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Kubernetes

Container orchestration at scale

Kubernetes (K8s) is the industry-standard open-source container orchestration platform originally developed by Google and now maintained by the CNCF. Automates deployment, scaling, self-healing, and networking of containerized workloads across clusters of machines. Runs everywhere from laptops (kind, k3s) to every major cloud (EKS, GKE, AKS), and is the foundation of modern cloud-native infrastructure.

Open Source
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Dokploy

Open-source PaaS alternative to Vercel, Heroku, and Netlify

Dokploy is a free open-source platform-as-a-service for self-hosting applications without cloud vendor lock-in. It provides automated deployments from Git repositories, built-in SSL certificates, database provisioning, Docker and Docker Compose support, and a clean web dashboard for managing multiple applications on your own servers. With 18,000+ GitHub stars, it fills the gap for teams wanting Vercel-like deployment simplicity on their own infrastructure.

Open Source

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Comparisons

Dokploy vs CapRover — Docker Swarm PaaS vs Captain-Based Container Platform

Dokploy provides a modern Docker Swarm-native PaaS with native clustering, polished UI, and comprehensive Docker Compose support. CapRover offers an established self-hosted platform with a captain-based architecture, one-click apps, and broad community adoption. Dokploy wins on modern features while CapRover wins on simplicity and proven stability.

DokployCapRover

FAQ

What is CapRover?

Open-source self-hostable PaaS that turns any VPS into a Heroku-style platform. CapRover wraps Docker Swarm with a friendly web UI for one-click app deploys, automatic NGINX reverse proxy with free Let's Encrypt SSL, and a one-click app store for Postgres, Redis, MongoDB, WordPress, and dozens more. Define apps via captain-definition files, scale containers, view logs, and manage volumes — all without touching the Docker CLI. Free, MIT licensed.

Is CapRover free?

Yes — CapRover is free to use. Free

Is CapRover open source?

Yes — CapRover is open source.

What are the best CapRover alternatives?

The top editor-verified CapRover alternatives are Kamal, Dokku, Kubernetes, and more.