ServerPilot vs Dokku
A detailed comparison to help you choose between ServerPilot and Dokku.
Quick Verdict
3.8/5
ServerPilot
0 reviews
4.2/5
Dokku
0 reviews
Dokku is rated higher (4.2 vs 3.8). ServerPilot is a cloud control panel for managing PHP applications on DigitalOcean, Linode, and other VPS providers. Automated security updates, multiple PHP versions, and app deployment. Dokku is an open source PaaS you deploy on any VPS. Heroku-compatible buildpacks, Git push deployments, Let's Encrypt SSL, and Docker support. Run your own Heroku on a $5 Hetzner server.
ServerPilot Control panel for PHP and WordPress apps on any VPS (no free tier since pricing rework) | Dokku Self-hosted mini Heroku on your own VPS | |
|---|---|---|
| Overview | ||
| Rating | 3.8 (0 reviews) | 4.2 (0 reviews)✓ |
| Pricing model | paid | free |
| Starting price | From $5/mo | Free✓ |
| Best for | Developers and small agencies running PHP/WordPress sites on their own VPS who want managed security and SSL without giving up provider choice or data ownership | Developers comfortable with Linux who want Heroku-style deployments at VPS pricing on infrastructure they own and control |
| Features | ||
| IPv6 | ✓ | |
| DDoS protection | ✓ | |
| Automated backups | ✓ | |
| Snapshots | ✓ | |
| Managed option | ||
| Bare metal | ||
| GPU available | ||
| S3-compatible | ||
| Hourly billing | ||
| Free tier | ✓ | |
| Tags | ||
| Tags | free tiermanaged option | free tieropen sourceself hostable |
| Visit ServerPilot → | Visit Dokku → | |
ServerPilot
Pros
- + Published, decoupled usage pricing: $5/server + $0.50/app entry, billed hourly
- + Security baseline on every tier: firewall default, no exposed management ports, app isolation, automated updates
- + Works on any major cloud provider — you keep root access and data ownership
- + One-click WordPress, AutoSSL via Let's Encrypt, multiple PHP versions per server
- + Migration tooling to move sites and databases between your servers
Cons
- - No free tier (the $0 freemium model is gone); card required at $5/server
- - PHP/WordPress only — no Node, Python, Docker, or Kubernetes workloads
- - Per-app fees compound on servers with many sites
- - No published control-plane uptime SLA; deep metrics gated behind higher tiers
- - Economy-tier support is deprioritized ticket-based help
Dokku
Pros
- + Free MIT-licensed software — you only pay for the underlying server
- + Heroku-compatible buildpacks and git push workflow make migration from Heroku straightforward
- + Mature project (since 2013) with 353 releases and a large plugin ecosystem
- + Full control over data, costs and where your apps physically run
- + Optional Dokku Pro is a one-time $849 lifetime license, not a subscription
Cons
- - Self-managed: OS updates, security, backups and monitoring are your responsibility
- - Single-host design — no built-in failover, autoscaling or multi-host scheduling
- - Support is community-only (GitHub issues, Slack) unless you buy Dokku Pro
- - Plugin quality and upgrade compatibility vary across the community ecosystem
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