What is Coolify?
Coolify is a software that makes self-hosting simple and powerful. It lets you run your applications, databases, and services on your own server, whether that’s an old laptop, a Raspberry Pi, or a rented server from a provider like Hetzner↗.
With Coolify, you get full control over your projects, your data, and your costs. It’s completely free to use, open-source, and has no features locked behind a paywall.
Think of Coolify as your personal alternative to cloud platforms like Vercel↗, Railway↗, or Heroku↗, but without the huge bills or privacy trade-offs.
What Coolify Is Not
Coolify isn’t a cloud service that hosts everything for you, you need your own server. That could be your old laptop, a Raspberry Pi, or a rented server from a hosting provider like Hetzner↗, and you’ll need SSH access to use it.
It’s not a zero-effort solution either, if you choose to self-host, you’ll need to set up your server and install Coolify. But once it’s running, managing your projects becomes very easy.
Features of Coolify
Coolify is loaded with tools to make self-hosting smooth and powerful. Here’s a detailed look at what it offers:
| Features | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Any Language | Deploy static sites, APIs, backends, databases, and more with support for all major frameworks. |
| Any Server | Deploy to any server - VPS, Raspberry Pi, EC2, your laptop via SSH. |
| Any Use-Case | Supports single servers, multi-server setups, and Docker Swarm clusters (Kubernetes support coming soon). |
| Any Service | Deploy any Docker-compatible service, plus a wide range of one-click options. |
| Push to Deploy | Git integration with GitHub, GitLab, Bitbucket, Gitea, and other platforms. |
| Free SSL Certificates | Automatically sets up and renews Let's Encrypt SSL certificates for custom domains. |
| No Vendor Lock-In | Your data and settings stay on your servers for full control and easy portability. |
| Automatic Backups | Back up data to S3-compatible storage and restore it with one click if needed. |
| Webhooks | Integrate with CI/CD tools like GitHub Actions, GitLab CI, or Bitbucket Pipelines. |
| Powerful API | Automate deployments, manage resources, and integrate with your existing tools easily. |
| Real-Time Terminal | Run server commands directly from your browser in real-time. |
| Collaborative | Share projects with your team, control roles, and manage permissions. |
| PR Deployments | Deploy commits and pull requests separately for quick reviews and faster teamwork. |
| Server Automations | Handles server setup tasks automatically after connection, saving you time. |
| Monitoring | Monitor deployments, servers, disk usage, and receive alerts for issues. |
Benefits of Using Coolify
Coolify delivers unbeatable advantages for developers who want to self-host. Here’s why it stands out:
| Benefits | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Cost Savings | Avoid skyrocketing cloud costs. Use your own server for a steady, predictable price. |
| No Hidden Costs | Transparent pricing with no unexpected charges. |
| Highly Cost-Efficient | Save thousands monthly compared to traditional cloud platforms. Real examples can be found here ↗, here ↗, and here ↗ |
| Complete Data Privacy | Your data stays on your server, ensuring total control and security. |
| No Feature Restrictions | All features are included in the open-source version—nothing locked behind a paywall. |
| Unlimited Usage | Deploy unlimited websites and applications across any number of servers. |
| Quick Setup | Start hosting in minutes with minimal maintenance required. |
| User-Friendly Interface | Manage your infrastructure through a clean, simple dashboard designed for developers. |
| 100% Open Source | Review the code, contribute to development, and help shape the platform’s future. |
| Active Community | Join over 13,000 people on Discord and 140,000+ servers running Coolify worldwide. |
Getting Started with Coolify
Before you jump into using Coolify, it’s worth understanding a few key concepts to make your journey smoother.
Learn about servers, SSH access, and how Coolify manages your projects by checking out our concept guide↗.
You have two ways to use Coolify:
Self-Host Coolify
- Install Coolify on your own server. This requires setting up the server, installing Coolify, and handling updates yourself.
- You’ll also need to allocate some server resources to run Coolify.
- It’s completely free (except your server bills) and gives you full control over your infrastructure.
Use Coolify Cloud
- Let the Coolify team manage Coolify for you.
- With Coolify Cloud, you don’t need to install or update Coolify yourself, and no server resources are required for Coolify itself, it runs on the Coolify team’s managed servers.
- Simply create an account from here ↗, connect your servers via SSH keys, and start deploying.
- This is a paid service (starts fro $5/mo), as it costs the team to host and maintain the infrastructure.
- Updates on Coolify Cloud are thoroughly tested by the core team, so they might be slightly delayed for added stability.
Join Our Community
Got questions or need support? Our discord community is here to help. Connect with other coolify users on our community server to get assistance and share your experiences.