Dokku, without running the server yourself.
Dokku gives you Heroku-style git-push deploys on your own box, if you keep the box and Dokku itself running. Appliku gives you the same push-to-deploy on a server you own, but we run the platform and maintain the server for you. Built for Django and Python, with fast, direct support.
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In short
Appliku and Dokku both give you Heroku-style git-push deploys on a server you own, instead of a locked-in PaaS. The difference is who operates it. Dokku is open-source software you install on your own server and run from the command line, and you maintain the server and Dokku yourself. Appliku is a managed service: we run the control plane, provide a dashboard and managed databases, and keep your server patched, secured, and backed up, so you just push code. Appliku is built for Django and Python (FastAPI, Rails, and Next.js too) and includes direct support and a done-for-you migration on paid plans.
Dokku is genuinely good. Here is the catch.
Dokku is a lightweight, mature, open-source mini-PaaS. It is free, it gives you real git-push deploys with Heroku buildpacks or a Dockerfile, and it has a deep plugin ecosystem. If you want a self-hosted Heroku on a single box and you are happy on the command line, it is a great choice, and we will say so.
The catch is that Dokku is software you run. You install it, you keep it and its plugins updated, and you own everything underneath: the operating system, security patches, your databases, and your backups. It is command-line first, so there is no dashboard unless you add one, and multi-server setups take real work. Support is the community on GitHub.
Appliku removes that operating work. You get the same push-to-deploy on a server you own, plus a dashboard and managed databases, and we keep the platform and the server healthy for you, with a real person to email when you need one.
Free software is not the same as free.
Dokku has no license fee. The cost shows up as the time and risk of running it.
- Dokku: software
- Free
- Dokku: your server, plus the hours you spend running it and its plugins
- Server plus your time
- Appliku: flat fee, maintenance and support included
- $0 to $39/mo plus your server
With both, you bring your own cloud account and pay the provider directly, so the server stays yours. Appliku is not the cheaper option in dollars. It is the option where the maintenance and the support are someone else's job.
Your own server, without the operating work
"You get the best of both worlds, a PaaS like experience, but it's your cloud servers where you can control costs and increase resources."
"Appliku transformed the deployment of my Django app into an incredibly seamless and effortless experience. As a first-time deployer, I conquered it with confidence."
"Appliku makes deploys simple and painless. I can use a server from any cloud service, not just the big names. Their customer service goes above and beyond."
Which one is right for you
Choose Dokku if
- You want zero software cost and a fully open-source stack
- You are comfortable on the command line
- You are happy running a single box and its plugins
- You want to own upgrades, security, and backups yourself
Choose Appliku if
- You want the platform and the server maintained for you
- You want a dashboard and managed databases with backups
- You are shipping Django or Python and want stack-native defaults
- You want a real person to help, and a migration done for you
Appliku vs Dokku, side by side
| Appliku | Dokku | DIY (Docker plus scripts) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cost model | Flat $0 to $39/mo plus your server | Free software plus your server | Free, but your time |
| Who runs the platform | Appliku, managed | You install and update it | You |
| Server upkeep (OS, security, backups) | Appliku | You | You |
| Interface | Web dashboard | Command line first | Your own |
| Managed databases and backups | Yes | Plugins you run and back up | You |
| Push to deploy | Yes | Yes | Build it yourself |
| Django and Python focus | Built for it | Generalist buildpacks | You |
| Support | Direct email, founder replies | Community (GitHub) | You |
| Done-for-you migration | Free on paid plans | Self-service | You |
| Open source | No | Yes | Not applicable |
Comparison compiled July 2026 from public Dokku documentation. Dokku is a trademark of its owner and is not affiliated with Appliku.
A fast reply, not a forum thread
With self-hosted software, support is the community and your own debugging. On Appliku you email us and hear back fast, often from the founder who built it. When you cannot win the afternoon back, that turnaround is the difference.
"I had a few issues and questions with my deploy and got super fast support. 10/10 would recommend for any Django app."
"The support by its creator is unbeatable and fast, and the prices are fair. Every important service can be spun up with a few clicks."
Already on Dokku? We will move you, live.
On any paid plan, request a free migration. We get on a screen-share and move your app onto a server Appliku manages for you, together, usually in one session. You keep the same server ownership, and hand off the upkeep.
Questions Dokku users ask
- Can't I just self-host Dokku for free?
- Yes, and for many people that is the right call. The tradeoff is that you become the operator: installs, upgrades, plugins, security patches, and backups are yours. Appliku charges a flat fee to take that work off your plate.
- Is Appliku open source?
- No. Appliku is a managed service, not software you host. Your app and server stay yours and run on standard open tools (Docker and Nginx), so there is no proprietary runtime to lock you in.
- Do I get a dashboard instead of the command line?
- Yes. Appliku gives you a web dashboard for apps, databases, domains, and deploys. You still get root SSH if you ever want it, but you never need it.
- What about my databases?
- Appliku runs Postgres, Redis, and other databases in containers on your server, and paid plans include automated backups. With Dokku, databases are plugins you install, run, and back up yourself.
- Can you move my app off Dokku for me?
- Yes. On any paid plan we do the migration with you on a screen-share, including your database and workers, and test before cutover.
- What does it cost?
- Start free, no credit card. Paid plans start at $18/mo and include the done-for-you migration. You pay your cloud provider directly for the server.
Keep your server. Hand off the upkeep.
Start free, deploy a real app to a server you own, and let Appliku run the platform for you. No credit card required.