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Cloud · head to head

CapRover vs SolidJS

CapRover logo

CapRover

Cloud

Free self-hosted platform built on Docker Swarm with a dashboard and automatic certificates

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
SolidJS logo

SolidJS

Web Development

Reactive JavaScript framework with no virtual DOM

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: CapRover since June 2026 one pseudonymous account wrote 97 of roughly 100 commits and the next human contributor wrote one, so there is no identifiable person or company to contract with, escalate to or hold responsible.; SolidJS much smaller ecosystem than React, so many problems have no off-the-shelf library
  • They diverge on capability: CapRover covers One-click applications, SolidJS covers No virtual DOM.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which CapRover and SolidJS actually diverge.

Attributes where CapRover and SolidJS differ
AttributeCapRoverSolidJS
PlatformsWeb, Linux, Docker, CLI, Self-hostedWeb
CategoryCloudWeb Development

Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (Open source, no licence fee), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in CapRover

  • One-click applications
  • Automatic certificates
  • Web dashboard
  • Multiple deploy paths
  • Docker Swarm clustering
  • Custom nginx configuration

Only in SolidJS

  • No virtual DOM
  • Components run once
  • JSX syntax
  • Small bundles

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

CapRover

  • Running a personal server or homelab with several applications behind automatic certificatesnot SolidJS
  • A two person team that wants a dashboard rather than a terminal for deployments on one boxnot SolidJS
  • Standing up one-click databases and internal tools without writing Compose filesnot SolidJS
  • Hosting client demos cheaply where downtime is inconvenient rather than expensivenot SolidJS

SolidJS

  • Interfaces where update performance is the binding constraintnot CapRover
  • Teams comfortable with React syntax who want finer-grained reactivitynot CapRover
  • Applications where bundle size directly affects the businessnot CapRover

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

CapRover

  • Since June 2026 one pseudonymous account wrote 97 of roughly 100 commits and the next human contributor wrote one, so there is no identifiable person or company to contract with, escalate to or hold responsible.
  • Donations over the last twelve months totalled 285 US dollars and there is no commercial tier, so no paid support exists at any price and no maintenance commitment is funded.
  • The LICENSE file is Apache 2.0 with a superseding appendix that bans redistributing a paid version and refers to paid features that do not yet exist, and GitHub cannot classify it, so the terms already anticipate a commercial change of direction.
  • Releases arrive in bursts with an eleven month gap between September 2023 and August 2024 and two further gaps of about six months since, so there is no basis for assuming a security fix will land promptly.
  • The backup feature is documented as experimental, covers only the CapRover configuration directory and explicitly excludes persistent volumes and container images, so every database has to be dumped separately with its container stopped.

SolidJS

  • Much smaller ecosystem than React, so many problems have no off-the-shelf library
  • The React-like syntax is misleading: components run once, and React habits produce subtle bugs
  • Smaller hiring pool and fewer learning resources than the mainstream frameworks

Pricing, plan by plan

CapRover

Free
  • CapRoverFree
    • No paid tier and no hosted offering
    • Unlimited applications, servers and users
    • Community support through Slack and GitHub

SolidJS

Free
  • SolidJSFree
    • Full library
    • Commercial use permitted
    • No usage limits

Which should you pick?

Choose CapRover if

  • You need one-click applications.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Linux, Docker, CLI, Self-hosted.
  • You also want automatic certificates.
CapRover review

Choose SolidJS if

  • You need no virtual dom.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want components run once.
SolidJS review

Questions people ask

Is CapRover or SolidJS better?
Neither clearly leads. CapRover starts at Free and SolidJS at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, CapRover or SolidJS?
CapRover starts at Free and SolidJS at Free.
Does CapRover or SolidJS run on more platforms?
CapRover runs on Web, Linux, Docker, CLI, Self-hosted. SolidJS runs on Web.
Can I use CapRover for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is CapRover best used for?
CapRover is most often used for running a personal server or homelab with several applications behind automatic certificates, a two person team that wants a dashboard rather than a terminal for deployments on one box, standing up one-click databases and internal tools without writing compose files, hosting client demos cheaply where downtime is inconvenient rather than expensive. Of those, running a personal server or homelab with several applications behind automatic certificates and a two person team that wants a dashboard rather than a terminal for deployments on one box are not what SolidJS is typically brought in for.
What can CapRover do that SolidJS cannot?
CapRover covers One-click applications, Automatic certificates, Web dashboard, Multiple deploy paths. SolidJS covers No virtual DOM, Components run once, JSX syntax, Small bundles.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

CapRover: Does CapRover cost anything?

No. There is no paid tier and no hosted version. The only income is donations, which came to 285 US dollars over the last twelve months.

SolidJS: Is SolidJS free?

Yes, open source under the MIT licence.

CapRover: Is the licence really Apache 2.0?

Not quite. The LICENSE file is Apache 2.0 plus an appendix that supersedes it in case of conflict, forbidding modification of paid features and redistribution of a paid version. GitHub does not recognise the result as a standard licence.

SolidJS: Is SolidJS just React without the virtual DOM?

The syntax is similar but the model is not. Solid components run once and reactivity is fine-grained, so patterns that are correct in React can be wrong in Solid.

CapRover: Does the backup feature protect my databases?

No. It backs up the CapRover configuration directory only and explicitly excludes persistent directories and container images. You have to dump each database yourself with the container stopped.

SolidJS: Why is SolidJS fast?

It compiles away much of the framework and updates individual DOM nodes directly, rather than re-rendering components and diffing a virtual DOM.

CapRover: Can I move off Docker Swarm later?

Not without rebuilding. CapRover is architecturally tied to Swarm, so outgrowing it means migrating applications to a different platform rather than switching a scheduler.

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