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Cloud · head to head

Dokku vs StackBlitz

Dokku logo

Dokku

Cloud

Single-server platform that accepts a git push and runs Heroku buildpacks on Docker

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Full reviewWebsite
StackBlitz logo

StackBlitz

Developer Tools

Browser-based IDE and AI app builder running full Node.js stacks via WebContainers

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Dokku one maintainer accounts for nearly all human commit activity and the project records roughly 10,500 US dollars of annual income on Open Collective, which is not enough to fund a maintainer, so continuity rests on one person continuing to volunteer.; StackBlitz specific Teams and Enterprise pricing figures are not published; visitors must request a quote or infer from the pricing calculator.
  • They diverge on capability: Dokku covers Git push deploy, StackBlitz covers WebContainers.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Dokku and StackBlitz actually diverge.

Attributes where Dokku and StackBlitz differ
AttributeDokkuStackBlitz
Pricing modelOpen source, no licence feefreemium
PlatformsLinux, Docker, CLI, Self-hostedweb
CategoryCloudDeveloper Tools

Identical on both: starting price (Free), 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 Dokku

  • Git push deploy
  • Heroku buildpacks
  • Datastore plugins
  • Automatic certificates
  • Zero downtime deploys
  • Pluggable schedulers

Only in StackBlitz

  • WebContainers
  • Bolt.new AI app builder
  • Instant boot times
  • GitHub project import
  • Team collaboration
  • Offline functionality

What people use each for

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

Dokku

  • Running a dozen side projects and client applications on one virtual private server with Heroku style deploymentnot StackBlitz
  • Moving off a managed platform when the monthly bill has grown faster than the traffic hasnot StackBlitz
  • A consultancy that wants buildpack deployments without teaching every client team Kubernetesnot StackBlitz
  • Keeping a legacy Procfile application alive on hardware you control after a managed platform deprecates its stacknot StackBlitz

StackBlitz

  • Editing a GitHub repository instantly in the browser without cloning itnot Dokku
  • Generating a working web app from a text prompt with Bolt.newnot Dokku
  • Sharing private projects across a team without individual GitHub seats for viewersnot Dokku
  • Running lightweight Node.js projects with no local setupnot Dokku

Where each one falls short

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

Dokku

  • One maintainer accounts for nearly all human commit activity and the project records roughly 10,500 US dollars of annual income on Open Collective, which is not enough to fund a maintainer, so continuity rests on one person continuing to volunteer.
  • Dokku Pro asks 849 US dollars for a lifetime licence from a project with no disclosed legal entity behind the promise and no published refund terms, while the product is still described as in development at early bird pricing.
  • Dokku is single-server by design, and the k3s scheduler that provides multi-node support is missing log retrieval, process inspection and content-based health checks, with a post-run hook the documentation says does not consistently fire.
  • Supported operating systems are limited to Ubuntu 22.04 or 24.04 and Debian 11 or later, so organisations standardised on Red Hat, Rocky or Alma Linux cannot run it on their approved base image.
  • Backups are separate commands per datastore plugin that you schedule yourself, with no unified snapshot, no point-in-time recovery and no tested restore path, so verifying that a restore works is entirely your responsibility.

StackBlitz

  • Specific Teams and Enterprise pricing figures are not published; visitors must request a quote or infer from the pricing calculator.
  • Browser-based execution via WebContainers has limits on which native/binary dependencies can run compared to a real server-backed environment.
  • Heavy or resource-intensive workloads may be constrained by the end user's own browser and machine resources.

Pricing, plan by plan

Dokku

Free
  • DokkuFree
    • MIT licensed, no usage limits
    • Command line and SSH only
    • All datastore and certificate plugins
  • Dokku Pro$849/one-time
    • Lifetime licence with free upgrades and no subscription
    • Covers 1 production and 2 pre-production servers
    • Web dashboard and JSON REST API

StackBlitz

Free
  • PersonalFree
    • Unlimited public projects, collections, and GitHub repositories
    • View and edit without a GitHub account
  • Teams$undefined/mo
    • Private collections and repositories for paid members
    • Free and paid member roles
    • Automatic permission mirroring for org-owned repositories

Which should you pick?

Choose Dokku if

  • You need git push deploy.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, Docker, CLI, Self-hosted.
  • You also want heroku buildpacks.
Dokku review

Choose StackBlitz if

  • You need webcontainers.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on web.
  • You also want bolt.new ai app builder.
StackBlitz review

Questions people ask

Is Dokku or StackBlitz better?
Neither clearly leads. Dokku starts at Free and StackBlitz at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Dokku or StackBlitz?
Dokku starts at Free and StackBlitz at Free.
Does Dokku or StackBlitz run on more platforms?
Dokku runs on Linux, Docker, CLI, Self-hosted. StackBlitz runs on web.
Can I use Dokku for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Dokku best used for?
Dokku is most often used for running a dozen side projects and client applications on one virtual private server with heroku style deployment, moving off a managed platform when the monthly bill has grown faster than the traffic has, a consultancy that wants buildpack deployments without teaching every client team kubernetes, keeping a legacy procfile application alive on hardware you control after a managed platform deprecates its stack. Of those, running a dozen side projects and client applications on one virtual private server with heroku style deployment and moving off a managed platform when the monthly bill has grown faster than the traffic has are not what StackBlitz is typically brought in for.
What can Dokku do that StackBlitz cannot?
Dokku covers Git push deploy, Heroku buildpacks, Datastore plugins, Automatic certificates. StackBlitz covers WebContainers, Bolt.new AI app builder, Instant boot times, GitHub project import.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Dokku: Is Dokku still maintained?

Yes. Version 0.38.27 shipped in August 2026 with roughly six releases in the preceding two months. The caveat is that one maintainer writes nearly all of it.

StackBlitz: Is there a free plan, and what are its limits?

Yes, the free Personal plan includes unlimited public StackBlitz projects, collections, and GitHub repositories, and lets anyone view and edit projects without needing a GitHub account.

Source
Dokku: What does Dokku Pro give me over the free edition?

A web dashboard, a JSON REST API, git push over HTTPS, browser log tailing, team management and email support from the maintainers. It costs 849 US dollars once for one production and two pre-production servers.

StackBlitz: What does the Teams plan add?

Teams lets GitHub organizations add free or paid members; paid members get access to private collections and repositories, with permissions mirrored from GitHub-owned repos.

Source
Dokku: Can Dokku run across multiple servers?

Only through the k3s or Nomad schedulers. The k3s path is missing several commands and health check types, and the older Kubernetes scheduler is deprecated and no longer developed.

StackBlitz: Is there an Enterprise option?

Yes, custom Enterprise plans are available and require contacting StackBlitz directly.

Source
Dokku: Will my Heroku application run on it unchanged?

Usually. Dokku runs the same buildpacks and reads a Procfile, so the application layer normally moves across. Add-ons, scaling behaviour and backups are the parts you have to rebuild.

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Related pages

More on Dokku

More on StackBlitz

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