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Cloud · head to head

Dokku vs Wiz

Dokku logo

Dokku

Cloud

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

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Wiz logo

Wiz

Cloud

Cloud and AI security platform unifying code, cloud, and runtime protection.

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Dokku has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • 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.; Wiz no public pricing; licensing requires a custom quote based on workloads and sensors.
  • They diverge on capability: Dokku covers Git push deploy, Wiz covers Cloud security posture management.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Dokku and Wiz actually diverge.

Attributes where Dokku and Wiz differ
AttributeDokkuWiz
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelOpen source, no licence feequote
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsLinux, Docker, CLI, Self-hostedweb, api

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Cloud).

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 Wiz

  • Cloud security posture management
  • Code security (Wiz Code)
  • Runtime threat detection (Wiz Defend)
  • AI security agents
  • AI workload protection
  • Attack path analysis

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 Wiz
  • Moving off a managed platform when the monthly bill has grown faster than the traffic hasnot Wiz
  • A consultancy that wants buildpack deployments without teaching every client team Kubernetesnot Wiz
  • Keeping a legacy Procfile application alive on hardware you control after a managed platform deprecates its stacknot Wiz

Wiz

  • Identifying cloud misconfigurations across multi-cloud environmentsnot Dokku
  • Securing code from IDE through CI/CD deploymentnot Dokku
  • Detecting and responding to active threats at runtimenot Dokku
  • Governing AI workloads and models in the cloudnot Dokku
  • Prioritizing risk with cross-environment attack path analysisnot 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.

Wiz

  • No public pricing; licensing requires a custom quote based on workloads and sensors.
  • Modular licensing across Cloud, Code, Defend, and Sensor products can complicate cost planning.
  • Full runtime protection value depends on deploying Wiz Sensor agents, adding operational overhead.
  • Primarily aimed at mid-to-large enterprises despite the smaller Wiz Go bundle.

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

Wiz

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the Wiz review.

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 Wiz if

  • You need cloud security posture management.
  • You work on web, api.
  • You also want code security (wiz code).
Wiz review

Questions people ask

Is Dokku or Wiz better?
Neither clearly leads. Dokku starts at Free and Wiz at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Dokku or Wiz?
Dokku has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Dokku and On request for Wiz.
Does Dokku or Wiz run on more platforms?
Dokku runs on Linux, Docker, CLI, Self-hosted. Wiz runs on web, api.
Can I use Dokku for free?
Yes. Dokku has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Wiz starts at On request.
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 Wiz is typically brought in for.
What can Dokku do that Wiz cannot?
Dokku covers Git push deploy, Heroku buildpacks, Datastore plugins, Automatic certificates. Wiz covers Cloud security posture management, Code security (Wiz Code), Runtime threat detection (Wiz Defend), AI security agents.

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.

Wiz: How much does Wiz cost?

Wiz does not publish standard pricing. The platform uses modular licensing based on workloads, active developers, log ingestion, or sensors. All pricing requires requesting a custom quote directly from the company.

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.

Wiz: Does Wiz offer a free trial?

No free trial information is mentioned on Wiz's pricing page. Pricing is determined by custom quote based on organizational needs.

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.

Wiz: What products does Wiz offer?

Wiz provides five modular licensing options: Wiz Cloud, Wiz Code, Wiz Defend, Wiz Sensor, and Wiz Go Bundle for SMBs, allowing organizations to scale based on specific security requirements.

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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