Layer 3 · self-hosting reality check
What it actually takes to self-host Dokku
The docs say 1 GB. In practice you want 2 GB plus whatever your apps need. Here is the honest version — real requirements, real monthly cost, what you will be maintaining, and the one thing that catches people out.
Usually reached from Heroku alternatives, where Dokku is one of the picks.
Wondering whether you need to at all? Is Heroku still free? — what the free tier actually allows, and where the wall is.
| RAM — documented minimum | 1 GB |
|---|---|
| RAM — what it really needs | 2 GB plus whatever your apps need |
| CPU | 2 vCPU |
| Disk | 40 GB — Docker images accumulate faster than people expect |
| Monthly cost | $12–24/mo for a box running several apps, against Heroku dyno pricing charged per app |
| Setup time | 30 minutes |
| How you install it | one install script on a fresh VPS; deploys are `git push dokku main` |
| Ongoing maintenance | Moderate. You own the host OS, Docker, TLS renewal and backups for everything on it. |
| Where it stops scaling | A dozen or more apps on one reasonable box. It is single-host by design; multi-host is a different tool. |
The thing that catches people out
The git-push-to-deploy workflow is so close to Heroku that people forget there is no platform underneath. Nothing is backed up, nothing restarts on host failure, and a full disk takes every app down at once. Set automated backups and a disk-usage alert before anything real lands on it — Dokku gives you the developer experience, not the operations.
When not to self-host Dokku
You are running one app and a free tier covers it. Dokku earns its place at three or four apps, where per-app platform pricing starts to hurt.
Every guide here carries this section. A site that only ever tells you to self-host is selling something — the useful answer is sometimes no.
Other Layer 3 self-hosting guides
Common questions
- How much RAM does Dokku actually need?
- 2 GB plus whatever your apps need in practice. The documented minimum is 1 GB, which is the figure at which the process starts rather than the figure at which it works under real use. 2 vCPU alongside it.
- What does self-hosting Dokku cost per month?
- $12–24/mo for a box running several apps, against Heroku dyno pricing charged per app This is commodity VPS pricing and excludes your time, which is the larger cost for most people — budget for moderate. You own the host OS, Docker, TLS renewal and backups for everything on it.
- How long does it take to set up Dokku?
- 30 minutes, via one install script on a fresh VPS; deploys are `git push dokku main`.
- When should I NOT self-host Dokku?
- You are running one app and a free tier covers it. Dokku earns its place at three or four apps, where per-app platform pricing starts to hurt.
- What is the most common mistake when self-hosting Dokku?
- The git-push-to-deploy workflow is so close to Heroku that people forget there is no platform underneath. Nothing is backed up, nothing restarts on host failure, and a full disk takes every app down at once. Set automated backups and a disk-usage alert before anything real lands on it — Dokku gives you the developer experience, not the operations.