Self Hosted vs Coolify Cloud

You can use Coolify in two ways: run the Coolify instance yourself, or use the instance hosted and maintained by the Coolify team.

The Coolify instance is the control plane that provides the dashboard and coordinates deployments. Your applications, databases, and services still run on servers you connect in either model.

The short version

Choose self-hosted Coolify when you want to operate the Coolify instance and control its updates, backups, availability, and recovery.

Choose Coolify Cloud when you want the Coolify team to operate that instance for you. You still provide and secure the servers where your workloads run.

What stays the same

The option you choose changes who operates the Coolify instance. It does not change the resource workflow or move your workloads onto Coolify-managed servers.

Same feature setDeploy and manage applications, databases, and one-click services with either model.

Your workload serversYou provide the servers where applications, databases, and services run.

Standard Docker resourcesResources run as Docker containers, networks, and storage on the servers you connect.

One or more serversA Coolify instance can coordinate resources across multiple connected servers.

Compare self-hosted Coolify and Coolify Cloud

The main differences are control-plane operations, dashboard access, notification delivery, and cost.

Area	Self-hosted Coolify	Coolify Cloud
Coolify instance	Runs on infrastructure you control.	Runs on infrastructure managed by the Coolify team.
Setup and maintenance	You install, monitor, maintain, and restore the instance from backups.	The Coolify team sets up, monitors, maintains, and restores the instance from backups.
Coolify updates	You choose when to update the instance.	The Coolify team manages control-plane updates.
Coolify instance backups	You configure, store, and test instance backups.	The Coolify team manages backups of the Cloud instance.
Dashboard access	You configure the domain for your instance.	You use app.coolify.io.
Email alerts	You configure SMTP or Resend.	Email delivery for Coolify notifications is preconfigured by the Coolify team.
Other notification channels	You configure each channel, such as Discord or Telegram.	You configure each channel, such as Discord or Telegram.
Features	All current and upcoming Coolify features, free forever.	All current and upcoming Coolify features are included in the subscription.
Codebase	Open source.	Open source.
Teams	Unlimited.	Unlimited; each team requires a separate subscription.
Team members	Unlimited.	Unlimited.
Connected servers	Unlimited.	Unlimited. Each server after the first two increases the subscription cost.
Workload servers and data	Applications, databases, services, and persistent data run on your servers.	Applications, databases, services, and persistent data run on your servers.
Platform cost	No Coolify license fee. You pay for your infrastructure.	Paid managed service. You also pay for your workload servers.

Compare the cost

Self-hosted Coolify has no license fee. You still pay for the infrastructure that runs the Coolify instance and your workloads.

Coolify Cloud starts at $5 per month and includes up to two connected servers. Each additional connected server adds $3 per month.

Cloud pricing can change. Check the current Coolify Cloud pricing before subscribing.

Understand the responsibility boundary

Coolify Cloud manages the control plane, not the servers and workloads you connect to it. If you self-host, you operate both sides of this boundary.

Who operates each layer

With Coolify Cloud, the Coolify team operates the control plane while you continue to operate your connected infrastructure.

Coolify Cloud manages

Control-plane hosting and availability
Coolify updates and operational maintenance
Backups and recovery for the Cloud instance
Preconfigured email delivery for Coolify notifications

You manage in both models

Choosing and paying for connected servers
Operating system updates, SSH access, firewall rules, and DNS
Application data, database data, and a tested backup and restore strategy
Secrets, access permissions, and the security of exposed workloads

Read the Security model before placing production workloads on a connected server.

Choose self-hosted Coolify if control of the instance matters more than avoiding control-plane maintenance. Choose Coolify Cloud if you want a managed instance and the subscription fits your operating model.

Start with self-hosted

Install Coolify on infrastructure you control and operate the instance yourself.

Start with Coolify Cloud

Use the managed Coolify instance and connect your own workload server.

Review the security model

Understand the controls Coolify provides and the infrastructure you must secure.