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It's a split decision.
Choose Coolify to build and deploy apps, databases and services to servers you connect over SSH, with free self-hosting or low-cost managed Cloud. Choose Portainer Business to govern Kubernetes clusters and manage Docker, Swarm and Podman from one console, with GitOps workflows, RBAC and enterprise identity controls. They address different layers of the stack: Coolify ships workloads; Portainer manages environments. For many teams, the deciding factors are workload model, fleet governance and node-based licensing.
01Side by side
| Coolify | Portainer Business | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Free self-hosting; Cloud starts at $5 monthly. | Annual Business licenses start at $87.08 monthly. |
| Free tier | All self-hosted features; no feature limits. | Free Home & Student: three nodes, non-commercial use. |
| Open source and licence | Open source; check the repository for licence terms. | Business open-source status is unspecified; check licence terms. |
| Self-hosting | Self-host Coolify; deploy over SSH. | Self-host management for Kubernetes, Docker, Swarm and Podman. |
| Integrations | Git providers, CI, S3-compatible storage and monitoring tools. | EKS, AKS, GKE, SSO, LDAP, OIDC and SIEM export. |
| Deployment model | Git push builds apps on connected servers. | Central control plane governs clusters and container hosts. |
| Platforms | Apps, databases and Docker-compatible services on SSH servers. | Kubernetes, Docker, Swarm and Podman environments. |
| Limits and scaling | Unlimited Cloud deployments per server; additional servers cost extra. | Node and vCPU limits vary by license tier. |
Coolify Choose Coolify if
- Choose Coolify if you want to deploy apps to servers you control.
- Choose Coolify if you want an open-source, self-hostable deployment platform.
- Choose Coolify if unlimited deployments per Cloud server fit your workload.
Portainer Business Choose Portainer Business if
- Choose Portainer Business if you manage Kubernetes across multiple distributions.
- Choose Portainer Business if Docker, Swarm and Podman share your fleet.
- Choose Portainer Business if you need RBAC, audit logging and GitOps workflows.
02Pricing at real usage
Coolify's self-hosted plan costs $0 per month and includes all features, with no feature limits. Cloud starts at $5 monthly or $4 per month with annual billing, connecting two servers. Each additional server costs $3 monthly or $2.40 with annual billing. Deployments per server are unlimited. Teams need a separate subscription; its price is not published.
Portainer Home & Student is free for three nodes and non-commercial use. Business pricing starts with Starter at $87.08 per license per month, billed annually, for 5, 10 or 15 nodes and up to 16 vCPUs per node. Scale costs $174.58 per license per month, billed annually, for 5–25 nodes and up to 24 vCPUs per node. Enterprise is custom-priced; a 45-day trial is available. Portainer costs grow by licensed nodes and tier; Coolify Cloud adds server charges.
03API, SDKs and integration
Coolify's main developer workflow is a Git push to a connected server over SSH. It lists GitHub, GitLab, Bitbucket, Gitea and related CI integrations, and supports builds with Nixpacks, Railpack, Dockerfile, Docker Compose or prebuilt Docker images. Its MCP server at /mcp lets compatible clients list resources, deploy, read logs, restart services and troubleshoot, using existing API tokens and team permissions. Coolify also integrates with S3-compatible storage and services including Axiom, New Relic, Highlight, Discord and Telegram.
Portainer names EKS, AKS, GKE, bare-metal and on-premises Kubernetes, plus SSO, LDAP, OIDC and SIEM export. Its centralized GitOps engine supports promotion and rollback workflows. Neither vendor names language SDKs or a CLI in its product overview. Check current documentation for API endpoints and supported client libraries before building a direct integration.
04Open source, self-hosting and lock-in
Coolify is open source and self-hostable. Its self-hosted plan includes all features, and updates can be automated or managed by the operator. It deploys to servers connected over SSH, so workloads can run on infrastructure you operate; Cloud is the managed option. Check the project repository for the exact licence terms.
Portainer Business is self-hostable and manages Kubernetes, Docker, Swarm and Podman through a centralized console. The vendor does not state that Business is open source. Neither vendor documents a data-export or migration path in its product overview. Before adopting either platform, plan how to version deployment definitions, retain secrets and back up state. The operational boundary differs: Coolify deploys workloads, while Portainer governs existing environments.
Questions people ask
Is Coolify a replacement for Portainer Business?
Not directly. Coolify builds and deploys applications, databases and services to servers connected over SSH. Portainer Business centralizes management and governance for Kubernetes, Docker, Swarm and Podman environments. Pick Coolify for workload deployment; pick Portainer when the primary problem is managing a container fleet.
Is Coolify free to self-host?
Yes. Coolify's self-hosted plan costs $0 per month and includes all features with no feature limits. Its managed Cloud plan starts at $5 monthly or $4 per month with annual billing, connecting two servers. Additional Cloud servers cost extra.
How much does Portainer Business cost?
Starter costs $87.08 per license per month and Scale costs $174.58 per license per month; both are billed annually. Starter covers 5, 10 or 15 nodes, while Scale covers 5 to 25. Enterprise pricing is custom. Home & Student is free for three nodes and non-commercial use.
Can Portainer manage both Kubernetes and Docker?
Yes. Portainer Business manages Kubernetes, Docker, Docker Swarm and Podman from the same console. Its Kubernetes fleet management covers distributions and environments including EKS, AKS, GKE, bare metal and on-premises. Coolify instead focuses on deploying apps and services to connected servers.