9live vs Coolify or Dokploy
Coolify and Dokploy are capable open-source platforms that give you a Heroku-style dashboard on a server you control, at no licence cost. What they don't include is someone to upgrade PostgreSQL, watch disk usage, restore a backup under pressure, or respond when the server is down overnight. 9live includes that work along with dedicated hardware.
Side by side
| 9live | Coolify or Dokploy | |
|---|---|---|
| Software cost | Included in the plan | Free and open source |
| Server | Dedicated vCPU and NVMe | Any VPS or server you rent |
| Setup | Done by 9live | Done by you |
| Database operations | Patching, tuning, point-in-time recovery, replicas | Containers you maintain |
| Backups | Automatic, stored off the host, restores tested | Configurable; testing restores is up to you |
| Platform upgrades | Handled by 9live | You upgrade Coolify or Dokploy |
| Monitoring and on-call | Handled by 9live | Your team |
| Single point of failure | Host failover and off-site backups | Usually one server |
Competitor details are summarised from their public documentation and pricing pages as of October 2026. Plans and features change, so check their site for current details.
Self-hosting cost beyond the software
| 9live | Coolify or Dokploy | |
|---|---|---|
| Platform licence | Not applicable | $0 |
| Server | Included | $20 to $150 a month |
| Initial setup and hardening | Included | 4 to 12 hours |
| Ongoing upkeep | Included | 2 to 6 hours a month |
| Database incidents | Handled by 9live | Handled by your team |
Typical ranges reported by teams we've migrated from Coolify and Dokploy setups.
9live is likely the better fit if
- The application earns revenue or stores customer data.
- Nobody wants to be on call for the server.
- You want restores that have been tested.
Coolify or Dokploy is likely the better fit if
- Side projects, internal tools or learning.
- You enjoy running infrastructure.
- The budget is close to zero and some downtime is acceptable.
Questions
Can we bring our Coolify setup to 9live?
Yes. Docker Compose files and Dockerfiles carry over, and we migrate database data with replication.
Can we get a bare server and run our own platform?
Custom plans can be a dedicated server with root access. Most customers prefer the managed environment.
Moving from Coolify or Dokploy
Migration is included with every plan. We replicate your application and data and switch over at a time you choose.