Many developers who want to sleep at night are looking for alternatives to fly.io, be it because of their not-so-great reliability [1], [2], [3], insane overcommitting [1] or pricing [1]. Choosing an alternative can be pretty tough with so many shiny options out there, so I've scouted five awesome alternatives that I personally used already. Let's fly away from fly.io! (sorry, that pun was a must)

1. Sliplane

Sliplane is a cost-effective Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) designed for deploying containerized applications. It operates on a “Pay-per-Server” model starting at €9/month + VAT, allowing you to host unlimited containers on each server. This makes it an excellent choice for managing multiple low-traffic projects, such as prototypes or development environments. You can connect it to GitHub for push-to-deploy functionality, use automatic SSL with free subdomains, and deploy from Docker Hub’s library of over 400,000 public containers. Additional features include zero-downtime deploys, instant downtime notifications, health checks, and one-click hosting for databases and other open-source tools.

Advantages: Highly cost-effective for multiple small applications due to unlimited containers per server, and its simplicity streamlines deployment.

Disadvantages: Limited global coverage, with servers primarily in Germany, Finland, USA, and Singapore
Pricing: Starts at €9/month per server—see Sliplane’s pricing page for details.

Disclaimer: I’m the co-founder, so I might be slightly biased :)

2. Coolify

Coolify is an open-source, self-hostable PaaS that simplifies deploying applications, databases, and services without requiring extensive server management. It supports various programming languages and frameworks, offering Git integrations (GitHub, GitLab, Bitbucket, Gitea) and automatic Let’s Encrypt SSL for custom domains. You can deploy to any server—VPS, Raspberry Pi, EC2, or even a personal laptop—using single servers, multi-server setups, or Docker Swarm (with Kubernetes support in development). Coolify is free to self-host (though you’ll need to cover server costs), or you can opt for Coolify Cloud at $10/month, which includes a managed instance with high availability and priority support. With over 123,000 instances running and a community of 12,000+ on Discord, it’s a robust choice for developers.

Advantages: Cost-effective, with options for self-hosting or a low-cost cloud plan, and offers full control over data and infrastructure, appealing to privacy-conscious users. Its active community provides strong support.

Disadvantages: Self-hosting requires technical knowledge and may have a learning curve for setup and management. If you prefer to not be responsible for the underlying infrastructure, this might not be the best option.
Pricing: Self-hosted is free (server costs vary, e.g., ~$5/month on Hetzner).

3. Render

Render is a fully managed PaaS that simplifies building, deploying, and scaling applications, including Docker-based projects. It offers automatic deploys, enterprise-grade stuff that you probably don't need, private networking, load-based autoscaling, DDoS protection, and compliance with GDPR and SOC 2 Type II. Render supports a wide range of stacks with zero-downtime deploys and provides a free tier for websites, APIs, and databases, making it an attractive option for developers seeking reliability and ease.

Advantages: Straightforward deployment with Docker support, reliable features like autoscaling and DDoS protection, and a free tier that covers many use cases.

Disadvantages: Very expensive once you scale beyond the free tier.
Pricing: Starts at $0/month (Hobby) for static sites, with paid plans at $19/user/month (Professional) and higher—see Render Pricing.

Why Consider Switching from Fly.io: Render’s transparent storage pricing avoids Fly.io’s potential cost surprises but has similar reliability issues.

4. DigitalOcean App Platform

DigitalOcean’s App Platform is a managed PaaS designed for easy deployment and scaling of applications, supporting languages like Node.js, Python, and more. It features smart autoscaling, enhanced security, Git integration, and compatibility with DigitalOcean’s broader services, such as databases and storage. The platform is cost-effective and user-friendly, with a free tier for up to three static sites.

Advantages: OK pricing and easy to use, with features like dedicated IPs, autoscaling, and third-party integrations, suitable for a range of projects.

Disadvantages: May lack advanced customization for highly specialized needs.
Pricing: Free for up to three static sites, with flexible paid tiers—details at DigitalOcean App Platform Pricing.

5. Kamal

Kamal is a free, open-source deployment tool from Basecamp, designed to simplify deploying containerized web applications to self-managed servers. It uses Docker for containerization, offering zero-downtime deploys without relying on a traditional PaaS. Kamal supports deployment to low-cost cloud providers like DigitalOcean, Hetzner, or OVH, or even bare-metal setups, with features like rolling restarts, asset bridging, and a lightweight proxy. It’s fast (deploys in as little as 20 seconds) and gives you full control over your infrastructure, making it ideal for developers comfortable with managing their own servers.

Advantages: Cost-effective by avoiding PaaS fees (you only pay for servers), provides complete control over infrastructure, and is user-friendly for containerized web apps.

Disadvantages: Requires technical expertise to manage servers, may not scale as easily or reliably as a full PaaS, and is primarily designed for web applications.

Pricing: Free and open-source, but you’ll pay for server costs (e.g., ~$5/month for a basic VPS from providers like Hetzner).

Conclusion

Sliplane and Coolify provide cost-effective solutions for multiple small projects, Render and DigitalOcean offer managed simplicity with robust features, and Kamal delivers flexibility for self-managed deployments. Consider not just the price but also the time and effort required to maintain your setup!

Where are you hosting your Docker apps? What features do you value most, or what challenges have you faced? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments!

Cheers,

Jonas