dokploy vs pangolin
Dokploy and Pangolin are both open-source tools written in TypeScript, but they serve fundamentally different purposes. Dokploy positions itself as an open-source alternative to platforms like Vercel, Netlify, and Heroku, focusing on application deployment, hosting, and infrastructure management for developers. Pangolin, on the other hand, is an identity-aware VPN and proxy designed to provide secure remote access to internal services and resources, similar in concept to Zero Trust or BeyondCorp-style networking tools. Dokploy is centered on the developer experience of deploying and managing web applications, offering features such as CI/CD-style workflows, containerized deployments, and self-hosted PaaS capabilities. Pangolin focuses on security, authentication, and access control, enabling organizations to expose internal services securely without traditional VPN complexity. As a result, the tools are complementary rather than competitive, with differences rooted in deployment versus security and networking use cases. The key differences lie in their target audience and problem domain: Dokploy appeals primarily to developers and DevOps teams seeking control over hosting and deployment, while Pangolin is better suited for teams prioritizing secure remote access, identity-based authorization, and network-level protection.
dokploy
open_sourceOpen Source Alternative to Vercel, Netlify and Heroku.
✅ Advantages
- • Purpose-built for application deployment and hosting, which Pangolin does not address
- • Closer functional replacement for commercial PaaS platforms like Heroku or Vercel
- • Larger GitHub community and higher star count, indicating broader adoption
- • More relevant for DevOps workflows such as CI/CD and container orchestration
⚠️ Drawbacks
- • Does not provide identity-aware networking or VPN-style security features
- • Less suitable for securing internal services or remote access use cases
- • Operational complexity can be higher due to infrastructure management responsibilities
- • Security features are secondary compared to Pangolin’s core focus
pangolin
open_sourceIdentity-aware VPN and proxy for remote access to anything, anywhere.
✅ Advantages
- • Strong focus on identity-aware access control and Zero Trust networking
- • Well-suited for securing internal applications without exposing them publicly
- • Clear value for organizations needing VPN alternatives or secure proxies
- • Security-first design makes it more appropriate for sensitive environments
⚠️ Drawbacks
- • Not designed for application deployment or hosting workflows
- • Smaller community and ecosystem compared to Dokploy
- • Limited relevance for teams primarily seeking PaaS capabilities
- • May require additional tooling to cover deployment and CI/CD needs
Feature Comparison
| Category | dokploy | pangolin |
|---|---|---|
| Ease of Use | 4/5 Developer-focused workflows similar to familiar PaaS platforms | 3/5 Requires understanding of networking and identity concepts |
| Features | 3/5 Strong deployment features but limited security scope | 4/5 Rich security and access control features |
| Performance | 4/5 Efficient for application hosting and deployments | 4/5 Optimized for secure access and proxy performance |
| Documentation | 3/5 Adequate but still evolving in some areas | 4/5 Clear documentation around setup and security concepts |
| Community | 4/5 Larger GitHub community and more user activity | 3/5 Smaller but focused security-oriented community |
| Extensibility | 3/5 Extensible mainly within deployment and hosting contexts | 4/5 Flexible integration with identity providers and services |
💰 Pricing Comparison
Both Dokploy and Pangolin are open-source and free to use, with no mandatory licensing costs. The primary costs for both tools come from infrastructure, hosting, and operational overhead rather than software fees. Dokploy users typically incur costs related to servers and deployment environments, while Pangolin users may face costs tied to networking infrastructure and identity providers.
📚 Learning Curve
Dokploy has a moderate learning curve for developers familiar with PaaS and containerized deployments. Pangolin generally has a steeper learning curve, especially for users without prior experience in networking, security, or identity management.
👥 Community & Support
Dokploy benefits from a larger and more active open-source community, which can translate into more examples and third-party discussions. Pangolin’s community is smaller but tends to be more specialized, with discussions focused on security and access control use cases.
Choose dokploy if...
Teams and developers looking for an open-source, self-hosted alternative to commercial deployment platforms like Heroku, Vercel, or Netlify.
Choose pangolin if...
Organizations that need secure, identity-aware remote access to internal services without relying on traditional VPN solutions.
🏆 Our Verdict
Dokploy and Pangolin address entirely different problems, making the choice dependent on your primary needs. Choose Dokploy if your focus is on deploying and managing applications in a PaaS-like environment. Choose Pangolin if secure, identity-based access to internal resources is your top priority.