The Cheapest Way to Host & Deploy websites: Self-Hosting Coolify on Ubuntu (Vercel & Netlify Alternative!)

Looking for the cheapest way to host and deploy your web apps? If you’re tired of paying high fees for Vercel.com , Netlify.com , or Render.com , Coolify is the perfect self-hosted alternative. It’s an open-source deployment platform that lets you launch and manage applications effortlessly—just like Vercel or Netlify—but at a fraction of the cost.

With Coolify, you can deploy Next.js, React.js or any Node.js projects even PHP, and more with a simple and intuitive UI, all running on your own server. Whether you’re using Hetzner, AWS, DigitalOcean, or any VPS, this guide will show you how to install Coolify on Ubuntu from scratch—step by step.

By the end of this guide, you’ll have a fully operational Coolify server, ready to deploy your applications cheaply and efficiently!

What is Coolify?

Coolify is a self-hosted PaaS (Platform-as-a-Service) that allows you to deploy applications without the complexity of Kubernetes. It provides a user-friendly UI, automatic SSL certificates, one-click deployments, and supports applications like Next.js, Node.js, Laravel, Python, and more.

• Cheaper than Vercel & Netlify – No high hosting fees or hidden costs.

• Supports multiple applications – Deploy multiple apps on a single server.

• Automatic SSL – Built-in Let’s Encrypt support for free HTTPS.

• Docker-based deployment – Easy to manage, scale, and deploy in containers.

• Database support – Seamlessly run PostgreSQL, MySQL, Redis, and MongoDB.

• GitHub Integration – Deploy directly from your repositories.

• Built-in CI/CD – Automatically build and deploy apps with every commit.

With Coolify, you get the power of Vercel, Netlify, and Render—but without the high costs!

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Prerequisites:

Before installing Coolify, make sure your Ubuntu server meets the following requirements:

✔ Ubuntu 20.04 / 24.04 , AMD64 or ARM64

✔ Root or sudo access

✔ At least CPU: 2 cores, 2GB RAM (Recommended: 4GB)

✔ A domain name (Optional, but useful for SSL)

✔ Storage: 30 GB of free space

Heads up!

If you’re running both builds and Coolify on the same server, keep an eye on resource usage. High load can make your server unresponsive.

To prevent issues, consider enabling swap space or upgrading your server if needed.

For the best experience, install Coolify on a fresh server to prevent conflicts with any existing applications.

Update and Upgrade Ubuntu

Before we start installing Coolify, update your server’s package list and upgrade existing packages:

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y

This ensures that you have the latest security patches and software updates.

·       Log in as the root user (non-root users are not fully supported yet).

·       Install and Configure SSH and open ports 80, 443, 8000 in the firewall.

·       Ensure that curl is installed (it usually comes pre-installed).

Quick Installation (Recommended)

This one-liner will automatically download and install Coolify, setting up everything you need to get started. It takes care of dependencies, Docker installation, and initial configurations—all in just a few minutes!

Before running this script, make sure you are (root) and your server meets the minimum requirements above. For advanced configurations, including firewall setup and troubleshooting, check out the official documentation.

curl -fsSL https://cdn.coollabs.io/coolify/install.sh | sudo bash

And that's it! you are ready to run 😎

Manual Installation? You can walk through the following steps:

Make sure you are using root user!

1. Install Docker & Docker Compose:

Coolify runs on Docker, so we need to install Docker and Docker Compose first.

A.   Install Docker (version 24+)

Run the following command to install Docker:

 curl -fsSL https://get.docker.com -o get-docker.sh
 sudo sh get-docker.sh

After installation, verify Docker is running:

docker --version

Enable and start Docker:

sudo systemctl enable --now docker

B. install Docker Compose:

sudo apt install docker-compose -y

Check if it’s installed correctly:

docker-compose --version

2. Install Coolify:

Now that your server is ready, it’s time to install Coolify. Simply clone the Coolify repository and run the installation script:

git clone https://github.com/coollabsio/coolify.git

cd coolify/scripts

./install.sh

Follow the on-screen instructions, and Coolify will be up and running in no time.

Open Coolify in Your Browser:

http://YOUR_SERVER_IP:8000

Visit the URL, and you’ll be taken to the registration page to set up your first admin account.

⚠️ Important Warning: Create your admin account immediately after installation. If someone else reaches the registration page before you, they could take full control of your server.

🎉 Congrats! You’ve successfully installed Coolify on your Ubuntu server. In the next part, I’ll guide you through configuring Coolify, securing your setup, and deploying your first application. 🚀

Part 2: Configure Coolify, Deploy and Manage Your First Project Like a Pro

Need Help Setting Up Coolify?

Looking for expert assistance with installing, configuring, or managing your Coolify server? You can hire me! Whether it’s deployment, troubleshooting, or optimizing your setup, I’ll guide you every step of the way.

📩 Reach out anytime! Let’s get your self-hosted deployment running smoothly and efficiently.