Open-source alternative
Replace Render with Coolify + Cloudron
The best open-source alternative to Render is Coolify or Cloudron, self-hosted on Railway. A PaaS you run: git push, SSL, databases. Heroku, Render, and Fly.io without the dyno or compute invoice.
Estimated save $2,400 a year.
Open the stackStart on Railway
How Render compares
| Render | Coolify + Cloudron | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Workspace plan plus compute | Open-source or fair-code license; you pay the host |
| Hosting | Vendor cloud | Self-hosted on Railway or any VPS |
| Rough monthly cost | Pro $25/mo + compute; 1 CPU / 2 GB web service $25/mo source | Hosting only — no SaaS seat meter in this repo |
FAQ
- Is it free?
- The Coolify + Cloudron licenses are open source or fair-code. You still pay hosting (Railway or any VPS) and any APIs the stack calls. There is no Render seat or task bill on this path.
- Can I migrate from Render?
- Yes. Start with the workflows or data you actually use, then cut over. The Coolify + Cloudron stack page has the agent prompt and the cost table; most teams rebuild the slice that matters and leave old Render links until they expire.
- How do I deploy it?
- Open the Coolify + Cloudron stack, copy the agent prompt, and deploy on Railway (one service, PORT, and a volume when the app needs disk). Coolify wants Docker socket and a public IP — a VPS more than a single Railway service. Document the VPS path; Railway remains how c17 itself deploys.
- What does this replace?
- Heroku / Render / Fly.io. The published small-team estimate on this stack is $2,400 a year.
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