CapRover, Rebuilt for 2026
CapRover is an open-source, self-hosted PaaS built on Docker. sh0 adds a built-in Claude AI with 106 tools, an MCP server for Claude Desktop, code health scoring, and a CLI with sh0 push.
Quick Verdict
CapRover is an open-source, self-hosted PaaS built on Docker Swarm. sh0 shares the same self-hosted philosophy, with a Rust core, AI-powered debugging, a Svelte 5 dashboard, and zero-downtime blue-green deployments out of the box.
Feature-by-feature comparison
Side-by-side breakdown of what each platform offers.
| Feature | sh0 | CapRover |
|---|---|---|
| Language | Rust (single binary) | TypeScript (Node.js), Docker + nginx |
| CLI push deploy | sh0 push: live in 35s | caprover deploy |
| Zero-downtime deploys | Blue-green | Yes, with Docker HEALTHCHECK (non-persistent apps) |
| Multi-server BYOS | SSH tunnel, Business plan | Docker Swarm |
| Scaling | CPU/memory auto-scale | Manual instance count (Docker Swarm) |
| CLI commands | 30+, JSON output | Yes |
| Templates | 171 one-click | 350+ one-click apps |
Sources (checked on 13 October 2026): CapRover· CapRover deployment methods· CapRover zero-downtime deployments· CapRover app scaling and cluster
Why Developers Switch
Real problems, real solutions.
Multi-server runs on Docker Swarm
To scale across servers, CapRover joins each node to a Docker Swarm cluster, as described in its cluster documentation.
sh0 SSH-based pure Rust
sh0 connects to remote servers via SSH tunnel. No Swarm, no overlay networks, no consensus protocol. Add a server, deploy to it.
Key Differentiators
What sets sh0 apart from CapRover.
Built-in Claude AI
106 tools for deployment, debugging, log analysis, and infrastructure management. MCP server for Claude Desktop and Cursor. AI sandbox for safe experimentation.
CLI with sh0 push
30+ commands with JSON output. Deploy with a single sh0 push command -- live in 35 seconds. Scriptable, automatable, CI-friendly.
Modern Architecture
Rust binary, Svelte 5 dashboard, blue-green deployments, CPU/memory auto-scaling. No Docker Swarm, no overlay networks -- just SSH and containers.
Beyond Deployment: Full Backend Services
CapRover deploys containers. sh0 also includes managed backend services out of the box.
PostgREST API
Auto-generated REST API from your PostgreSQL tables. One-click enable.
Auth Service (Logto)
OIDC-compliant auth with social login, MFA, and admin console.
Realtime (Centrifugo)
WebSocket + SSE with channels, presence, and history.
Serverless Functions (Deno)
TypeScript/JavaScript functions, HTTP-invokable.
S3 Storage (MinIO)
S3-compatible object storage with web console and access keys.
Email Hosting (Stalwart)
DKIM/SPF/DMARC auto-config. Cloudflare DNS auto-setup.
Pricing comparison
CapRover is free and open source. sh0 includes AI and support.
| Tier | sh0 | CapRover |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | Free (open source) |
| Solo | $19/mo | Free (self-hosted) |
| Teams | $99/mo | Free (self-hosted) |
Ready to upgrade from CapRover?
Install sh0 in 30 seconds. Free forever for 1 stack, unlimited apps.