Sailbox vs Coolify
Coolify is a popular self-hosted PaaS built on Docker Compose. Sailbox takes a different approach — real Kubernetes under the hood.
Coolify is an excellent and well-maintained self-hosted platform that simplifies Docker Compose deployments. Both platforms let you deploy apps and databases with a web UI. Sailbox differentiates by using real Kubernetes (K3s) as its orchestrator — giving you autoscaling, health probes, rolling deploys, and kubectl compatibility that Docker Compose doesn't support.
Feature comparison
| Feature | Sailbox | Coolify |
|---|---|---|
| Open Source | ✓ | ✓ |
| Real Kubernetes | ✓ | — |
| Autoscaling (HPA) | ✓ | — |
| Health Probes | ✓ | — |
| In-Cluster Builds | ✓ | — |
| Rolling Deploys | ✓ | ~ |
| Database Backups | ✓ | ✓ |
| Two-Factor Auth | ✓ | — |
| kubectl Compatible | ✓ | — |
What sets Sailbox apart
Real Kubernetes, not a wrapper
Sailbox runs K3s — a CNCF-certified Kubernetes distribution. Your apps run as real Deployments with kubectl access. No lock-in, no abstraction layer.
In-cluster builds with Kaniko
No Docker socket exposure. Sailbox builds container images inside the cluster using Kaniko, which is more secure and doesn't require privileged containers.
Production features built in
Autoscaling (HPA), health probes, rolling deploys, RBAC, 2FA, automated database backups — everything you need for production, included from day one.
Frequently asked questions
Can I migrate from Coolify to Sailbox?
Sailbox uses a different orchestrator (Kubernetes vs Docker Compose), so there's no direct migration tool. However, if your apps use Git-based deployment, you can point the same repositories at Sailbox and redeploy. Database data can be migrated via standard dump/restore tools.
Does Sailbox support as many services as Coolify?
Coolify has a larger catalog of one-click services. Sailbox focuses on the core: applications, databases (PostgreSQL, MySQL, MariaDB, Redis, MongoDB), and cron jobs. Any Docker image can be deployed as an application.
Why Kubernetes instead of Docker Compose?
Kubernetes provides autoscaling (HPA), health probes, rolling deploys with zero downtime, and native CronJob support. These features are difficult or impossible to replicate with Docker Compose. Sailbox uses K3s, which is lightweight enough to run on a single $5 VPS.
Get started with Sailbox
One command to install. Runs on any Linux server with 2GB RAM.