Coolify
Evidence
| Feature | Coolify | Evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free / from $5/mo | Free / from $49/mo |
| Free Plan | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Rating | 4.5 / 5 | 4.3 / 5 |
| Best For | indie-hackers, small-teams, self-hosters, privacy-conscious-developers | data-analysts, data-engineers, startups, analytics-teams |
| Founded | 2021 | 2021 |
| Git Deployments | ✓ | ✗ |
| Database Management | ✓ | ✗ |
| Auto Ssl | ✓ | ✗ |
| Backups | ✓ | ✗ |
| Monitoring | ✓ | ✗ |
| Docker Compose | ✓ | ✗ |
| Team Management | ✓ | ✗ |
| Sql Reporting | ✗ | ✓ |
| Markdown Pages | ✗ | ✓ |
| Charts | ✗ | ✓ |
| Static Deployment | ✗ | ✓ |
| Git Integration | ✗ | ✓ |
| Data Sources | ✗ | ✓ |
✓ Coolify Pros
- Self-hosted alternative to expensive PaaS platforms
- Beautiful modern UI with git-push deployments
- Manages databases, services, and apps in one place
- Automatic SSL and backups included
✗ Coolify Cons
- Self-hosting requires server management knowledge
- Newer project with occasional stability issues
- Documentation gaps for advanced configurations
✓ Evidence Pros
- Code-based reports (version controlled)
- Beautiful output
- Fast static deployment
- SQL-first approach
✗ Evidence Cons
- Requires SQL knowledge
- Not for ad-hoc exploration
- Smaller community
The Verdict
Coolify is built for indie hackers and small teams, with a focus on git-deployments and database-management. Evidence targets data analysts and data engineers and leads with sql-reporting and markdown-pages.
On pricing, Coolify is the clear winner for budget-conscious users — starting at $5/mo compared to $49/mo for Evidence. That $44/mo difference adds up quickly for growing teams.
Both offer free plans, so you can test each with your real workflow before committing to a subscription.
Feature-wise, Coolify offers broader built-in capabilities (7 features vs 6), while Evidence takes a more focused approach — which can mean a simpler, faster onboarding experience.
This is a genuinely close comparison. If you can, sign up for both free trials (where available) and run a one-week test with your actual team tasks before deciding.