Pterodactyl Panel (Cloud)

Best Self Hosted Alternatives to Pterodactyl Panel (Cloud)

A curated collection of the 8 best self hosted alternatives to Pterodactyl Panel (Cloud).

Cloud-hosted Pterodactyl Panel provides a web UI and API to provision, control, and monitor game servers and application containers across multiple nodes. Servers run in isolated Docker containers with resource limits, user management, and node orchestration.

Alternatives List

#1
Pterodactyl

Pterodactyl

Open-source game server management panel for deploying and managing game servers in isolated Docker containers with a modern web UI and API.

Pterodactyl screenshot

Pterodactyl is an open-source game server management panel for hosting and operating game servers on one or more machines. It provides a modern web interface for end users and administrators, while running each server inside an isolated Docker container for security and resource control.

Key Features

  • Web-based panel for creating, configuring, and managing game servers
  • Docker-based isolation per server with resource limits to reduce attack surface
  • Multi-node architecture (panel manages nodes running the Wings daemon)
  • User, permission, and server management suitable for communities or hosting providers
  • API for automation and integrations with external systems
  • Supports a wide range of popular games via community-maintained “eggs”

Use Cases

  • Hosting multiple game servers for a community on a single machine with strict limits
  • Managing game server fleets across multiple nodes for a small hosting business
  • Providing end-user self-service controls for starting, stopping, and updating servers

Limitations and Considerations

  • Requires Docker and a separate node agent (Wings) on each machine that runs servers
  • Game support depends on available container definitions (eggs) and may require tuning per game

Pterodactyl is a solid choice when you need a secure, container-based approach to game server hosting with a polished user experience. It scales from a single homelab node to multi-node deployments while keeping operational workflows centralized in the panel.

8.5kstars
2.4kforks
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#2
Pelican Panel

Pelican Panel

Pelican Panel is an open-source web control panel for managing game servers, offering Docker-based isolation, deployment workflows, and real-time resource monitoring.

Pelican Panel screenshot

Pelican Panel is an open-source, web-based control panel for deploying, configuring, and managing game servers. It provides a centralized UI for server administration with container-based isolation and flexible customization, suitable for individuals and hosting providers.

Key Features

  • Web UI for provisioning and managing game server instances
  • Docker container isolation per server to avoid host dependency bloat
  • Real-time resource monitoring for managed servers
  • “Egg” templating system for defining server types and install/run logic
  • Extensible management workflows designed for multi-server and multi-user environments

Use Cases

  • Hosting multiple game servers on a single machine with isolated dependencies
  • Offering game server hosting to customers with a self-serve management panel
  • Standardizing deployment of common server stacks (for example Minecraft or SteamCMD-based games)

Limitations and Considerations

  • Requires a container runtime and correct Docker permissions/networking to run servers reliably
  • Game support depends on available and maintained egg definitions for each server type

Pelican Panel focuses on making game server operations repeatable and approachable through a modern web interface and containerized deployments. It is a strong fit when you need a structured panel experience rather than manual server management.

1.8kstars
255forks
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#3
PufferPanel

PufferPanel

Open source web panel to install, run, and manage multiple game servers from one central UI with multi-user access and support for popular server types.

PufferPanel is a web-based game server management system for running and administering multiple game servers from a single interface. It is designed to be easy to install and suitable for personal servers as well as small-to-medium game hosting networks.

Key Features

  • Centralized management for multiple game servers from one web UI
  • Multi-user access to delegate servers to other users or share access to existing servers
  • Supports popular server types including Minecraft (and modded variants) and Source Dedicated Server-based games
  • Template-based server creation and configuration to standardize deployments
  • Process control and lifecycle management (start, stop, restart) with server console access

Use Cases

  • Hosting and managing a small set of community game servers on a single machine
  • Providing game server access to multiple users while keeping permissions separated
  • Standardizing deployments for a small game server network using reusable templates

Limitations and Considerations

  • Focused on game server hosting; it is not a general-purpose container or VM management platform

PufferPanel is a practical choice when you need a lightweight, web-managed way to operate multiple game servers. Its emphasis on simplicity and multi-user management makes it well-suited to shared environments and small hosting setups.

1.6kstars
250forks
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#4
Lodestone

Lodestone

Open source game server hosting and management tool with a web dashboard, file manager, real-time status, and user permissions for Minecraft and other multiplayer servers.

Lodestone screenshot

Lodestone is a free and open source tool for hosting and managing Minecraft and other multiplayer game servers. It provides a dashboard-oriented workflow focused on quick setup, remote administration, and multi-user collaboration.

Key Features

  • Web-based dashboard with a clean, intuitive UI
  • One-click installation and setup for supported server types
  • Real-time server status and monitoring views
  • Built-in file manager for common admin tasks (upload, download, unzip, copy/paste)
  • Collaborative remote management with user permissions
  • Security-focused backend written in safe Rust (unsafe code forbidden)
  • Extensibility via a macro-based extension system
  • Optional connectivity without port forwarding via a third-party tunnel integration

Use Cases

  • Run and administer a Minecraft server for a community, friends, or a small network
  • Centralize management of multiple game servers with delegated access for moderators
  • Provide a lightweight remote admin experience with file operations and live status

Limitations and Considerations

  • No formal security audit has been completed, as noted by the project
  • Some features are still in progress (for example, Docker container management)
  • Desktop app support is limited and may be unstable compared to the CLI + web dashboard approach

Lodestone is a strong fit for administrators who want a modern UI and collaborative controls for game server operations. Its Rust-based core and permission model make it particularly suited to shared environments where safety and access control matter.

1.2kstars
49forks
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#5
auto-mcs

auto-mcs

GUI and CLI tool to quickly create, manage, update, and back up Minecraft servers with mod/plugin support, remote access, and a built-in scripting IDE.

auto-mcs screenshot

auto-mcs is a cross-platform Minecraft server manager that simplifies creating, importing, updating, and running multiplayer servers. It provides a single interface to manage vanilla and modded servers, handle backups, and perform administrative tasks without manual server installation.

Key Features

  • Create a Minecraft server quickly from templates or from imported server/modpack files
  • Supports a wide range of distributions and modloaders (Vanilla, Paper, Purpur, Fabric, Quilt, Forge, NeoForge, Spigot, CraftBukkit and more)
  • Mod & plugin manager with Modrinth integration for searching, installing, and updating addons
  • Automatic server installation, updates, and configurable automatic backups
  • Built-in console with a universal scripting API and an integrated IDE for automation and custom scripts
  • Firewall-like access control UI for operators, bans, whitelist, and basic permissions management
  • Remote management capabilities and NAT traversal integration to avoid manual port forwarding
  • Crash detection with accessible crash reports and a server.properties editor for quick configuration

Use Cases

  • Host a private multiplayer server for friends with minimal setup and maintenance overhead
  • Manage and update a modded Minecraft server (install modpacks, switch modloaders, update mods) from a single UI
  • Provide remote administration and automated backups for hobbyist or small community servers

Limitations and Considerations

  • The project is under active development; features and behaviors may change between releases
  • No-port-forwarding convenience depends on third-party NAT traversal/remote-access integrations when used
  • Some interactive desktop features (IDE, UI-driven workflows) may be limited or behave differently in headless or containerized deployments

auto-mcs consolidates server lifecycle tasks — creation, mod management, backups, and remote administration — into a single, approachable app for running Minecraft servers across platforms.

395stars
21forks
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#6
Easy-WI

Easy-WI

Responsive PHP web interface to manage and automate game servers, Teamspeak voice servers, webspace and databases with monitoring, REST API and reseller support.

Easy-WI screenshot

Easy-WI is a PHP-based web interface designed to manage and automate game servers, voice servers and web hosting resources. It provides a CMS, multi-tenant/reseller features and a REST API so hosting providers, clans or event organizers can run and monitor distributed server fleets.

Key Features

  • Responsive Bootstrap-based UI optimized for mobile and desktop
  • Manage game servers and Teamspeak voice servers with automated deployment and shared-image symlink support
  • Webspace management for Apache and Nginx, plus MySQL/MariaDB database management
  • Monitoring and auto-restart on crash with configurable checks and remediation
  • REST API for integrating modules into shops or external platforms (WHMCS, Magento, etc.)
  • Reseller and multi-tenant account support, plus import of existing servers
  • Multilingual interface and separation of PHP modules from HTML views for templating
  • Installer and packaged scripts for common Linux distributions, plus optional server-side helpers

Use Cases

  • Hosters offering automated game-server and voice-server rental services with reseller accounts
  • Clan administrators or LAN/event organizers managing multiple game and voice daemons centrally
  • Small web hosts requiring integrated webspace, database and daemon management with monitoring and automation

Limitations and Considerations

  • Requires PHP 7.4+ with extensions (openssl, json, hash, ftp, SimpleXML, curl, gd, PDO, pdo_mysql) installed
  • Game server module depends on system tools like sudo, cron, proftpd and bash at the game root; voice module works best with Linux Teamspeak setups
  • Official installers target specific distro versions; manual adjustments may be needed for newer or heavily customized environments

Easy-WI is a focused control panel for automating and monitoring game, voice and web hosting workflows. It emphasizes automation, REST integration and multi-tenant management for small to mid-sized hosting scenarios.

242stars
81forks
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#7
Kubek

Kubek

Kubek is a cross-platform web control panel for hosting and managing Minecraft Java and Bedrock servers, with plugin/mod management, file manager, FTP and role-based access.

Kubek screenshot

Kubek is a web-based control panel for running and managing Minecraft servers. It provides a single-page interface to create and manage server instances, plugins and mods, edit server configuration, and control access via users and roles. The project targets Linux, Windows and macOS and can be run as a Docker container or from Node.js.

Key Features

  • Cross-platform single-page web UI for server lifecycle management (start/stop/restart)
  • Plugin and mod management with native support for multiple server cores (Vanilla, PaperMC, Spigot, Waterfall, Velocity, Purpur, Magma)
  • Built-in file manager with syntax highlighting and an integrated FTP server for file transfers
  • Server properties editor and live server console/terminal for command input and log viewing
  • User and role access control to restrict server access and permissions
  • Supports both Java and Bedrock editions and provides a Telegram bot for notifications and remote commands
  • Deployable via Docker or run from source (requires Node.js >= 20)

Use Cases

  • Host and administrate personal or community Minecraft servers with a web UI for non-technical users
  • Manage plugins, mods and server configuration centrally for multiple server instances
  • Delegate access to moderators or contributors using role-based permissions while retaining centralized control

Limitations and Considerations

  • Designed as a single-instance control panel; not intended for large-scale clustered orchestration
  • Building from source requires Node.js >= 20; Docker image usage requires careful host volume and port configuration
  • Using host networking mode exposes all server ports and disables port remapping, which may impact multi-instance setups

Kubek is suited for operators who need a focused, lightweight web interface to run and maintain Minecraft servers, manage plugins and files, and provide controlled access to team members. It emphasizes simplicity, cross-platform compatibility and integrated file/FTP management.

126stars
30forks
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#8
Crafty Controller

Crafty Controller

Open-source web control panel to create, run and manage Java and Bedrock Minecraft servers with file management, backups, user controls and Docker support.

Crafty Controller is an open-source web-based panel for running and administering Minecraft servers. It provides a browser-accessible interface to create servers, manage players and settings, run commands, and handle server files and backups.

Key Features

  • Web UI for creating, starting/stopping and configuring Minecraft servers (supports Java jar servers and Bedrock executables).
  • Integrated file manager and console to edit server files, view logs and run server commands from the panel.
  • Backup and restore system with configurable schedules and ad-hoc backups.
  • User and permission management with MFA support and Argon2 password hashing for accounts.
  • Multiple install options including native installers, Docker images and platform packages; a mobile monitoring app is available.
  • Docker and docker-compose support for containerized deployments and dedicated installer scripts for Linux/Windows.
  • Designed for running many servers/versions concurrently with per-server configuration and automated server creation tools.

Use Cases

  • Hosting and managing private or small community Minecraft servers with centralized web administration.
  • Running multiple server instances (different versions/modpacks) on a single host with easy backups and file editing.
  • Deploying Crafty in a Docker-based home server environment to simplify upgrades and isolation.

Limitations and Considerations

  • Users have reported occasional web UI hangs, timeouts and background services freezing in some environments; restarts or debugging may be required.
  • Some Docker image and upload behaviors can increase image size if upload paths are not volume-mapped; careful volume configuration is recommended.
  • Known compatibility issues have appeared with certain Python/C extension builds (example: orjson) and newer Python versions; check runtime requirements before upgrading the host Python.
  • A small number of issues in recent releases relate to MFA setup, database locking on high-concurrency operations, and edge-case Bedrock/upgrade flows; review open issue tracker items for current status.

Crafty Controller is focused on providing a full-featured, community-driven control panel for Minecraft server operators who want a local, extensible web interface. It is actively developed with a public repository, Docker images, and community support channels for troubleshooting and contribution.

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Why choose an open source alternative?

  • •Data ownership: Keep your data on your own servers
  • •No vendor lock-in: Freedom to switch or modify at any time
  • •Cost savings: Reduce or eliminate subscription fees
  • •Transparency: Audit the code and know exactly what's running