Beszel vs Dozzle
Beszel and Dozzle solve different problems. Beszel tracks server metrics and Docker resource usage over time. Dozzle streams Docker container logs in real time. Most self-hosters run both side by side.
Beszel vs Dozzle: The Verdict
Beszel is a server monitoring tool that tracks CPU, memory, disk, network, and Docker container resource usage with historical data and alerts. Dozzle is a real-time Docker log viewer that streams container logs in a clean web UI. They are complementary tools, not competitors. Use Beszel to know when a container is using too much CPU. Use Dozzle to read that container's logs and find out why.
Last updated: 2026-03-20Quick Comparison
| Feature | Dozzle | Beszel |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Function | Docker container log viewer | Server and Docker metrics monitoring |
| What It Shows | Real-time container log output | CPU, memory, disk, network, Docker stats |
| Historical Data | No (real-time streaming only) | Yes (days/weeks/months of metrics) |
| Alerting | Log pattern matching (webhooks) | Resource threshold alerts (CPU, memory, disk) |
| Docker Support | Logs from all containers | Resource usage per container |
| Multi-Host | Yes (remote agents) | Yes (hub + agents) |
| Setup | Single Docker container | Hub + agent per server |
| Resource Usage | Very lightweight | Very lightweight (<10MB) |
| Use Together | Yes - common pairing | Yes - common pairing |
| Source Code | Apache 2.0 (open source) | MIT license (open source) |
Where Dozzle Gets Expensive
Trade-offs to weigh before committing.
Logs Only, No Metrics
Dozzle only shows container log output. It doesn't track CPU, memory, disk, or network usage. You won't know if a container is consuming too much RAM unless it logs that information itself.
No Historical Data
Dozzle streams logs in real time but doesn't store them. Once you close the browser or the container restarts, older logs may be gone. There's no "show me logs from last Tuesday" feature.
Log-Only Alerts
Dozzle can send alerts when log patterns match (via webhooks to Slack/Discord), but it can't alert on resource usage. If a container is silently consuming all available memory without logging errors, Dozzle won't catch it.
Docker-Only
Dozzle only works with Docker containers. It can't monitor bare-metal server health, systemd services, or non-Docker workloads.
Why Self-Host with Beszel?
What you get when you pick this stack.
Full Server Health Picture
Beszel shows CPU, memory, disk, and network for the entire host plus per-container Docker stats. You see the full picture, not just log output.
Historical Metrics
Track resource usage over days, weeks, and months. Spot trends like gradually increasing memory usage before it becomes a problem.
Alerts When Things Break
Set threshold alerts for CPU, memory, and disk usage. Get notified before your server runs out of resources, not after.
Pairs Perfectly with Dozzle
Many self-hosters run Beszel for metrics and Dozzle for logs. Beszel tells you something is wrong, Dozzle helps you find out why.
Real Cost Comparison
Monitoring 3 Docker hosts with 20+ containers each.
- Dozzle: free (open source)
- What you get: container logs only
- What you miss: CPU/memory/disk metrics, alerts, historical data
- When something crashes: check logs manually
- InstaPods Launch plan: $3/mo (Beszel hub)
- Beszel agents: free (on your servers)
- Add Dozzle: free (on each Docker host)
- Full coverage: metrics + logs + alerts
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I use Beszel or Dozzle?
Use both. They solve different problems. Beszel monitors server metrics (CPU, memory, disk, Docker resource usage) with historical data and alerts. Dozzle shows real-time Docker container logs. Together they give you complete visibility: Beszel tells you something is wrong, Dozzle helps you read the logs to find out why.
Can Dozzle show CPU and memory usage?
No. Dozzle only shows Docker container log output. For CPU, memory, disk, and network metrics, you need a monitoring tool like Beszel, Netdata, or Grafana + Prometheus.
What is the best Docker monitoring stack?
For most self-hosters, Beszel + Dozzle is the simplest complete stack. Beszel handles server and container metrics with alerts, Dozzle handles container logs. Both are lightweight and take minutes to set up. For more advanced needs, Grafana + Prometheus + Loki covers metrics and logs but requires significantly more configuration.
Is Dozzle free?
Yes, Dozzle is free and open source under the Apache 2.0 license. It runs as a single Docker container and requires no configuration.
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