Self-hosting CloudBeaver the easy way
Yulei ChenCloudBeaver is a lightweight, open-source web application for database management. It is built by the team behind DBeaver and supports PostgreSQL, MySQL, MariaDB, SQLite, MongoDB, and many more. If you need a browser-based database GUI that your whole team can access, CloudBeaver is a solid choice. Self-hosting it means you keep full control over your data and avoid per-seat licensing costs.
Sliplane is a managed container platform that makes self-hosting painless. With one-click deployment, you can get CloudBeaver up and running in minutes - no server setup, no reverse proxy config, no infrastructure to maintain.
Prerequisites
Before deploying, ensure you have a Sliplane account (free trial available).
Quick start
Sliplane provides one-click deployment with presets.
Deploy CloudBeaver >- Click the deploy button above
- Select a project
- Select a server (If you just signed up you get a 48-hour free trial server)
- Click Deploy!
About the preset
The one-click deploy above uses Sliplane's CloudBeaver preset. Here is what it includes:
- Official
dbeaver/cloudbeaverDocker image - Specific version tag (
26.0.4) for stability - Persistent storage mounted to
/opt/cloudbeaver/workspaceso your connections and settings survive restarts - Port
8978exposed over HTTPS
Next steps
Once CloudBeaver is running, open the domain Sliplane assigned (e.g. cloudbeaver-xxxx.sliplane.app). You will see the CloudBeaver setup wizard on first launch.
Initial setup wizard
The first time you open CloudBeaver, it walks you through a short setup:
- Set the administrator credentials (username and password)
- Configure the server name and session settings
- Optionally enable anonymous access
After that, log in with the admin account you just created.
Adding database connections
Click the + button in the top-left corner to add a new connection. CloudBeaver supports a wide range of databases out of the box, including PostgreSQL, MySQL, MariaDB, SQLite, Oracle, SQL Server, and MongoDB.
If your database runs on the same Sliplane server, use the internal service hostname (e.g. postgres-xxxx.internal) as the host. If it runs elsewhere, use its public URL or IP. For tips on running PostgreSQL alongside other services, check out best practices for Postgres in Docker.
Environment variables
The preset keeps things minimal, but you can add environment variables in the Sliplane service settings if needed:
| Variable | Description |
|---|---|
CB_SERVER_NAME | Custom display name for the CloudBeaver server |
CB_ADMIN_NAME | Override the default admin username |
CB_ADMIN_PASSWORD | Override the default admin password |
Logging
CloudBeaver logs to STDOUT by default, which works well with Sliplane's built-in log viewer. For general Docker logging tips, check out our post on how to use Docker logs.
Troubleshooting
If CloudBeaver does not start or the health check fails, check the logs in Sliplane. Common issues include:
- Port mismatch: The preset uses port
8978. If you change the port, update thePORTenvironment variable accordingly. - Volume permissions: If you see permission errors, try redeploying the service. The container runs as a non-root user and needs write access to
/opt/cloudbeaver/workspace.
Cost comparison
You can also self-host CloudBeaver with other cloud providers. Here is a pricing comparison for the most common ones:
| Provider | vCPU | RAM | Disk | Monthly Cost | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sliplane | 2 | 2 GB | 40 GB | €9 (~$10.65) | Flat rate, 1 TB bandwidth, SSL included |
| Fly.io | 2 | 2 GB | 40 GB | ~$18 | Disk and bandwidth billed separately |
| Render | 1 | 2 GB | 40 GB | ~$35 | 100 GB bandwidth, Disk billed separately |
| Railway | 2 | 2 GB | 40 GB | ~$67 + $20 plan | Pro plan floor, usage-based, bandwidth billed separately |
Click here to see how these numbers were calculated.
(Assuming an always-on instance running 730 hrs/month)
- Sliplane: flat €9/month for the Base server. Unlimited services on the same server, 1 TB egress and SSL included.
- Fly.io:
shared-cpu-2x2 GB = $11.83/mo + 40 GB volume × $0.15/GB = $6 -> ~$17.83/mo. Egress billed separately ($0.02/GB in EU). - Render: closest match is Standard ($25, 1 vCPU / 2 GB) plus 40 GB disk × $0.25/GB = $10 -> ~$35/mo. Stepping up to Pro (2 vCPU / 4 GB) costs $85/mo + disk.
- Railway (Pro plan): CPU 2 × $0.00000772/s × 2,628,000 s = $40.57; RAM 2 × $0.00000386/s × 2,628,000 s = $20.29; volume 40 × $0.00000006/s × 2,628,000 s = $6.31 -> ~$67/mo compute, plus the $20/mo Pro plan floor and $0.05/GB egress.
Bandwidth costs can add up fast on usage-based providers. Use our bandwidth cost comparison tool to see what your egress would cost on each platform.
FAQ
What databases does CloudBeaver support?
CloudBeaver supports PostgreSQL, MySQL, MariaDB, SQLite, Oracle, SQL Server, MongoDB, ClickHouse, and many more. The full list of supported drivers is available in the CloudBeaver documentation.
Can I configure CloudBeaver with a config file?
Yes. CloudBeaver reads its configuration from files in the workspace directory (/opt/cloudbeaver/workspace). Since the preset mounts this path as a persistent volume, any changes you make through the UI or by editing the config files directly will persist across restarts.
How do I update CloudBeaver?
Change the image tag in your Sliplane service settings to the newer version and redeploy. Check Docker Hub for the latest stable version.
Are there alternatives to CloudBeaver?
Yes. Popular options include Drizzle Gateway (a lightweight database GUI for Postgres, MySQL, and SQLite), Metabase (focused on business analytics and dashboards), and Adminer (a minimal single-file PHP database manager). Each tool has different strengths depending on whether you need query editing, visual analytics, or team collaboration.
Can multiple users access CloudBeaver at the same time?
Yes. CloudBeaver supports multi-user access out of the box. After initial setup, you can create additional user accounts through the admin panel. Each user gets their own set of saved connections and query history.
