PufferPanel Review, Pricing & Features

See how PufferPanel compares in 2026: free open source game server management, Docker and SFTP support, pricing (free), and how it stacks up against…

Category
Gaming & Game Servers
Pricing
Free and open source (Apache License 2.0); no paid tiers, optional GitHub Sponsors donations, from Free (self-hosted, open source)
Verified
Not yet
Last updated
July 19, 2026
Founded
2013
Headquarters
Not applicable - distributed open source project with no formal headquarters
Web AppAPIOpen SourceSelf-Hosted

Overview

PufferPanel is a free, open source game server management panel that began in 2013, built by two developers known online as puffrfish and Fishfish0001. The project started because puffrfish's small Minecraft hosting business needed a reliable panel after a commercial alternative shut down all customer servers during a denial-of-service attack on its licensing server.

Once the mid-2010s Minecraft hosting boom cooled, the creators released PufferPanel as a fully open source project under the Apache License 2.0, allowing anyone to run, modify, or even resell it commercially with no licensing fee.

Key Features

Written in Go, PufferPanel is intentionally lightweight and quick to install, supporting Minecraft and its Forge, NeoForge, and Sponge mod loaders, Source-engine dedicated servers, BungeeCord proxies, and PocketMine, among others, through an extensible template system.

The panel includes Docker container support, built-in SFTP file transfer, OAuth2 authentication for external identity integration, a browser-based file manager and code editor, and a real-time server console, all aimed at keeping day-to-day server administration simple.

Pricing

PufferPanel is completely free with no paid tiers; the Apache 2.0 license permits both personal and commercial use without any fee owed back to the project.

Because it is maintained by a small volunteer team working in their spare time rather than a funded company, PufferPanel relies on optional donations through GitHub Sponsors to support ongoing development, rather than charging users directly.

Key Features

Pros & Cons

Pros

  • Free, open source, Apache 2.0 licensed with no fees
  • Fast, beginner-friendly installation
  • Low resource consumption versus heavier panels
  • Broad multi-game template support
  • Commercial use permitted at no cost

Cons

  • Less container isolation and scaling than Pterodactyl for large multi-node operations
  • Maintained by a small volunteer team, leading to a slower release cadence
  • Smaller community and documentation base than Pterodactyl
  • No official paid support or SLA

Pricing

Frequently Asked Questions

Is PufferPanel free?

Yes, PufferPanel is Apache 2.0 licensed and free with no paid tiers.

Who created PufferPanel?

Developers known as puffrfish and Fishfish0001 created PufferPanel starting in 2013.

What games does PufferPanel support?

Minecraft and its mod loaders, Source-engine games, BungeeCord, PocketMine, and more through templates.

Is PufferPanel Docker-based?

Yes, it supports running game servers in Docker containers.

PufferPanel vs Pterodactyl, which is better?

PufferPanel is simpler and lighter for small single-host setups, while Pterodactyl offers stronger isolation and scales better for commercial multi-node hosting.

Can I use PufferPanel for a commercial hosting business?

Yes, this is permitted under the Apache 2.0 license.

Does PufferPanel support SFTP?

Yes, SFTP file transfer is built in.

Is PufferPanel actively maintained?

Yes, by a small volunteer team, supported through optional GitHub Sponsors donations.

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