Self-hosting Glances the easy way
Yulei ChenGlances is a cross-platform system monitoring tool written in Python. It gives you a real-time overview of CPU, memory, disk I/O, network traffic, and running processes - all in a clean web dashboard. It's lightweight, open-source, and a popular choice for keeping an eye on your infrastructure.
Sliplane is a managed container platform that makes self-hosting painless. With one-click deployment, you can get Glances 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 Glances >- 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 Glances preset. Here's what's included:
- Official
nicolargo/glancesDocker image - Specific version tag (
4.5.4) for stability - Web server mode enabled via
GLANCES_OPT=-w - Port
61208pre-configured for the web UI - No persistent volumes needed since Glances monitors in real-time
Next steps
Once Glances is running on Sliplane, access it using the domain Sliplane provided (e.g. glances-xxxx.sliplane.app). The web dashboard loads immediately with no login required.
What you'll see
Glances shows live metrics for the container it runs in, including:
- CPU usage and load averages
- Memory and swap usage
- Disk I/O read/write rates
- Network traffic per interface
- Running processes sorted by resource consumption
Configuration
You can customize Glances behavior through the GLANCES_OPT environment variable. Some useful flags:
| Flag | Description |
|---|---|
-w | Start in web server mode (already set by default) |
--disable-plugin PLUGIN | Disable a specific plugin (e.g. docker, sensors) |
-t SECONDS | Set the refresh interval (default: 2 seconds) |
--theme-white | Use a light theme instead of the default dark theme |
For example, to set a 5-second refresh interval, change GLANCES_OPT to -w -t 5.
REST API
Glances exposes a REST API alongside the web UI. You can query system stats programmatically:
GET /api/4/cpu- CPU usageGET /api/4/mem- Memory usageGET /api/4/diskio- Disk I/OGET /api/4/network- Network statsGET /api/4/all- All stats at once
Check the Glances API docs for the full list of endpoints.
Logging
Glances logs to STDOUT by default, which works well with Sliplane's built-in log viewer. For general Docker log tips, check out our post on how to use Docker logs.
Cost comparison
You can also self-host Glances 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 can Glances monitor in a container?
When running in a container, Glances monitors the resources allocated to that container: CPU, memory, disk I/O, and network. It won't see host-level processes unless you grant additional privileges. For container-level monitoring, it works out of the box.
How do I change the refresh interval?
Set the GLANCES_OPT environment variable to -w -t <seconds>. For example, -w -t 10 refreshes the dashboard every 10 seconds instead of the default 2.
How do I update Glances?
Change the image tag in your service settings on Sliplane and redeploy. Check Docker Hub for the latest stable version.
Are there alternatives to Glances?
Yes. Grafana is a more full-featured monitoring and dashboarding platform (great when you need custom dashboards and alerting). Netdata offers real-time monitoring with auto-detection. Prometheus is metrics-focused and often paired with Grafana. Check our post on 5 awesome Grafana alternatives for a broader comparison.
Can I use Glances' REST API for custom integrations?
Absolutely. Glances exposes a full REST API at /api/4/ that returns JSON. You can poll endpoints like /api/4/cpu or /api/4/mem from your own scripts, dashboards, or alerting systems. The API runs on the same port as the web UI, so no extra configuration is needed.
