DevWebUI vs Tilt in 2026
DevWebUI and Tilt compared on what each does, pricing, setup, daily use and questions to ask before choosing a local dev server manager.
SayDeploy is published by LunarWerx, which makes some of the tools compared here.
Tilt is an open source tool with live updates for running containers. [1] [1] It also lets users share their dev environment through Snapshots. [1] DevWebUI lets a developer start, stop and restart local dev servers from one dashboard, with status, CPU, memory and logs for each server. [2] Tilt's sources describe code updates for running containers, shared dev environments and team analytics. [1] [1] [1] DevWebUI's sources describe local server control, repo files for server lists and AI assistant control through 43 tools. [2] [2] [2]
| Option | Free to use | Paid plan | Account | Install |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tilt | Open source. [1] | Price not published. | Not published. | Install details not published. |
| DevWebUI | Free, and core features need no account. [2] | No paid tier price is stated in its sources. | DevWebUI says it is free, and its core features need no account. [2] | On Windows you download devwebui-windows-x64.exe from GitHub Releases; on any OS you run bun install and then bun run dev. [2] |
The short answer
Tilt is an open source tool with live updates for running containers. [1] [1] It also lets users share their dev environment through Snapshots. [1] DevWebUI lets a developer start, stop and restart local dev servers from one dashboard, and see each one's status, CPU, memory and logs. [2]
Tilt's sources say it meets needs around updating code in running containers, sharing dev environments and team analytics. [1] [1] [1] DevWebUI's sources say it meets needs around controlling local dev servers, storing server lists in repo files and letting AI assistants control dev servers. [2] [2] [2]
What Tilt is built for
Tilt's own pages say it is open source. [1] Tilt's live_update deploys code to running containers in seconds not minutes. [1]
Tilt's Snapshots feature lets users share their dev environment and collaborate on issues. [1] Tilt's team features include analytics to help understand usage and fix slowdowns proactively. [1] Tilt is maintained by Docker, Inc. [1] Support is available in the #tilt channel of the Kubernetes Slack during Mon-Fri EST business hours. [1]
What DevWebUI is built for
DevWebUI is made by the team that publishes this site.
DevWebUI lets a developer start, stop and restart local dev servers from one dashboard, and see each one's status, CPU, memory and logs. [2] One small file per repo lists the servers to run, and DevWebUI writes processes changed in the GUI back to that file. [2]
When a port is already taken, it shows which process holds it and can free the port if you ask. [2] Errors are collected into one log that merges repeats and is kept across restarts, and each file:line link opens in your editor. [2] AI assistants can control your dev servers through 43 tools using the same background service as the dashboard. [2]
Pricing and fees
Tilt is open source. [1] The facts provided here do not state a price, fee or paid plan for Tilt, so the price is not published here.
DevWebUI is free, and its core features need no account. [2] It is open source under the MIT License. [2] No paid tier price is stated in its sources.
Setting it up and daily use
The facts provided here say Tilt is open source and describe features such as live_update, Snapshots and team analytics, but they do not state installation steps. [1] [1] [1] [1]
On Windows, DevWebUI is installed by downloading devwebui-windows-x64.exe from GitHub Releases. [2] On any operating system, you run bun install and then bun run dev. [2] There is a prebuilt Windows x64 app, other systems run it from source with Bun, and the tray app is Windows-only for now. [2] Daily use includes controlling servers from the dashboard or from a devwebui command-line tool. [2] [2]
Things to check before you choose
Ask what you need the tool to manage and which type of development work matches your workflow. Tilt's sources describe running container code updates and shared dev environments. [1] [1] DevWebUI's claims describe local dev server control from one dashboard. [2]
Check the setup process, pricing, account needs and the way other tools can interact with the product. DevWebUI's claims cover installation, free use and AI assistant control. [2] [2] [2]
How to choose
If the need is updating code in running containers, Tilt's page describes live_update for that purpose. [1]
If the need is sharing a dev environment and collaborating on issues, Tilt's Snapshots feature describes that use. [1]
If the need is starting, stopping and restarting local dev servers from one dashboard with status, CPU, memory and logs, DevWebUI's claims describe that. [2] If the need is AI assistants controlling dev servers through 43 tools, DevWebUI's claims describe that. [2]
Frequently asked questions
Is Tilt free to use?
Tilt is open source. [1] The facts provided here do not state a price, fee or paid plan for Tilt, so the price is not published here. Check Tilt's own current information if a pricing detail is needed.
Is DevWebUI free and does it need an account?
DevWebUI is free, and its core features need no account. [2] It is open source under the MIT License. [2] The sources here do not state a paid tier price, so no paid price is published here.
How do Tilt and DevWebUI handle daily development work?
Tilt's sources describe live_update for deploying code to running containers and Snapshots for sharing dev environments. [1] [1] DevWebUI's claims describe starting, stopping and restarting local dev servers from one dashboard with status, CPU, memory and logs. [2]
How is DevWebUI installed?
On Windows, DevWebUI is installed by downloading devwebui-windows-x64.exe from GitHub Releases. [2] On any operating system, you run bun install and then bun run dev. [2] Other systems run it from source with Bun, while the tray app is Windows-only for now. [2]
Can AI assistants control DevWebUI?
DevWebUI has a stdio MCP server with 43 tools that lets AI agents control the same background service used by the GUI. [2] The facts provided here describe this as a way for AI assistants to control dev servers, but they do not describe support for specific assistant products.
DevWebUI is free, and its core features need no account. [2]
Try DevWebUISources
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