PM2 Runtime remains free because it is open source, and PM2 Plus does not offer a free plan. Paying yearly gives a 20% discount on the PM2 Plus subscription . A dollar price for PM2 Plus is not published here .

Foreman vs PM2 in 2026

Q: Does DevWebUI need an account?

DevWebUI's core features need no account .

Foreman and PM2 compared with DevWebUI on features, pricing, setup and questions to ask before choosing a local dev server manager.

By SayDeploy · 2026-10-13

SayDeploy is published by LunarWerx, which makes some of the tools compared here.

Foreman is installed with the gem command and its page says it is licensed under the MIT license ^[1] ^[1]. PM2 is a daemon process manager that helps manage applications and keep them online 24/7 ^[2]. DevWebUI starts, stops and restarts local dev servers from one dashboard and shows each server's status, CPU, memory and logs ^[3]. DevWebUI says it lets developers start, stop and restart local dev servers from one dashboard. ^[3]

Option	Free to use	Paid plan	Install
Foreman	not published	not published	Foreman can be installed with the gem command, which installs Ruby software. ^[1]
PM2	PM2 Runtime remains free as it is open source ^[4]	PM2 Runtime remains free because it is open source, and PM2 Plus does not offer a free plan. ^[4]	npm install pm2 -g ^[2]
DevWebUI	Free, core features need no account ^[3]	Free ^[3]	devwebui-windows-x64.exe from GitHub Releases, or bun install then bun run dev ^[3]

The short answer

Foreman is installed with the gem command and its page says it is licensed under the MIT license ^[1] ^[1]. PM2 is a daemon process manager that helps manage applications and keep them online 24/7 ^[2]. DevWebUI lets a developer start, stop and restart local dev servers from one dashboard, with status, CPU, memory and logs for each server ^[3].

PM2's sources say it covers keeping an application online ^[2]. PM2 also describes an AI assistant that connects Claude, Cursor or any MCP-compatible AI assistant to monitoring data after a PM2.io account sign in ^[2]. DevWebUI says it lets developers start, stop and restart local dev servers from one dashboard. ^[3]

What Foreman and PM2 are built for

Foreman's source says it is installed via the gem command and that it is licensed under the MIT license ^[1] ^[1].

PM2's own page says it is a daemon process manager that helps manage applications and keep them online 24/7 ^[2]. PM2.io says it lets Claude, Cursor or any MCP-compatible AI assistant (MCP is a standard way for AI assistants to use other programs) connect to monitoring data such as server status, metrics, logs, exceptions, traces and alerts, secured by OAuth (a sign-in method that lets a tool use your account without your password) with a PM2.io account. ^[2]

What DevWebUI is built for

DevWebUI is made by the team that publishes this site.

DevWebUI lets you start, stop and restart your local dev servers from one dashboard, and see each one's status, CPU, memory and logs ^[3]. One small file per repo lists the servers to run, and DevWebUI writes processes changed in the GUI back to that file ^[3].

When a port is already taken, it shows which process holds it and can free the port if you ask ^[3]. Errors are collected into one log that merges repeats and is kept across restarts, and each file:line link opens in your editor ^[3]. AI assistants can control your dev servers through 43 tools ^[3].

Pricing and fees

The Foreman page gives no price. It says Foreman is licensed under the MIT license ^[1]. PM2 Runtime remains free because it is open source, and PM2 Plus does not offer a free plan. ^[4] A dollar price for PM2 Plus is not published here ^[4].

DevWebUI is free, and its core features need no account ^[3]. DevWebUI is open source under the MIT License ^[3].

Setting it up and daily use

Foreman is installed with the gem command according to its source ^[1]. The provided Foreman facts do not describe more setup steps or daily use.

PM2 can be installed globally with npm using npm install pm2 -g ^[2]. PM2.io says it lets Claude, Cursor or any MCP-compatible AI assistant (MCP is a standard way for AI assistants to use other programs) connect to monitoring data such as server status, metrics, logs, exceptions, traces and alerts, secured by OAuth (a sign-in method that lets a tool use your account without your password) with a PM2.io account. ^[2]

On Windows, DevWebUI is installed by downloading devwebui-windows-x64.exe from GitHub Releases, or by running bun install and then bun run dev on any operating system ^[3]. Daily use includes controlling servers from the dashboard or from a command-line tool ^[3] ^[3].

Things to check before you choose

Ask whether you need a tool to keep an application online 24/7 or a tool for local dev servers. PM2's page describes keeping an application online 24/7 ^[2], while DevWebUI's claims describe local dev servers ^[3].

Check installation needs, accounts, pricing and the operating systems you use. PM2 can be installed globally with npm ^[2]. PM2.io says its AI assistant link needs a PM2.io account to sign in. ^[2] DevWebUI's claims describe Windows installation and source use with Bun on any operating system ^[3].

Check what control methods and assistant connections matter for your work.

How to choose

If you need an application kept online 24/7, PM2's page says that is its purpose ^[2].

If you want to run an application directly from a Procfile or export it to another process management format, Foreman's page describes that ^[5].

If you want to start, stop and restart local dev servers from one dashboard with status, CPU, memory and logs, DevWebUI's claims describe that ^[3].

If you want a repo file that lists servers to run, DevWebUI's claims describe that ^[3]. If you want AI assistant access, PM2 describes monitoring data access after sign in ^[2], and DevWebUI describes AI control of dev servers through 43 tools ^[3].

Frequently asked questions

Is Foreman free to use?

Foreman's provided facts say it is licensed under the MIT license ^[1]. The sources provided here do not state a price or paid plan for Foreman. Installation is described with the gem command, which is written as $ gem install foreman in its source ^[1].

Is PM2 free to use?

PM2 Runtime remains free because it is open source, and PM2 Plus does not offer a free plan. ^[4] Paying yearly gives a 20% discount on the PM2 Plus subscription ^[4]. A dollar price for PM2 Plus is not published here ^[4].

How do you install PM2 and DevWebUI?

PM2 can be installed globally with npm using npm install pm2 -g ^[2]. DevWebUI can be installed on Windows by downloading devwebui-windows-x64.exe from GitHub Releases, or on any operating system by running bun install and then bun run dev ^[3].

Can PM2 and DevWebUI work with AI assistants?

PM2.io says it lets Claude, Cursor or any MCP-compatible AI assistant (MCP is a standard way for AI assistants to use other programs) connect to monitoring data such as server status, metrics, logs, exceptions, traces and alerts, secured by OAuth (a sign-in method that lets a tool use your account without your password) with a PM2.io account. ^[2] DevWebUI says its MCP server, a standard way for AI assistants to use other programs, has 43 tools that let AI agents control the same background program the dashboard uses. ^[3]

Does DevWebUI need an account?

DevWebUI's core features need no account ^[3].

DevWebUI is free, and its core features need no account. ^[3]

Try DevWebUI