Look elsewhere if
- Your dynos cost more than the same memory elsewhere.
- You want a cheaper plan for side projects and small apps.
- You want more control, such as running containers or choosing regions.
Provider alternatives
Heroku alternatives: as much memory for less.
Heroku made git-push deployment popular. It has been part of Salesforce since 2010 and ended its free dynos in 2022, and its paid dynos cost more per GB of memory than several newer platforms.
Short answer
5 of the 5 Heroku plans we compared have a cheaper match from another app platform, saving a median 85% on those plans. Fly.io and Koyeb tie for the lowest-priced match most often.
Plan by plan
The lowest-priced match for each Heroku plan
| Heroku plan | Price | Lowest-priced match elsewhere | Price | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Basic dyno0.5 GB | $7.00 | Fly.io shared-cpu-1x 512 MB 1 vCPU · 0.5 GB |
$3.69 | −$3.31 |
| Standard-1X dyno0.5 GB | $25.00 | Fly.io shared-cpu-1x 512 MB 1 vCPU · 0.5 GB |
$3.69 | −$21.31 |
| Standard-2X dyno1 GB | $50.00 | Koyeb eco-small instance 0.5 vCPU · 1 GB · 8 GB disk |
$5.36 | −$44.64 |
| Performance-M dyno2.5 GB | $250.00 | Koyeb eco-large instance 2 vCPU · 4 GB · 20 GB disk |
$21.43 | −$228.57 |
| Performance-L dyno14 GB | $500.00 | Render Pro Max (4 CPU, 16 GB) 4 vCPU · 16 GB |
$225.00 | −$275.00 |
A match is an available plan from another app platform priced in USD with at least as much memory, and no more than double. We checked Fly.io, Koyeb and Render; platforms that bill only by usage, or have no plan with a published memory size, are not in the table. Platforms describe CPU differently, so CPU is not matched: a shared-CPU plan can appear against a dedicated one. Standard list prices before tax, backups and traffic overage; promotional and uncapped hourly prices are left out.
Who undercuts Heroku
The alternatives, ranked
| Platform | Lowest-priced match | Cheaper than Heroku | Plans from | Links |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fly.io | 2 of 5 | 4 of 5 | $2.19 | |
| Koyeb | 2 of 5 | 4 of 5 | $2.68 | |
| Render | 1 of 5 | 4 of 5 | $7.00 |
"Lowest-priced match" counts the Heroku plans where this platform has the cheapest comparable plan, whether or not it beats Heroku's price; "cheaper than Heroku" counts plans where it has any comparable plan that costs less.
Buying advice
Switch, or stay with Heroku?
Stay with Heroku if
- You rely on Heroku's add-on marketplace, pipelines and review apps.
- You use Salesforce and its Heroku integrations.
- The time a migration takes is worth more than the monthly saving.
The table compares memory and list price only. Heroku's Performance dynos are dedicated, while the cheapest plans elsewhere often share CPU, and platforms also differ in how they bill bandwidth, build time and add-ons such as databases. Price those in before you move a production app.
Questions
Heroku alternatives FAQ
What is the cheapest alternative to Heroku?
Fly.io and Koyeb each have the lowest-priced match for 2 of the 5 Heroku plans we compared, with at least the same memory (up to double). Prices are standard monthly list prices in USD.
How much can I save by moving away from Heroku?
5 of 5 Heroku plans have a cheaper match elsewhere. On those plans the median saving is 85% and the largest 91%, before tax, backups and traffic charges.
What is a cheaper alternative to Heroku Basic dyno?
For Heroku Basic dyno ($7.00 a month), the lowest-priced plan with at least the same memory (up to double) is Fly.io shared-cpu-1x 512 MB at $3.69 a month.
Keep comparing
More ways to choose
Prices and availability change. Confirm current terms with the provider before you buy. See our affiliate disclosure and how we compare.