Heroku: Pricing, Features & Alternatives
Heroku is the classic platform-as-a-service that popularized `git push heroku main` deploys, buildpacks, and add-ons. It removed its free tier in late 2022; today the cheapest options are Eco dynos ($5/mo, shared 1,000 hours, sleeps) and Basic dynos ($7/mo, always-on). Still a fast, batteries-included way to ship without managing servers.
Category
Hosting
Pricing
From $5/mo
Free tier
No
Best for
Hosting — paas, deploy
Heroku Pricing Plans (2026)
| Plan | Price |
|---|---|
| EcoPopular | $5 / month |
| Basic | $7 / month per dyno |
| Standard / Performance | From $25 / month |
Pricing summary: From $5/mo. Always confirm current pricing on the official site.
Key Heroku Features
- 1,000 dyno hours/mo (shared)
- Sleeps after 30 min idle
- All languages via buildpacks
- Add-on marketplace
Pros
- +Dead-simple git-push deploys
- +Language-agnostic buildpacks
- +Rich add-on marketplace
- +Mature and reliable
Cons
- −No free tier since 2022
- −Expensive at scale
- −Eco dynos sleep when idle
- −Slower innovation under Salesforce
Best Heroku Alternatives
Compare all
Heroku Compared
Heroku FAQ
What is Heroku used for?⌄
Heroku is a hosting tool. The original git-push PaaS — deploy apps in any language with zero infra, now Salesforce-owned (no free tier).
Is Heroku free?⌄
Heroku does not offer a permanent free tier; paid plans start at $5/month.
How much does Heroku cost?⌄
Heroku plans start at $5/month.
What are the best Heroku alternatives?⌄
Popular Heroku alternatives include Vercel, Railway, Render, Microsoft Azure, Oracle Cloud (OCI). Compare pricing and features on our Heroku alternatives page.
Not sure if Heroku fits your stack?
Get a free, AI-powered tech stack tailored to your budget, app type, and team size — including the best hosting pick for you.
Build my stack free