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Heroku Alternatives
Finding the Right Cloud Host for Your Project [updated July 2024]
Heroku has been the go-to platform for developers for years, simplifying the deployment process and offering an easily scalable solution. However, as the cloud computing ecosystem has evolved, various Heroku alternatives have emerged, each presenting its own set of advantages.
Whether it's due to specific feature requirements, or cost-concerns (like those looking for a free Heroku alternative), many developers and companies are now exploring these other platforms that offer similar solutions. Such alternatives not only provide diversity in terms of features but also expand opportunities for developers to optimize both performance and budget.
Note
FlightFormation is a tool for autoscaling Heroku applications, if you are trying to reduce your Heroku costs try it out before taking on a big migration to another platform.
As cloud computing evolves, an array of platforms challenge Heroku's offering, some with unique solutions tailored to modern development needs. Let's deep dive into these alternatives, their strengths, and limitations.
A pioneer in cloud platform as a service (PaaS), Heroku democratized app deployments for developers globally. Simplifying server management complexities, it allows almost immediate deployments. Its dyno-based architecture scales both vertically and horizontally, accommodating both small web apps and large-scale operations.
Pros
- Simplified deployments.
- Supports a multitude of languages and frameworks.
- Robust marketplace with add-ons for various functionalities.
- Strong developer community and support.
Cons
- Can become costly as the app scales.
- Cold (slow) starts on free and hobby dynos.
- Limited geographical regions for data centers.
- Default downtime every 24 hours on free tier.
Heroku Pricing
Free tier available. Paid dynos start at $7/month.
Fly.io offers a unique approach to app deployments by distributing applications across a global network. This strategy ensures users experience minimal latency. With its emphasis on security and resilience, Fly.io's infrastructure reroutes traffic during failures and focuses on application security throughout.
Pros
- Global application distribution.
- Built-in failover mechanisms.
- Allows custom domains even in the free tier.
- Offers isolated, private networking.
- Generous pricing discounts for low usage ()
Cons
- Steeper learning curve for beginners.
- Limited third-party integrations.
- More manual setup compared to Heroku.
Fly.io Pricing
Pay-as-you-go pricing available with only usage-based billing. Starting at $1.94/month for shared CPU.
Render is a cutting-edge cloud platform that aims to eradicate the need for DevOps. It integrates deeply with git repositories, allowing developers to deploy various applications, from static sites to databases, with ease. Additionally, its private networking feature ensures that internal services remain secure. Since Render offers a free tier some developers are moving to Render as a free heroku alternative.
Pros
- Deep git integration for automated deployments.
- Private networking for enhanced security.
- Supports various application types.
- Offers pull request previews.
- Simplified scaling processes.
Cons
- Limited third-party integrations.
- No built-in CI/CD.
- Database backups are an added cost.
- Limited support channels for free users.
Render Pricing
Free tier available. Standard "Team" plan from $19/user/month.
Championing the JAMstack architecture, Netlify offers a suite of tools optimized for frontend developers. With atomic deployments, it ensures every deploy is consistent, and its serverless functions offer backend flexibility without the complexities of server management.
Pros
- Simplifies JAMstack deployments.
- Offers atomic deployments for reliability.
- Built-in CDN for global distribution.
- Has built-in identity and access management.
- Robust community and third-party integrations.
Cons
- Limited support for traditional backend frameworks.
- Complex custom configurations.
- Bandwidth limits on the free tier.
- Limited serverless function execution time.
Netlify Pricing
Free tier available. Pro plan starts at $19/user/month.
Aptible's unique selling proposition is its alignment with regulated industries. For businesses with stringent compliance and security needs, Aptible offers detailed logging, auditing capabilities, and a deployment model integrated seamlessly with Docker.
Pros
- Designed for compliance-driven needs.
- Simplifies the compliance journey.
- Offers HIPAA, SOC 2, and ISO 27001 compliance.
- Docker-native deployment.
- Robust auditing and logging capabilities.
Cons
- Higher costs for compliance features.
- Steeper learning curve for non-Docker users.
- Limited regional availability.
- Not optimal for small, non-regulated projects.
Aptible Pricing
Plans are custom, starting in the hundreds/monthly with a 30 day free trial.
TL;DR
At FlightFormation we are big fans of Heroku (and run on Heroku!), but we also understand that it may not be the best fit for every project.
There are a lot of Heroku alternatives available today, each with its own unique selling points. Heroku has developed a reputation of languishing while other platforms have been more inovative — and while there is some truth to that, Heroku is still a great platform for many use cases. Personally I currently run applications on Heroku and Fly.io, and have been very happy with both.
If you are just looking to reduce your Heroku costs, consider trying FlightFormation to autoscale your Heroku applications.
What do you think? Are you considering moving away from Heroku? Shoot me a message: erick[at]flightformation[dot]com