25 Best Heroku Alternatives Reviewed in 2025
Best Heroku Alternatives Shortlist
Here’s my shortlist of the best Heroku alternatives:
Our one-on-one guidance will help you find the perfect fit.
When I ventured into the startup realm, I grappled with issues related to full-stack management, uptime concerns, and bandwidth limitations. It wasn't until I discovered the realm of Heroku alternatives that things started falling into place. A Heroku alternative is a tool that facilitates smoother, more efficient application development and deployment.
The real boon of this tool is its ability to offer comprehensive features, often within a generous free plan, that address an array of needs from TLS security to cron job execution. It combats our regular challenges in maintaining smooth operations, ensuring robust bandwidth, and effectively managing cron jobs. I believe that exploring these alternatives can offer similar relief, and I urge you to consider the options I have researched and tested.
What Is Heroku?
Heroku is a cloud computing platform that helps you build, run, and scale apps. Developers and small teams often use it because it’s easy to deploy code and manage apps without handling servers. Git-based deployment, a simple dashboard, and add-on integrations help with testing, monitoring, and scaling your apps. Heroku makes it easier to focus on writing code instead of managing infrastructure.
Need expert help selecting the right tool?
With one-on-one help, we guide you to your top software options. Narrow down your software search & make a confident choice.
Why Trust Our Software Reviews
We’ve been testing and reviewing SaaS development software since 2023. As tech experts ourselves, we know how critical and difficult it is to make the right decision when selecting software. We invest in deep research to help our audience make better software purchasing decisions.
We’ve tested more than 2,000 tools for different SaaS development use cases and written over 1,000 comprehensive software reviews. Learn how we stay transparent & check out our software review methodology.
Best Heroku Alternatives Summary
This comparison chart summarizes pricing details for my top Heroku alternative selections to help you find the best one for your budget and business needs.
| Tool | Best For | Trial Info | Price | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Best for cost-effective and developer-friendly cloud services | $200 credit 60-day free trial | Starts from $12/month while the Database plan starts from $15/month | Website | |
| 2 | Best for robust support and expert Rails management | 14-day free trial | From $50/month | Website | |
| 3 | Best for Kubernetes-powered cloud services | Free trial available | Pricing upon request | Website | |
| 4 | Best for integrated build and deploy system for app management | Not available | From $50/user/month (billed annually) | Website | |
| 5 | Best for ease of deploying and managing applications in the AWS cloud | Not available | From $7/user/month (this is a placeholder price as actual pricing might vary) | Website | |
| 6 | Best for scalable web applications with automatic management | 90-day, $300 free trial offer | From $0.06 per hour per instance | Website | |
| 7 | Best for comprehensive app hosting and scaling on Windows | Not available | From $15/user/month | Website | |
| 8 | Best for custom software and mobile app development services | Not available | Pricing upon request | Website | |
| 9 | Best for simplicity and quick setup of cloud environments | Not available | Website | ||
| 10 | Best for enterprise-grade cloud capabilities | 30-day free trial | Pricing upon request | Website |
-
Docker
Visit WebsiteThis is an aggregated rating for this tool including ratings from Crozdesk users and ratings from other sites.4.6 -
Pulumi
Visit WebsiteThis is an aggregated rating for this tool including ratings from Crozdesk users and ratings from other sites.4.8 -
GitHub Actions
Visit Website
Best Heroku Alternatives Reviews
Below are my detailed summaries of the best Heroku alternatives that made it onto my shortlist. My reviews offer a detailed look at the key features, pros & cons, integrations, and ideal use cases of each tool to help you find the best one for you.
Best for cost-effective and developer-friendly cloud services
DigitalOcean is a versatile and straightforward cloud services provider offering scalable compute platforms and intuitive APIs. Its appeal lies in its cost-effective and developer-friendly structure, making it ideal for those seeking budget-friendly yet comprehensive cloud solutions.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Notable integrations with important development tools
- User-friendly control panel and robust API
- Cost-effective and straightforward pricing
Cons:
- Smaller scale of global data centers compared to larger competitors
- Limited advanced networking features
- Less enterprise features compared to some competitors
Engine Yard provides a platform as a service (PaaS) that's designed to make the deployment and scaling of Rails applications simpler. It offers robust support and expert management for Rails applications, making it a go-to choice for Ruby on Rails developers and teams.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Smooth integration with AWS
- Robust customer support
- Expert Rails management
Cons:
- Less intuitive for beginners
- Limited language support outside Rails
- Pricing can be high for small projects
Red Hat OpenShift is a comprehensive enterprise-grade cloud development platform powered by Kubernetes, the leading container orchestration system. It stands out for users who wish to harness the power of Kubernetes for their cloud services, making complex deployments manageable and scalable.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- A developer-centric approach that simplifies complex processes
- A broad range of software integrations
- Kubernetes-native infrastructure enhances scalability and management
Cons:
- Less straightforward setup for beginners
- Steeper learning curve due to the complexities of Kubernetes
- Higher starting price compared to some competitors
Platform.sh is a cloud-based, Platform as a Service (PaaS) that enables developers to manage web applications across the entire lifecycle. Its integrated build and deploy system make it an ideal tool for streamlined app management and continuous deployment.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Automated container orchestration
- Ability to clone live environments for testing
- Integrated build and deploy system
Cons:
- Pricing can be complex due to various tiers and options
- Learning curve for those new to containerization
- May not be as cost-effective for smaller projects
Best for ease of deploying and managing applications in the AWS cloud
AWS Elastic Beanstalk simplifies deployment and management of applications on the cloud, without requiring extensive infrastructure knowledge. It manages multiple AWS services, making it ideal for easy application deployment on AWS.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Supports a wide range of programming languages
- Integration with other AWS services
- Simplifies deployment and management of applications
Cons:
- Can be challenging to manage for complex applications
- Limited control over the server and infrastructure
- Pricing can be confusing due to its dependency on various AWS services
Google App Engine is a Platform as a Service (PaaS) product that provides developers with Google-scale hosting and a fully managed environment to build and deploy applications. It's designed to scale automatically as your app's traffic grows, making it suitable for scalable web applications with automatic management.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Integration with other Google Cloud services
- No server management required
- Automatic scaling based on application traffic
Cons:
- Migration away from the platform can be complex
- Cold start times can be longer than expected
- Applications are limited to the Google Cloud ecosystem
Best for comprehensive app hosting and scaling on Windows
Microsoft Azure App Service is a fully managed platform for building, deploying, and scaling web apps. It allows developers to focus on their application code, while Azure takes care of the infrastructure, making it an excellent choice for comprehensive app hosting and scaling on Windows.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Supports a wide range of programming languages
- Integrates well with other Microsoft services
- Excellent scalability and reliability
Cons:
- Custom domain setup might be challenging for beginners
- Might have a steeper learning curve for non-Microsoft users
- Pricing can be complicated due to the consumption-based model.
Whitecap is a digital consulting firm specializing in delivering tailor-made software and mobile app development solutions to clients across various industries. Its emphasis on customization makes it a great choice for businesses seeking unique, bespoke applications designed to meet their specific requirements.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- High degree of flexibility in development
- Offers integration with existing systems
- Provides personalized software solutions
Cons:
- Less suitable for those seeking off-the-shelf solutions
- Turnaround time may be longer due to customization
- No standardized pricing, making budgeting difficult
Render is a cloud service platform offering developers a simple and fast way to host their applications. It shines in its ability to provide quick and straightforward setup of cloud environments, making it a prime choice for users seeking simplicity and speed in deployment.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Automatic SSL and zero-downtime deployments
- Smooth integration with GitHub and GitLab
- Emphasizes simplicity and speed
Cons:
- Not the cheapest option for smaller projects
- Fewer integrations compared to some competitors
- Limited advanced features in the Starter plan
Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) offers a comprehensive suite of cloud services, including computing, storage, and networking, complemented by advanced data analytics and AI. Its high-performance computing capabilities make it a robust choice for businesses requiring enterprise-grade cloud services.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Integrations with other Oracle solutions
- Powerful computing capabilities
- Comprehensive suite of enterprise-grade features
Cons:
- May be overkill for smaller projects or businesses
- Learning curve can be steep for new users
- Pricing can be complex and could be high for larger deployments
Other Heroku Alternatives
Here are some additional Heroku alternatives that didn’t make it onto my shortlist, but are still worth checking out:
- Vercel
For real-time global deployment for JAMstack sites
- Clever Cloud
For auto-management of apps in multiple languages
- StackPath
For advanced security features in edge computing
- Mendix
Good for rapid low-code application development
- Azure Functions
Good for executing code snippets in response to events
- Linode Kubernetes Engine (LKE)
Good for running containerized applications with Kubernetes
- Pivotal Cloud Foundry
Good for enterprise-grade cloud-native platform deployments
- Google Cloud Run
Good for running stateless containers in a fully-managed environment
- Firebase
Good for creating mobile and web applications with a suite of backend tools
- Netlify
Good for building, deploying, and managing modern web projects
- Scalingo
Good for developers seeking easy application deployment and scaling
- Dokku
Good for developers seeking a mini-Heroku in their own environment
- CloudBees
Good for teams looking for robust Jenkins-based CI/CD solutions
- IBM Cloud Foundry
Good for leveraging open-source cloud application platform
- AWS App Runner
Good for building and running containerized applications with ease
Other Software Reviews
- Cloud Application Development Platforms
- PaaS Services
- Cloud Development Platforms
- Cloud Service Providers
Heroku Alternatives Selection Criteria
When it comes to choosing an ideal Platform as a Service (PaaS) solution, there are several critical factors that I have personally considered based on my extensive experience testing and comparing various offerings in this category. Here, I'll detail the criteria that I used while evaluating more than 20 tools, aiming to help you make a more informed decision.
Core Functionality:
- Application Lifecycle Management: The tool should provide capabilities to streamline the entire lifecycle of an application, from development to deployment and maintenance.
- Scalability: It should offer vertical and horizontal scalability options for varying loads.
- Multi-language Support: The tool should support a variety of programming languages to cater to diverse development needs.
- Integrated Developer Tools: A suitable PaaS should come with a suite of developer tools for code development, testing, and debugging.
Key Features:
- Automated Deployments: This feature helps automate the process of deploying applications, reducing human error and speeding up the development process.
- Auto-Scaling: The platform can automatically adjust resources to meet application demand, ensuring optimal performance and cost efficiency.
- Monitoring and Analytics: These capabilities help track the performance and health of applications, making it easier to identify and troubleshoot issues.
- Security and Compliance: These features help protect sensitive data and ensure the application meets necessary regulatory standards.
Usability:
- Intuitive Interface: For this type of platform, having an interface that is straightforward and easy to navigate is essential. It should allow users to easily manage applications, view analytics, and handle configuration tasks.
- Easy Deployment: The platform should simplify the deployment process, allowing users to quickly launch applications without needing extensive technical expertise.
- Reliable Customer Support: This is important to ensure quick resolution of any issues that might arise. The availability of comprehensive documentation, user guides, and a responsive support team can be key to the user experience.
- Comprehensive Onboarding Process: Given the technical nature of these tools, a comprehensive onboarding process is crucial. Whether through detailed tutorials, webinars, or a knowledge base, users should have resources to get up to speed with using the platform.
Why Look For A Heroku Alternative?
While Heroku is a good choice of cloud computing platform, there are a number of reasons why some users seek out alternative solutions. You might be looking for a Heroku alternative because…
- You’ve outgrown the free or lower-tier pricing limits.
- Your apps need more control over infrastructure.
- You’re seeing performance issues with large-scale apps.
- You want better support for specific programming languages.
- You need more advanced monitoring and debugging tools.
- You’re concerned about service downtime or reliability.
If any of these sound like you, you’ve come to the right place. My list contains several cloud computing platform options that are better suited for teams facing these challenges with Heroku and looking for alternative solutions.
Heroku Key Features
Here are some of the key features of Heroku, to help you contrast and compare what alternative solutions offer:
- Git-based deployments: You can deploy your app by pushing code to a Git remote, which makes updates fast and easy.
- Add-ons marketplace: Your team can plug in tools for databases, caching, logging, and more without extra setup.
- Dynos: These are lightweight containers that run your apps and let you scale up or down quickly.
- Heroku CLI: This command line tool lets you manage apps, view logs, and run commands from your terminal.
- Buildpacks: These detect your app’s language and set up the environment automatically, saving setup time.
- Integrated logging: You can view and search logs from all your app’s components in one place.
- App metrics dashboard: This gives you charts for response times, throughput, and errors to help track performance.
- Team collaboration: You can invite teammates, assign roles, and manage access from a shared dashboard.
- Auto-scaling: If you’re on certain plans, Heroku can scale your app automatically based on traffic.
- Managed data services: You get options like Heroku Postgres and Redis that are easy to attach and use.
Summary
Choosing the best Heroku alternative should be based on your specific needs and the nature of your application. From comprehensive app hosting and scaling to simplicity in deployment and management, different platforms offer varied features that can fit other use cases.
Key Takeaway 1: Consider the Core Functionality - Your chosen platform should fundamentally enable you to develop, run, and manage applications without the complexity of building and maintaining the infrastructure typically associated with developing and launching an app.
Key Takeaway 2: Weigh the Features - The platforms discussed have distinct features, like automated deployments, service integrations, or extensive language support. Identify the key elements that will be most beneficial for your use case.
Key Takeaway 3: Usability Matters - The best platforms should be powerful and user-friendly. Look for a platform that provides an intuitive interface, an easy onboarding process, and solid customer support to streamline your application development process.
What do you think?
Finally, while I've curated a list of the top Heroku alternatives, I know there may be other great platforms. If you use or know of a platform that should be included in this list, please do not hesitate to let me know. Your feedback is invaluable in keeping our resources up-to-date and comprehensive.