Heroku’s discontinuation of a free tier has given users pause. Add to that many other limitations, and you’ve got developers, DevOps teams, and organizations looking for Heroku alternatives.
Why?
Heroku has long been a go-to platform for developers and companies.
It’s been especially great for those looking to deploy, manage, and scale modern apps in the cloud. Sure, with its robust Platform as a Service (PaaS) features, Heroku offers simplicity and scalability. But if you’re looking for a versatile platform to fit your specific project needs, budget, and growth potential, you’ve got options.
In this guide, we’ll give you eight compelling Heroku alternatives. We'll explore paid, free, and open-source platforms. Each can align with your development and growth goals.
So let’s get going, finding you the perfect fit for your next big project. Along the way, we’ll highlight how DuploCloud may just be your best bet.
Key Takeaways
- Heroku has discontinued its free tier, with higher pricing, limited customization, and scalability constraints. These changes have led developers and businesses to seek alternative platforms.
- Both paid and free-tier options are available. Developers can also explore open-source alternatives for greater control and flexibility.
- When selecting an alternative, teams should evaluate several factors. Think of cost, performance, compliance requirements, and long-term scalability. Platforms like DuploCloud offer automated DevOps, security, and multi-cloud support. This makes them a strong choice for enterprises needing efficiency and compliance readiness.
What is the Heroku cloud platform?
Heroku is a cloud-based PaaS that allows developers to build, run, and manage applications. It streamlines app deployment by offering pre-configured tools and support. This includes widely-used programming languages like Node.js, Ruby, Python, and more.
Heroku’s features include:
- GitHub integration
- Scalability
- 24/7 ops
- Security
- Extra add-on functionalities
Each of these can be integrated into its ecosystem with relative ease. These benefits, of course, make Heroku a notable player among cloud application platforms.
So, Why look for Heroku alternatives?
Still, Heroku may not meet the needs of every developer or team for quite a few reasons:
Cost: Heroku’s fully managed services come with a premium price tag. That’s not great for the budget-conscious SMEs or startups. As applications grow and require more resources, the paid plans can escalate quickly. This makes Heroku's costs a problem. PaaS and Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS) options provide more flexibility in pricing.
Discontinued Free Tier: The removal of Heroku’s free plan left many searching for no-cost or budget-friendly alternatives. Those on the search include independent developers, students, and early-stage startups. Many applications previously hosted on Heroku’s free tier now require migration to other platforms. Platforms like Firebase, Netlify, or Render come with free plans.
Limited Customization: Yes. Heroku excels at simplifying deployments. But it lacks deep infrastructure customization. Developers often find Heroku’s ecosystem too restrictive.
Restrictions include:
- Specific networking configurations
- Custom server environments
- Fine-grained control over deployments
Enterprise Capabilities: Organizations often demand robust DevOps automation. They also require compliance with regulations like SOC 2 or HIPAA and advanced monitoring tools. These may find Heroku insufficient. Many enterprise teams seek platforms that integrate:
- Compliance
- Security
- Monitoring within their cloud environments
Persistent Storage: Heroku’s ephemeral storage model means that data is lost whenever a dyno restarts. This can be problematic for applications that require:
- Persistent storage
- Automated backups
- Extensive database management.
Of course, external add-ons can provide solutions. Sadly, they usually come at an additional cost.
Scalability: Heroku supports scaling. But it may not be the most efficient option for high-traffic applications. Platforms like AWS Elastic Beanstalk and Google App Engine provide automatic infrastructure management. But Heroku requires developers to scale dynos manually or use additional services.
Are you facing budget constraints or need more control? Heroku alternatives offer better flexibility, performance, and cost efficiency.
4 Paid Heroku alternatives for developers
Here’s a breakdown of eight recommended platforms that stand out for their:
- Unique features
- Pricing options
- Support for developers and organizations
- The ability to manage custom domains
1. Duplocloud
DuploCloud is an intelligent DevOps automation platform and one of your best Heroku alternatives. Our platform lets teams deploy secure, compliant infrastructure in days instead of months. We can now say hundreds of startups and high-growth tech companies trust DuploCloud. We offer automated provisioning, cloud services, security, and diagnostics.
Top features and benefits:
- Automated provisioning for faster deployments
- Built-in security and compliance (SOC 2, HIPAA, GDPR, etc.)
- Advanced monitoring and diagnostics for real-time insights
- Support for AWS, Azure, and GCP
DuploCloud is best suited for organizations needing:
- Enterprise-grade compliance
- High-speed scalability
- Reduced reliance on manual DevOps tasks
How DuploCloud shines
Want a quick visual breakdown? Let’s highlight how DuploCloud’s key features compare in your search for Heroku alternatives.
| Feature | DuploCloud | Heroku |
| Ease of deployment | Automated infrastructure provisioning and application deployment in one step | Simplifies app deployment with a limited number of services supported. |
| Cost efficiency | Flexible pricing with significant savings for complex setups | Higher costs when application begins to grow and scale. |
| Customization | Dev gains full control over infrastructure configurations, with low-code capabilities | Limited customization, tied to pre-configured PaaS features |
| Scalability | Auto-scaling across multiple cloud providers (AWS, Azure, GCP) | Limited to scaling within Heroku's ecosystem |
| Security | Built-in security controls that enable certification or compliance with SOC 2, HIPAA, PCI-DSS, and other frameworks | Requires third-party add-ons for compliance and additional security layers |
| Flexibility | Supports multi-cloud deployments and hybrid cloud setups | Restricted to Heroku-managed environments |
| Performance | Optimized resource utilization for high performance | Risk of latency with complex or high-demand apps |
| Monitoring and insights | Comprehensive, integrated monitoring tools included | Requires third-party tools for advanced monitoring and analytics |
| Compliance support | Automated compliance checks and reporting | Requires additional manual configuration |
“Duplo cloud has helped transform how me and my colleagues use cloud infrastructure. The most outstanding feature of the platform is the intuitive interface. It allows even the newbies to get started with the complex cloud configuration. The compliance and security is another load off our back. Now we have more time to focus on our actual offering.” (G2 small business review)
2. Koyeb
Koyeb is a fully-managed serverless platform that simplifies deploying applications globally. It’s developer-focused and removes the hassle of infrastructure management.
Top features and benefits:
- Serverless architecture with zero configuration required
- Integration with GitHub and Docker for seamless deployment
- Edge network to ensure low-latency performance
- Built-in encryption for enhanced security
Koyeb is perfect for developers running web apps and APIs with minimal setup time.
3. Render
Render is an end-to-end cloud application platform designed for simplicity and scalability. It supports various use cases, from static sites to web services and databases.
Top features and benefits:
- Autoscaling to handle traffic surges
- Managed databases with Redis and PostgreSQL support
- Infrastructure as Code (IaC) for configuration management
- Zero-downtime deployments
Render is an excellent alternative for developers. It especially helps those seeking an all-in-one solution with enterprise data store options.
4. Fly.io
Fly.io is a public cloud offering that leverages edge computing. This ensures that applications are deployed close to end users for ultra-low latency. Fly.io’s branding is edgy and conversational. It's built for app creators who want to move quickly and ship code fast.
Top features and benefits:
- Edge computing capabilities for optimal app performance
- Serverless deployment with dumb-simple CLI and GitOps
- Support for popular languages and frameworks
- Automatic scaling and multi-region availability
Fly.io is your best bet if low latency and a global footprint are your project’s priorities.
2 Heroku Free Alternatives
5. Netlify (free tier)
Netlify’s free starter plan offers developers a feature-rich platform. There, you can build, test, and deploy websites and web applications.
Top features and benefits:
- Automatic Git-based deployments
- Jamstack support for high-performance projects
- Continuous deployment and branch previews
- Easy integration with APIs and serverless functions
Netlify can be a wonderful fit for web developers working on static sites or single-page applications.
6. Firebase (no-cost tier)
Firebase provides a no-cost tier with powerful tools for:
- App development
- Backend support
- Analytics
Firebase is backed by Google and powered by Google Cloud. It also promotes getting to market quickly using reliable managed infrastructure.
Top features and benefits:
Firebase is widely regarded as a top choice for developers. This is because they can build mobile or web apps with real-time requirements. It offers both standard and flexible environments. These cater to various application needs, similar to platforms like Google App Engine.
- Real-time database and cloud messaging
- Free authentication services for apps or websites
- Free hosting for static files with a CDN
- Built-in analytics for tracking user behavior
- Seamless integration with other Google Cloud services
2 Open-source options: Heroku alternatives
7. Red Hat OpenShift
Red Hat OpenShift is a Kubernetes-powered platform. It provides self-managed or fully managed cloud PaaS solutions.
Top features and benefits:
- Automated Kubernetes deployments with advanced scaling
- Centralized development and management tools
- Enterprise-level support for compliance and governance
- Integration with Red Hat’s ecosystem of tools
If your team insists on autonomy and control, OpenShift might be the one for you.
8. Dokku
Dokku is essentially a smaller, open-source version of Heroku. It allows you to deploy and manage applications using Docker containers.
Top features and benefits
- Simple command-line interface for deployments
- Supports multiple programming languages
- Built on Docker and supports 100+ plugins
- Lightweight and easy to install on personal servers
- No hosting costs if you manage your server
Dokku is perfect for developers who want to create a Heroku-like experience. At the same time, they can retain full control of their infrastructure.
Cloud platform alternatives
So you can see the limitations of Heroku. It’s clearly worth exploring other cloud platform alternatives. After all, they give you more flexibility, scalability, and cost-effectiveness.
DuploCloud is one of those options that has the features and control you need. With us, you can build, deploy, and scale your applications more efficiently. Hear directly from Zafar Abbas, VP of Engineering. He'll tell you what to expect in a DuploCloud migration that is different from the typical.
Choosing the Best Heroku Alternative for Your Dev Needs
Switching from Heroku to another platform is about so much more than just finding a new home for your code. It’s about choosing a foundation that lines up with your long-term goals. But before diving into alternatives, take a step back to evaluate what your team truly needs.
Here's how to make a decision that sets you up for success:
Project requirements
Does your project demand more than basic PaaS capabilities? So many teams outgrow Heroku because they’re looking for more customization. Heroku just doesn’t offer enough. Today’s alternatives have advanced features like custom networking and direct integration with your CI/CD pipelines.
What’s more, if you’re building latency-sensitive apps, edge computing capabilities can make all the difference. They’ll help reduce delays and improve your user experience. And they’ll do it all at scale.
Scope and budget
Think beyond the initial setup costs. So often, cost is the trigger that makes companies rethink their entire relationship with Heroku. Yes. Heroku’s pay-as-you-go model seems attractive at first. But scaling your workloads can quickly drive your costs through the roof. Instead, you should be focusing on ongoing expenses like scaling, integrations, and support.
Alternatives like DuploCloud, AWS Elastic Beanstalk, or Google Cloud Run have much more predictable pricing. They also usually align better with your growth. And don’t forget to look for hidden fees when it comes to networking, data transfer, and support tiers. You want a platform that makes costs transparent and offers a pathway to scaling without locking you in.
Scalability
Sure, you might start small. But the plan is usually to go big or go home. And your growth can be unpredictable. Whichever platform you choose should support auto-scaling, containerized workloads, and multi-cloud environments. That is, of course, if your business strategy demands these options.
For example, Kubernetes-backed platforms let you scale horizontally without having to manually manage clusters. And DuploCloud automates these scaling rules out of the box. This helps you make sure your infrastructure can keep up with demand spikes. Plus, you’ll minimize wasted resources during low-traffic periods.
Compliance based on industry guidelines
So many businesses today are in regulated sectors like healthcare, finance, or education. In those companies, compliance is a deal breaker. Heroku does indeed offer some compliance certifications, but not enough. Most great alternatives provide richer, built-in compliance support. DuploCloud, for example, automates adherence to frameworks like HIPAA, PCI-DSS, and SOC 2. This gives you audit-ready infrastructure on your very first day. Some platforms will even include dashboards, so you can monitor compliance in real time. This eliminates the need to stitch together multiple third-party tools just to stay on top of regulations.
In the end, the best Heroku alternative will balance technical flexibility with cost control. And it will also ensure regulatory readiness. Take the time to carefully assess your needs across all three of these dimensions. That way, you’ll make sure whatever platform you choose won’t just support your next release. It will scale alongside your company for the foreseeable future.
Your DevOps Workflow Belongs with DuploCloud
DuploCloud streamlines your deployment process and scales with you all while making sure you’re in compliance.
We help you automate:
- Infrastructure provisioning
- Security
- Monitoring
So you’ll reduce the operational burden on your developers and DevOps teams. That way, they can focus on innovation. Not maintenance.
DuploCloud is your ideal choice if you’re developing in a regulated industry. That’s because of our built-in compliance for SOC 2, HIPAA, and PCI-DSS.
Also, our multi-cloud support across AWS, Azure, and GCP gives you flexibility as your company scales. You could be a startup or an enterprise.
In any case, DuploCloud simplifies your cloud management and saves you time and money.
Request a free demo today.
You'll discover how DuploCloud can make managing cloud infrastructure effortless.
FAQs
Why should I switch from Heroku to an alternative platform?
Most developers and businesses are exploring alternatives right now. It’s clearly because of Heroku’s removal of its free tier and its high pricing for scaling applications. That’s not even to mention Heroku’s limited flexibility in customization. Maybe you need greater control over infrastructure. Perhaps you could use more compliance support. Or, you might be looking for better cost efficiency. In all of these cases, an alternative may be a better fit.
What is the best free alternative to Heroku?
The best free alternative will obviously depend on your specific needs. For static sites and frontend applications, Netlify offers a strong free plan. For mobile and web apps requiring a backend, Firebase has a great no-cost tier with a real-time database and authentication features. Dokku is also a nice open-source option for you if you prefer self-hosted solutions.
Which Heroku alternative is best for enterprise applications?
DuploCloud is a strong choice for enterprises. This is thanks to our automated DevOps, built-in compliance (SOC 2, HIPAA, PCI-DSS), and multi-cloud support (AWS, Azure, GCP). You can also consider options like Red Hat OpenShift for Kubernetes-based deployments. Also, check out Render for managed infrastructure.
How do I migrate my applications from Heroku to another platform?
Migration will, of course, depend on the alternative you choose. Many platforms, like DuploCloud, Render, and Fly.io, have migration guides. They also offer automated tools to help you streamline the entire process. If you’re moving to a self-hosted or open-source option like Dokku, you might need to set up infrastructure manually. In this case, you’ll want to use Docker and Git-based deployments.
