The best alternatives to Heroku
Overview
Heroku
A platform that enables developers to build, run, and operate applications
Heroku has long been a popular platform-as-a-service choice for developers, but many teams are now exploring alternatives due to pricing changes, specific technical requirements, or the need for more control over their infrastructure. Whether you're looking for more cost-effective hosting, open-source solutions, or platforms with different feature sets, there are several compelling Heroku alternatives worth considering in 2024.
Top Heroku Alternatives
Here are the best alternatives to Heroku, ranked by popularity and user engagement.
1. Sevalla
Sevalla is a comprehensive platform designed to simplify hosting and managing applications, databases, and static sites. It combines a user-friendly interface with powerful features to streamline deployment, scaling, and maintenance. Whether you’re building a simple portfolio or a complex web application, Sevalla provides the flexibility and reliability needed for modern infrastructure. With built-in scalability, robust security, and centralized management, it’s the ultimate solution for developers and businesses aiming to optimize their digital operations. Get started with $50 credit!
2. Coolify
Coolify: An open-source & self-hostable Heroku / Netlify alternative
Complete List of Heroku Alternatives
Explore all 8 alternatives to Heroku below.
Vercel
Static and JAMstack deployment, Serverless Functions, and Global CDN.
Railway
Railway is an infrastructure platform where you can provision infrastructure, develop with that infrastructure locally, and then deploy to the cloud.
Netlify
Build, test, and deploy with Netlify’s all-in-one platform for modern web projects
Catalyst
Catalyst is Zoho's serverless platform. It helps developers quickly build and deploy applications at scale.
Render
Unified platform to build and run all your apps and websites with free SSL, global CDN and auto deploys from Git.
Why look for Heroku alternatives?
- Cost Optimization: After Heroku eliminated its free tier in 2022, many developers and small teams have sought more budget-friendly options. Alternatives like Coolify offer self-hosted solutions with no platform fees, while others provide more competitive pricing structures for production workloads.
- Greater Infrastructure Control: Some projects require more granular control over server configurations, networking, and deployment pipelines than Heroku's opinionated platform provides. Alternatives like AWS offer deeper infrastructure customization, while self-hosted options give complete control over the entire stack.
- Modern Developer Experience: Newer platforms have emerged with updated workflows, faster build times, and better integration with modern development tools. Solutions like Vercel and Railway offer streamlined experiences optimized for contemporary frameworks and deployment patterns.
- Vendor Independence: Open-source alternatives like Coolify allow teams to avoid vendor lock-in and maintain full ownership of their deployment infrastructure. This approach provides flexibility to migrate between cloud providers or run on-premises without platform constraints.
- Specialized Use Cases: Different platforms excel at specific workloads. Some alternatives offer superior support for edge computing, serverless functions, static sites, or container orchestration, making them better suited for particular application architectures and performance requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best free alternative to Heroku?
Coolify is the best free Heroku alternative for developers comfortable with self-hosting. As an open-source platform, it's completely free to use and provides a Heroku-like deployment experience on your own infrastructure. You only pay for the underlying server costs (which can be as low as $5/month on providers like DigitalOcean or Hetzner). For those preferring managed solutions, Vercel and Netlify offer generous free tiers that work well for frontend applications and static sites, though they have different use cases than traditional Heroku deployments.
What is the most popular alternative to Heroku?
AWS is the most popular Heroku alternative in terms of overall market share and enterprise adoption, offering services like Elastic Beanstalk, ECS, and Lightsail for application hosting. However, among developers specifically migrating from Heroku, platforms like Vercel, Railway, and Render have gained significant traction due to their similar developer experience and easier learning curve. Vercel is particularly popular for Next.js and frontend applications, while Railway and Render appeal to full-stack developers seeking a more modern Heroku replacement.
How many alternatives to Heroku are available on Uneed?
We've curated 8 alternatives to Heroku on Uneed. Each alternative has been carefully selected based on features, popularity, and user feedback.
What are the best development tools like Heroku?
For development and deployment workflows, the best Heroku alternative depends on your specific needs. Railway and Render are excellent choices for full-stack applications requiring databases and background workers, offering experiences very similar to Heroku with modern interfaces. Vercel and Netlify excel for frontend and JAMstack applications with superior edge performance. For organizations needing enterprise-scale infrastructure, AWS or self-hosted Coolify provide the most flexibility. Teams prioritizing simplicity with managed services should consider Sevalla or Railway, while those wanting maximum cost control should explore Coolify for self-hosting.