Heroku was the gold standard for simple app deployment. Push your code, get a URL. No servers, no config, no ops.
Then the free tier disappeared. Eco dynos sleep after 30 minutes. A basic app with a database costs $12-20/month. And the platform hasn’t shipped anything exciting in years.
If you’ve been looking for what Heroku used to be — simple deploys, affordable pricing, and apps that actually stay running — here are the best alternatives in 2026.
1. Railway
Railway is probably the closest thing to the Heroku developer experience, rebuilt for the modern era.
Why switch from Heroku:
- Deploy from GitHub with auto-detection (no Procfile needed)
- Built-in PostgreSQL, MySQL, Redis — one click to provision
- No sleeping containers — your app stays running
- Nice dashboard with real-time logs and metrics
- Team features with environment management
Where it falls short: Usage-based pricing can get expensive. The $5/mo starter plan comes with $5 of usage credits. If your app gets traffic, costs climb fast. No SSH access to your container.
Pricing: $5/mo + usage. Resource-based billing (RAM/CPU/bandwidth).
Best for: Developers who want the closest Heroku replacement with a modern UI and GitHub-first workflow.
2. Render
Render markets itself as the “Heroku replacement.” It’s a solid managed platform with free tiers for static sites and a clean deploy experience.
Why switch from Heroku:
- Free tier for static sites and web services (with limitations)
- Auto-deploy from Git with zero config
- Built-in databases (PostgreSQL)
- Background workers and cron jobs supported
- Native Docker support
Where it falls short: The free tier instances spin down after 15 minutes of inactivity (sound familiar?). Paid instances start at $7/mo. Database pricing adds up — managed PostgreSQL starts at $7/mo on top of your service.
Pricing: Free tier available. Paid from $7/mo per service + database costs.
Best for: Teams that want a Heroku-like managed experience with slightly better pricing and a free tier for hobby projects.
3. Fly.io
Fly.io runs your app on edge servers worldwide using Firecracker VMs. It’s more powerful than Heroku but also more complex.
Why switch from Heroku:
- Global edge deployment — your app runs close to users
- Real VMs, not containers — more isolation and control
- Built-in PostgreSQL and Redis
- WebSocket and long-running connection support
- Generous free tier (3 shared VMs)
Where it falls short: Steeper learning curve. You need to understand fly.toml config files, and the CLI is more complex than Heroku’s. Pricing can be hard to predict with their pay-per-VM model. Occasional reliability complaints in the community.
Pricing: Free tier (limited). Paid from ~$2/mo per VM + extras.
Best for: Developers who need global edge deployment or real VMs and don’t mind a steeper learning curve.
4. InstaPods
InstaPods takes a different approach: instead of abstracting away the server, it gives you a real Linux server with simple deployment on top. Think of it as the middle ground between Heroku and a VPS.
Why switch from Heroku:
- Real Linux servers with SSH access — install anything, debug anything
- CLI deploy in one command:
instapods deploy my-app - Flat monthly pricing — $3/mo for the base plan, no usage charges
- No sleeping, no cold starts — your app runs 24/7
- MySQL, PostgreSQL, Redis at no extra cost (runs on same server)
- Git deploy from GitHub — push to auto-deploy
- MCP server for AI agent deployment (Claude Code, Cursor)
Where it falls short: Newer platform, smaller community. Supports Node.js, PHP, Python, and static sites — doesn’t cover every language. No auto-scaling across multiple servers (single-server per pod).
Pricing: $3/mo (1 CPU, 512MB), $7/mo (2 CPU, 2GB), up to $49/mo.
Best for: Developers who want Heroku simplicity but also want SSH access, flat pricing, and real servers they control. Especially good for AI-generated apps (vibe coding) with CLI + MCP support.
5. DigitalOcean App Platform
DigitalOcean’s managed platform sits on top of their Droplet infrastructure. More feature-rich than Heroku, backed by a large cloud provider.
Why switch from Heroku:
- Automatic builds and deploys from GitHub/GitLab
- Free tier for up to 3 static sites
- Managed databases (PostgreSQL, MySQL, Redis, MongoDB)
- Container registry and Kubernetes for scaling
- Predictable pricing with clear documentation
Where it falls short: Basic tier has sleep behavior. Database pricing starts at $15/mo for managed PostgreSQL. The App Platform can feel like a simpler interface bolted onto a complex cloud provider.
Pricing: Free for static sites. Basic from $5/mo. Pro from $12/mo.
Best for: Teams already on DigitalOcean, or those who might need to scale into Droplets/Kubernetes later.
6. Vercel
Vercel is the go-to for frontend and full-stack JavaScript applications. Not a traditional Heroku replacement, but if your app is built with Next.js, Nuxt, or any frontend framework, Vercel is hard to beat.
Why switch from Heroku:
- Instant deploys with preview URLs for every PR
- Edge functions and serverless — scales to zero
- Built-in CI/CD and domain management
- Best-in-class Next.js support (they created it)
- Generous free tier
Where it falls short: Serverless model doesn’t work for everything. No persistent file storage, no WebSocket support on serverless, no SSH access. Long-running processes and background jobs need workarounds. Can get expensive at scale.
Pricing: Free (hobby). Pro from $20/mo per user.
Best for: Frontend developers and Next.js apps. Not ideal for traditional backend services, APIs, or apps that need persistent server processes.
7. Coolify
Coolify is a self-hosted, open-source alternative to Heroku. You run it on your own server and get a Heroku-like dashboard for deploying apps.
Why switch from Heroku:
- Self-hosted — you own everything, no vendor lock-in
- Deploy any Docker container, static site, or supported framework
- Built-in database provisioning (PostgreSQL, MySQL, MongoDB, Redis)
- One-click app marketplace
- Free forever (open source)
Where it falls short: You need your own server ($5-10/mo VPS). You’re responsible for the server maintenance that Heroku abstracted away. Initial setup takes 10-15 minutes. Smaller community than commercial alternatives.
Pricing: Free (self-hosted). Cloud from $5/mo.
Best for: Developers who want full control and don’t mind managing their own infrastructure. Great for self-hosting enthusiasts.
8. Dokku
Dokku is the OG open-source Heroku alternative — a mini-Heroku you run on a single server. It even uses Heroku buildpacks.
Why switch from Heroku:
- Same
git pushdeploy workflow as Heroku - Uses actual Heroku buildpacks — most Heroku apps work without changes
- Plugin system for databases, caching, SSL
- Runs on a $5/mo VPS — way cheaper than Heroku
- Mature project (10+ years, battle-tested)
Where it falls short: CLI-only, no web dashboard. Server management is on you. Single-server only — no built-in scaling. Setup requires command-line comfort.
Pricing: Free (self-hosted). You just pay for the VPS.
Best for: Developers comfortable with the command line who want the exact Heroku workflow on their own server.
9. Koyeb
Koyeb is a newer serverless platform that deploys from Git or Docker with global edge deployment.
Why switch from Heroku:
- Deploy from GitHub or any Docker image
- Edge deployment across multiple regions
- Auto-scaling and scale-to-zero
- Built-in service mesh and load balancing
- Free tier with 2 nano services
Where it falls short: Smaller ecosystem. Database hosting is BYO (bring your own). Edge computing model adds complexity compared to Heroku’s simplicity.
Pricing: Free tier. Paid from $5.50/mo per service.
Best for: Developers who want edge deployment with Docker support and don’t need managed databases.
10. Back4App (Containers)
Back4App started as a Parse Server host but now offers container hosting that competes with Heroku for general-purpose deployments.
Why switch from Heroku:
- Deploy any Docker container
- Built-in CI/CD from GitHub
- Auto-scaling and load balancing
- Free tier with 0.25 CPU, 256MB RAM
- Simple pricing per container
Where it falls short: Smaller community. Less documentation than other alternatives. The platform is still growing — fewer integrations and add-ons.
Pricing: Free tier. Paid from $7/mo.
Best for: Developers looking for simple container hosting without the complexity of Kubernetes.
Quick Comparison
| Platform | Starting Price | Free Tier | SSH Access | Built-in DB | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Railway | $5/mo + usage | $5 credits | No | Yes | Closest Heroku replacement |
| Render | $7/mo | Yes (sleeps) | No | Yes ($7+) | Managed PaaS |
| Fly.io | ~$2/mo | 3 VMs | Yes | Yes | Edge deployment |
| InstaPods | $3/mo flat | No | Yes | Yes (included) | Real servers + AI deploy |
| DO App Platform | $5/mo | Static only | No | Yes ($15+) | DigitalOcean ecosystem |
| Vercel | $20/mo | Yes | No | No | Frontend/Next.js |
| Coolify | Free (self-host) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Self-hosting |
| Dokku | Free (self-host) | Yes | Yes | Via plugins | Heroku buildpack compat |
| Koyeb | $5.50/mo | 2 services | No | No | Edge + Docker |
| Back4App | $7/mo | Yes | No | Parse only | Simple containers |
How to Choose
- Want the closest Heroku experience? → Railway or Render
- Want real servers with SSH? → InstaPods or Fly.io
- Frontend/Next.js app? → Vercel
- Want to self-host everything? → Coolify or Dokku
- Need global edge deployment? → Fly.io or Koyeb
- Already on DigitalOcean? → DO App Platform
- Building AI-generated apps? → InstaPods (CLI + MCP)
- Lowest possible cost? → Dokku on a $5 VPS or InstaPods at $3/mo
Heroku pioneered one-command deployment. But in 2026, the market has caught up — and in most cases, passed it. Pick the tool that matches your needs and budget, not the one you’ve been using out of habit.