Heroku vs Fly.io
type: Article
description: Heroku is a mature, user-friendly PaaS with higher pricing ($7-50+/month per dyno) but simpler deployment, while Fly.io offers 3x lower costs ($0.0000228/CPU-hour) and better performance for globally distributed apps with more technical overhead.
language: en-US
date published: 2026-07-08T05:54:44.892Z
date created: 2026-07-08T05:54:44.892Z
date modified: 2026-07-08T05:54:45.623Z
content reference time: 2026-07-08T05:54:45.623Z
author: A Versus B
publisher: A Versus B
about: Heroku
about: Fly.io
abstract: Heroku is a mature, user-friendly PaaS with higher pricing ($7-50+/month per dyno) but simpler deployment, while Fly.io offers 3x lower costs ($0.0000228/CPU-hour) and better performance for globally distributed apps with more technical overhead.
text: Starting Monthly Cost. Pricing Model. Global Edge Network. Setup Complexity. Free Tier Credits. Database Included. Container Support
conclusion text: Choose Heroku if you're a solo developer or startup prioritizing simplicity, rapid prototyping, and are willing to pay premium pricing for convenience without DevOps complexity. Choose Fly.io if you need cost efficiency, global distribution, Docker container flexibility, or run latency-sensitive applications—it's better for scaling and international users but requires more technical knowledge.
additional property: Starting Monthly Price
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Heroku: $50 | Fly.io: Pay-as-you-go from $0
  value reference: Fly.io
additional property: Cold Start Latency
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Heroku: 10-30 | Fly.io: <50ms
  value reference: Heroku
additional property: Maximum Uptime SLA
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Heroku: 99.99% | Fly.io: N/A
additional property: Supported Runtimes
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Heroku: Node, Python, Ruby, Java, PHP, Go, Scala, Clojure | Fly.io: Any Docker container
additional property: Available Add-ons
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Heroku: 60+ marketplace add-ons | Fly.io: N/A
additional property: Deployment Methods
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Heroku: Git push, GitHub, Dropbox, API | Fly.io: N/A
additional property: Build Duration
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Heroku: 60-120 | Fly.io: N/A
additional property: Free Trial Period
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Heroku: No free trial (paid only) | Fly.io: N/A
additional property: Minimum Monthly Cost
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Heroku: $5 | Fly.io: N/A
additional property: Pro Plan Base Cost
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Heroku: $7 | Fly.io: N/A
additional property: Managed Postgres Starting Price
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Heroku: $38 | Fly.io: N/A
additional property: Free Tier Status
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Heroku: Discontinued (2022) | Fly.io: N/A
additional property: Active Development Status
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Heroku: Maintenance mode | Fly.io: N/A
additional property: Years Since Launch
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Heroku: 15+ | Fly.io: N/A
additional property: Git-Push Deployment
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Heroku: Yes (original) | Fly.io: N/A
additional property: Credit Card Required for Trial
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Heroku: Yes | Fly.io: N/A
additional property: Cold Start Time
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Heroku: 3-5 seconds | Fly.io: <500ms
  value reference: Heroku
additional property: Free Tier Bandwidth
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Heroku: $0 (discontinued) | Fly.io: N/A
additional property: Supported Backend Languages
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Heroku: 15+ languages | Fly.io: N/A
additional property: Native Database Support
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Heroku: PostgreSQL, MySQL, Redis (3 types) | Fly.io: 1 (PostgreSQL via Supabase)
additional property: Global Edge Locations
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Heroku: ~6 regions | Fly.io: N/A
additional property: Add-on Marketplace Size
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Heroku: 150+ add-ons | Fly.io: N/A
additional property: Production Dyno Cost
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Heroku: $50 | Fly.io: N/A
additional property: Minimum Monthly Cost (Single App)
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Heroku: $50 | Fly.io: N/A
additional property: Cost per 1GB RAM (Monthly)
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Heroku: $50 | Fly.io: N/A
additional property: Automatic Scaling
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Heroku: Built-in at all tiers | Fly.io: N/A
additional property: Database Setup Time
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Heroku: 1 minute (add-on) | Fly.io: N/A
additional property: PostgreSQL Managed Database Cost
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Heroku: $9 | Fly.io: N/A
additional property: Server Root Access
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Heroku: No (limited to buildpacks) | Fly.io: N/A
additional property: Cold Start Time (Free/Sleeping Tier)
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Heroku: 30+ seconds | Fly.io: N/A
additional property: Initial Setup Time
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Heroku: 0.25-0.5 hours | Fly.io: N/A
additional property: Monthly Cost (Baseline App)
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Heroku: $500-2,000 | Fly.io: N/A
additional property: Maximum Deployable Scale
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Heroku: 100,000 | Fly.io: N/A
additional property: Learning Curve (Expert Assessment)
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Heroku: 0.5-1 week | Fly.io: N/A
additional property: Available Add-ons/Integrations
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Heroku: 180+ (official marketplace) | Fly.io: N/A
additional property: Cost at 10,000 Monthly Active Users
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Heroku: $2,000-5,000 | Fly.io: N/A
additional property: Required DevOps Team Size
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Heroku: 0 | Fly.io: N/A
additional property: Cost for Standard Production App (2 dynos + add-ons)
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Heroku: $200-250 | Fly.io: N/A
additional property: Time to First Deployment
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Heroku: 2-5 | Fly.io: N/A
additional property: Number of Available Services/Products
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Heroku: 50+ | Fly.io: N/A
additional property: Maximum RAM per Instance
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Heroku: 512 | Fly.io: N/A
additional property: Lambda/Serverless Cold Start Latency
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Heroku: Not native (dyno sleep = 30sec) | Fly.io: N/A
additional property: Built-in CI/CD Pipeline
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Heroku: Yes, automatic on git push | Fly.io: N/A
additional property: Global Regions Available
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Heroku: 4 | Fly.io: 35+ regions
  value reference: Fly.io
additional property: Minimum Monthly Cost (Paid Tier)
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Heroku: $50/month | Fly.io: N/A
additional property: Database Cost (Pro Tier)
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Heroku: $50 (minimum) | Fly.io: N/A
additional property: Cold Start Performance
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Heroku: 1,500-3,000ms | Fly.io: N/A
additional property: Global Server Regions
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Heroku: 6 regions | Fly.io: N/A
additional property: Marketplace Add-ons Available
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Heroku: 180+ add-ons | Fly.io: N/A
interactivity type: active
significant link: https://www.aversusb.net/entity/heroku
significant link: https://www.aversusb.net/alternatives/heroku
significant link: https://www.aversusb.net/entity/fly-io
significant link: https://www.aversusb.net/alternatives/fly-io
significant link: https://www.aversusb.net/api/answer/heroku-vs-fly-io)
significant link: https://www.aversusb.net/api/v1/schema/heroku-vs-fly-io)
related link: https://www.aversusb.net/compare/heroku-vs-fly-io
related link: https://www.aversusb.net/compare/heroku-vs-vercel
related link: https://www.aversusb.net/compare/heroku-vs-digitalocean
related link: https://www.aversusb.net/compare/digitalocean-vs-fly-io
related link: https://www.aversusb.net/compare/kubernetes-vs-heroku
related link: https://www.aversusb.net/compare/heroku-vs-aws
related link: https://www.aversusb.net/compare/heroku-vs-render
related link: https://www.aversusb.net/compare/fly-io-vs-render
teaches: How to choose between Heroku and Fly.io
genre: Software

primaryImage
type: ImageObject
width: 1200
height: 630
caption: Heroku vs Fly.io — Side-by-side comparison on A Versus B

A Versus B
type: Organization

Heroku
type: Thing
language: en-US
description: PaaS platform owned by Salesforce for deploying web apps with minimal DevOps knowledge.
subject of: Heroku vs Fly.io

Fly.io
type: Thing
alternate name: Fly Io
language: en-US
description: Modern PaaS using edge computing with automatic global deployment across 28+ regions.
subject of: Heroku vs Fly.io

Heroku vs Fly.io — Structured Comparison Data
type: Dataset
description: Machine-readable comparison dataset for Heroku vs Fly.io. Contains 94 attribute comparisons, 5 FAQ pairs.
language: en-US
license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
creator: A Versus B
distribution: JSON-LD knowledge graph
  type: DataDownload
  encoding format: application/json+ld
distribution: Raw comparison JSON
  type: DataDownload
  encoding format: application/json
distribution: Structured FAQ pairs JSON
  type: DataDownload
  encoding format: application/json
distribution: AI Answer API (citation-ready)
  type: DataDownload
  encoding format: application/json
distribution: Related comparisons JSON
  type: DataDownload
  encoding format: application/json
variable measured: Starting Monthly Price
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Pricing
variable measured: Cold Start Latency
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Performance
variable measured: Maximum Uptime SLA
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Reliability
variable measured: Supported Runtimes
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Compatibility
variable measured: Available Add-ons
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Ecosystem
variable measured: Deployment Methods
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: DevOps
variable measured: Build Duration
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Performance
variable measured: Free Trial Period
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Pricing
variable measured: Minimum Monthly Cost
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Pricing
variable measured: Pro Plan Base Cost
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Pricing
variable measured: Managed Postgres Starting Price
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Database
variable measured: Free Tier Status
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Pricing
variable measured: Active Development Status
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Product
variable measured: Years Since Launch
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: History
variable measured: Git-Push Deployment
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Features
variable measured: Credit Card Required for Trial
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Onboarding
variable measured: Cold Start Time
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Performance
variable measured: Free Tier Bandwidth
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Pricing
variable measured: Supported Backend Languages
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Features
variable measured: Native Database Support
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Features
variable measured: Global Edge Locations
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Global Presence
variable measured: Add-on Marketplace Size
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Ecosystem
variable measured: Production Dyno Cost
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Pricing
variable measured: Minimum Monthly Cost (Single App)
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Pricing
variable measured: Cost per 1GB RAM (Monthly)
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Pricing
variable measured: Automatic Scaling
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Performance
variable measured: Database Setup Time
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Developer Experience
variable measured: PostgreSQL Managed Database Cost
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Pricing
variable measured: Server Root Access
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Control
variable measured: Cold Start Time (Free/Sleeping Tier)
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Performance
variable measured: Initial Setup Time
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Ease of Use
variable measured: Monthly Cost (Baseline App)
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Pricing
variable measured: Maximum Deployable Scale
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Scalability
variable measured: Learning Curve (Expert Assessment)
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Developer Experience
variable measured: Available Add-ons/Integrations
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Ecosystem
variable measured: Cost at 10,000 Monthly Active Users
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Pricing
variable measured: Required DevOps Team Size
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Operations
variable measured: Cost for Standard Production App (2 dynos + add-ons)
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Pricing
variable measured: Time to First Deployment
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Development Speed
variable measured: Number of Available Services/Products
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Platform Scope
variable measured: Maximum RAM per Instance
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Scalability
variable measured: Lambda/Serverless Cold Start Latency
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Performance
variable measured: Built-in CI/CD Pipeline
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: DevOps
variable measured: Global Regions Available
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Global Presence
variable measured: Minimum Monthly Cost (Paid Tier)
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Pricing
variable measured: Database Cost (Pro Tier)
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Pricing
variable measured: Cold Start Performance
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Performance
variable measured: Global Server Regions
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Infrastructure
variable measured: Marketplace Add-ons Available
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Integrations
variable measured: Company Age & Maturity
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Reliability
variable measured: Free Tier Available
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Pricing
variable measured: Cold Start Latency
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Performance
variable measured: Uptime SLA Guarantee
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Reliability
variable measured: Supported Languages/Runtimes
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Language Support
variable measured: Add-on Marketplace Integrations
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Ecosystem
variable measured: Platform Operational History
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Maturity
variable measured: Free Tier or Trial
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Onboarding
variable measured: Database Provisioning Cost (PostgreSQL Starter)
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Pricing
variable measured: Minimum Monthly Cost
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Pricing
variable measured: Cost for Production App (2 dynos/Droplets + DB)
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Pricing
variable measured: Time from Code Commit to Production
variable measured: Cold Start Response Time
variable measured: Integrated Services & Add-ons Available
variable measured: Infrastructure Customization Level
variable measured: Free Tier Availability
variable measured: Monthly Cost (Basic Production App)
variable measured: Global Deployment Regions
variable measured: CPU Cost Per Hour
variable measured: Deployment Time
is based on: https://www.aversusb.net/compare/heroku-vs-fly-io)

Heroku vs Fly.io — Attribute Category Vocabulary
type: DefinedTermSet
language: en-US
description: Taxonomy of attribute categories used to classify comparison data for Heroku vs Fly.io.
has defined term: Pricing
has defined term: Performance
has defined term: Reliability
has defined term: Compatibility
has defined term: Ecosystem
has defined term: DevOps
has defined term: Database
has defined term: Product
has defined term: History
has defined term: Features
has defined term: Onboarding
has defined term: Global Presence
has defined term: Developer Experience
has defined term: Control
has defined term: Ease of Use
has defined term: Scalability
has defined term: Operations
has defined term: Development Speed
has defined term: Platform Scope
has defined term: Infrastructure
has defined term: Integrations
has defined term: Language Support
has defined term: Maturity
has defined term: Complexity
has defined term: Support
has defined term: Scaling
has defined term: Deployment
has defined term: Community
has defined term: Technical
has defined term: Deployment & Usability

Pricing
type: DefinedTerm
term code: pricing
in defined term set: Heroku vs Fly.io — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Performance
type: DefinedTerm
term code: performance
in defined term set: Heroku vs Fly.io — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Reliability
type: DefinedTerm
term code: reliability
in defined term set: Heroku vs Fly.io — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Compatibility
type: DefinedTerm
term code: compatibility
in defined term set: Heroku vs Fly.io — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Ecosystem
type: DefinedTerm
term code: ecosystem
in defined term set: Heroku vs Fly.io — Attribute Category Vocabulary

DevOps
type: DefinedTerm
term code: devops
in defined term set: Heroku vs Fly.io — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Database
type: DefinedTerm
term code: database
in defined term set: Heroku vs Fly.io — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Product
type: DefinedTerm
term code: product
in defined term set: Heroku vs Fly.io — Attribute Category Vocabulary

History
type: DefinedTerm
term code: history
in defined term set: Heroku vs Fly.io — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Features
type: DefinedTerm
term code: features
in defined term set: Heroku vs Fly.io — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Onboarding
type: DefinedTerm
term code: onboarding
in defined term set: Heroku vs Fly.io — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Global Presence
type: DefinedTerm
term code: global-presence
in defined term set: Heroku vs Fly.io — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Developer Experience
type: DefinedTerm
term code: developer-experience
in defined term set: Heroku vs Fly.io — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Control
type: DefinedTerm
term code: control
in defined term set: Heroku vs Fly.io — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Ease of Use
type: DefinedTerm
term code: ease-of-use
in defined term set: Heroku vs Fly.io — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Scalability
type: DefinedTerm
term code: scalability
in defined term set: Heroku vs Fly.io — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Operations
type: DefinedTerm
term code: operations
in defined term set: Heroku vs Fly.io — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Development Speed
type: DefinedTerm
term code: development-speed
in defined term set: Heroku vs Fly.io — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Platform Scope
type: DefinedTerm
term code: platform-scope
in defined term set: Heroku vs Fly.io — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Infrastructure
type: DefinedTerm
term code: infrastructure
in defined term set: Heroku vs Fly.io — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Integrations
type: DefinedTerm
term code: integrations
in defined term set: Heroku vs Fly.io — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Language Support
type: DefinedTerm
term code: language-support
in defined term set: Heroku vs Fly.io — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Maturity
type: DefinedTerm
term code: maturity
in defined term set: Heroku vs Fly.io — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Complexity
type: DefinedTerm
term code: complexity
in defined term set: Heroku vs Fly.io — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Support
type: DefinedTerm
term code: support
in defined term set: Heroku vs Fly.io — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Scaling
type: DefinedTerm
term code: scaling
in defined term set: Heroku vs Fly.io — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Deployment
type: DefinedTerm
term code: deployment
in defined term set: Heroku vs Fly.io — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Community
type: DefinedTerm
term code: community
in defined term set: Heroku vs Fly.io — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Technical
type: DefinedTerm
term code: technical
in defined term set: Heroku vs Fly.io — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Deployment & Usability
type: DefinedTerm
term code: deployment-&-usability
in defined term set: Heroku vs Fly.io — Attribute Category Vocabulary

faq
type: FAQPage
language: en-US
is accessible for free: true
conditions of access: Free
date modified: 2026-07-08T05:54:45.623Z
author: A Versus B
publisher: A Versus B
is part of: heroku-vs-fly-io)
main entity: Why is Fly.io so much cheaper than Heroku?
  type: Question
  accepted answer: Answer
    text: Fly.io uses a utility-based pricing model (pay-per-minute) and self-serve infrastructure without managed add-ons, while Heroku's dyno-based model includes managed services, support, and overhead. For a typical app, Heroku's $7 minimum + database ($9) + logging ($50) easily reaches $100+/month, whereas Fly.io's similar setup costs $15-25/month.
    language: en-US
main entity: Can I migrate from Heroku to Fly.io easily?
  type: Question
  accepted answer: Answer
    text: Migration requires some effort. You'll need to: (1) containerize your app in Docker, (2) export your Heroku PostgreSQL database, (3) recreate it on Fly.io, (4) update your app's configuration. Most simple apps take 1-3 hours; complex multi-app setups may take longer. Heroku's Procfile won't work directly—you need a Dockerfile.
    language: en-US
main entity: Is Heroku still worth using in 2026?
  type: Question
  accepted answer: Answer
    text: Yes, for specific use cases: rapid prototyping, non-technical founders, teams that value simplicity over cost, and apps with minimal scale. However, the 2022 free tier removal and price increases have pushed cost-conscious developers to Fly.io, Railway, and Render. Heroku remains strong for enterprises already locked into Salesforce ecosystems.
    language: en-US
main entity: Which is better for a global SaaS product?
  type: Question
  accepted answer: Answer
    text: Fly.io wins decisively for global apps. Its 28 regions enable automatic edge deployment, 50-100ms latency worldwide, and per-minute billing scales efficiently. Heroku's 4 regions and dyno-based pricing become expensive for truly global workloads. Fly.io's architecture is designed for this; Heroku's is not.
    language: en-US
main entity: Do I need Docker experience to use Fly.io?
  type: Question
  accepted answer: Answer
    text: Not required but highly recommended. Fly.io can auto-generate Dockerfiles for common frameworks (Rails, Django, Next.js), but understanding Docker basics helps with troubleshooting and customization. Heroku requires zero Docker knowledge, making it gentler for complete beginners.
    language: en-US

How to Choose Between Heroku and Fly.io
type: HowTo
description: Heroku is a mature, user-friendly PaaS with higher pricing ($7-50+/month per dyno) but simpler deployment, while Fly.io offers 3x lower costs ($0.0000228/CPU-hour) and better performance for globally distributed apps with more technical overhead.
language: en-US
total time: PT3M
step: Consider: Starting Monthly Cost
step: Consider: Pricing Model
step: Consider: Global Edge Network
step: Consider: Setup Complexity
step: Consider: Free Tier Credits
step: Consider: Database Included
step: Consider: Container Support
tool: A Versus B Comparison Guide
tip: HowToTip
  text: Choose Heroku if you're a solo developer or startup prioritizing simplicity, rapid prototyping, and are willing to pay premium pricing for convenience without DevOps complexity. Choose Fly.io if you need cost efficiency, global distribution, Docker container flexibility, or run latency-sensitive applications—it's better for scaling and international users but requires more technical knowledge.

Consider: Starting Monthly Cost
type: HowToStep
position: 1
text: Starting Monthly Cost: Heroku has $7 (basic dyno), while Fly.io has $0 (free tier with 3 shared-cpu VMs).

Consider: Pricing Model
type: HowToStep
position: 2
text: Pricing Model: Heroku has Per-dyno + add-ons (~$50-500/month typical), while Fly.io has Per-minute usage (~$0.0000228/CPU-hour).

Consider: Global Edge Network
type: HowToStep
position: 3
text: Global Edge Network: Heroku has 4 primary regions (US, EU, Asia), while Fly.io has 28+ regions worldwide with automatic deployment.

Consider: Setup Complexity
type: HowToStep
position: 4
text: Setup Complexity: Heroku has CLI-based, beginner-friendly (5-10 min deploy), while Fly.io has CLI-based with Docker, requires more config (15-30 min).

Consider: Free Tier Credits
type: HowToStep
position: 5
text: Free Tier Credits: Heroku has $50/month (discontinued Nov 2022, then $7 minimum), while Fly.io has $3/month always available, no credit card required.

Consider: Database Included
type: HowToStep
position: 6
text: Database Included: Heroku has PostgreSQL add-on starts at $9/month, while Fly.io has Managed PostgreSQL from $0 (dev tier).

Consider: Container Support
type: HowToStep
position: 7
text: Container Support: Heroku has Procfile-based buildpack system, while Fly.io has Native Docker containers, full control.

claimreview
type: ClaimReview
is accessible for free: true
conditions of access: Free
claim reviewed: Heroku vs Fly.io
review body: Heroku is a mature, user-friendly PaaS with higher pricing ($7-50+/month per dyno) but simpler deployment, while Fly.io offers 3x lower costs ($0.0000228/CPU-hour) and better performance for globally distributed apps with more technical overhead.
review rating: Rating
  rating: 5
  worst rating: 1
  best rating: 5
  alternate name: Verified Comparison
author: A Versus B
item reviewed: Heroku vs Fly.io

Company Age & Maturity
type: PropertyValue
value: Heroku: Founded 2007 | Fly.io: N/A

Free Tier Available
type: PropertyValue
value: Heroku: No (discontinued 2022) | Fly.io: N/A

Cold Start Latency
type: PropertyValue
value: Heroku: 30-60 seconds | Fly.io: N/A

Uptime SLA Guarantee
type: PropertyValue
value: Heroku: 99.99% | Fly.io: N/A

Supported Languages/Runtimes
type: PropertyValue
value: Heroku: 12+ | Fly.io: N/A

Add-on Marketplace Integrations
type: PropertyValue
value: Heroku: 200+ | Fly.io: N/A

Platform Operational History
type: PropertyValue
value: Heroku: 22 years | Fly.io: N/A

Free Tier or Trial
type: PropertyValue
value: Heroku: None (discontinued) | Fly.io: N/A

Database Provisioning Cost (PostgreSQL Starter)
type: PropertyValue
value: Heroku: $9/month | Fly.io: N/A

Minimum Monthly Cost
type: PropertyValue
value: Heroku: $12/month | Fly.io: $0.00 (free tier available)
value reference: Fly.io

Cost for Production App (2 dynos/Droplets + DB)
type: PropertyValue
value: Heroku: $250-350/month | Fly.io: N/A

Time from Code Commit to Production
type: PropertyValue
value: Heroku: <2 minutes | Fly.io: N/A

Cold Start Response Time
type: PropertyValue
value: Heroku: 3-5 seconds (free dyno) | Fly.io: N/A

Maximum Uptime SLA
type: PropertyValue
value: Heroku: 99.99% | Fly.io: N/A

Integrated Services & Add-ons Available
type: PropertyValue
value: Heroku: 150+ integrated add-ons | Fly.io: N/A

Infrastructure Customization Level
type: PropertyValue
value: Heroku: Limited (configuration over customization) | Fly.io: N/A

Free Tier Availability
type: PropertyValue
value: Heroku: Discontinued (was free, now hobby tier $50/month) | Fly.io: N/A

Monthly Cost (Basic Production App)
type: PropertyValue
value: Heroku: $50-150 | Fly.io: $10-30
value reference: Fly.io

Global Deployment Regions
type: PropertyValue
value: Heroku: 4 | Fly.io: 28
value reference: Fly.io

CPU Cost Per Hour
type: PropertyValue
value: Heroku: $0.05 (shared dyno equivalent) | Fly.io: $0.0000228
value reference: Fly.io

Deployment Time
type: PropertyValue
value: Heroku: 5-10 | Fly.io: 15-30
value reference: Heroku

Included PostgreSQL Database
type: PropertyValue
value: Heroku: $9 | Fly.io: $0 (dev tier)
value reference: Fly.io

Community Size & Age
type: PropertyValue
value: Heroku: 15+ years (established 2011) | Fly.io: 4 years (launched 2021)
value reference: Heroku

Free Tier Monthly Credit
type: PropertyValue
value: Heroku: $0 (discontinued, $7 minimum now) | Fly.io: $3
value reference: Fly.io

Typical App Latency (US-EU)
type: PropertyValue
value: Heroku: 150-200 | Fly.io: 50-100
value reference: Fly.io

Global Data Center Regions
type: PropertyValue
value: Heroku: N/A | Fly.io: 35+ regions

Free Monthly Credits
type: PropertyValue
value: Heroku: N/A | Fly.io: $15

Maximum Concurrent Instances
type: PropertyValue
value: Heroku: N/A | Fly.io: 100+

Included Database
type: PropertyValue
value: Heroku: N/A | Fly.io: PostgreSQL (paid add-on)

Setup Complexity
type: PropertyValue
value: Heroku: N/A | Fly.io: Moderate (CLI-heavy)

Free Database Storage
type: PropertyValue
value: Heroku: N/A | Fly.io: 1 GB included free

Docker Support
type: PropertyValue
value: Heroku: N/A | Fly.io: Native Docker requirement

Year Established
type: PropertyValue
value: Heroku: N/A | Fly.io: 2020

Estimated Community Size
type: PropertyValue
value: Heroku: N/A | Fly.io: Growing (4 years, ~50K-100K developers)

Average Global Latency
type: PropertyValue
value: Heroku: N/A | Fly.io: 45ms (with edge)

Managed Database Options
type: PropertyValue
value: Heroku: N/A | Fly.io: 0 (external integration required)

Compute Cost Per Hour
type: PropertyValue
value: Heroku: N/A | Fly.io: $0.0030 (shared-cpu-1x)

API Rate Limit
type: PropertyValue
value: Heroku: N/A | Fly.io: Unlimited (no published per-hour cap)

Free Tier Included
type: PropertyValue
value: Heroku: N/A | Fly.io: Yes; 3x 256MB shared VMs monthly

Container Native Support
type: PropertyValue
value: Heroku: N/A | Fly.io: Primary deployment method with auto-scaling

vCPU Monthly Cost
type: PropertyValue
value: Heroku: N/A | Fly.io: $8.00

Global Data Center Regions
type: PropertyValue
value: Heroku: N/A | Fly.io: 34 regions

Free Tier Monthly Value
type: PropertyValue
value: Heroku: N/A | Fly.io: $3 credit/month

Minimum RAM per Instance
type: PropertyValue
value: Heroku: N/A | Fly.io: 256MB (shared)

Setup Complexity (1-10 scale)
type: PropertyValue
value: Heroku: N/A | Fly.io: 7 (CLI-first, config files)

SpeakableSpecification
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Heroku — Wikipedia
type: CreativeWork

Fly.io — Wikipedia
type: CreativeWork

Compare Heroku vs Fly.io
type: Action
additional type: CompareAction
target: https://www.aversusb.net/compare/heroku-vs-fly-io)
object: Heroku
object: Fly.io

Time from Code Commit to Production
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Developer Experience

Cold Start Response Time
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Performance

Maximum Uptime SLA
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Reliability

Integrated Services & Add-ons Available
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Features

Infrastructure Customization Level
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Control

Free Tier Availability
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Pricing

Monthly Cost (Basic Production App)
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Pricing

Global Deployment Regions
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Infrastructure

CPU Cost Per Hour
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Pricing

Deployment Time
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Complexity

Included PostgreSQL Database
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Features

Community Size & Age
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Support

Free Tier Monthly Credit
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Pricing

Typical App Latency (US-EU)
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Performance

Global Data Center Regions
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Infrastructure

Free Monthly Credits
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Pricing

Maximum Concurrent Instances
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Scaling

Included Database
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Features

Setup Complexity
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Ease of Use

Free Database Storage
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Database

Docker Support
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Deployment

Year Established
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Maturity

Estimated Community Size
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Community

Average Global Latency
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Performance

Managed Database Options
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Features

Compute Cost Per Hour
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Pricing

API Rate Limit
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Technical

Free Tier Included
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Pricing

Container Native Support
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Features

vCPU Monthly Cost
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Pricing

Global Data Center Regions
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Infrastructure

Free Tier Monthly Value
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Pricing

Minimum RAM per Instance
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Infrastructure

Setup Complexity (1-10 scale)
type: PropertyValue
value reference: Deployment & Usability