Vercel is optimized for frontend and full-stack JavaScript applications with superior cold start performance and built-in edge deployment, while Heroku offers broader language support and traditional backend deployment for diverse tech stacks. Vercel excels for modern web apps; Heroku for legacy systems and non-JavaScript backends.
Heroku vs Vercel — Side-by-side comparison on A Versus B
Choose Vercel if you're building modern JavaScript/TypeScript applications, need global edge deployment, want a free tier, or prioritize sub-300ms response times. Choose Heroku if you need multi-language backend support, require integrated database hosting, work with legacy systems, or prefer a mature platform with extensive add-on ecosystem.
Cloud platform-as-a-service for deploying web apps across multiple programming languages with managed databases.
Serverless platform optimized for JavaScript/TypeScript frontend and full-stack deployment with global edge network.
Structured comparison data for Heroku vs Vercel with 165 attributes.
Cost for Standard Production App (2 dynos + add-ons)
Database Provisioning Cost (PostgreSQL Starter)
Cost for Production App (2 dynos/Droplets + DB)
Supported Languages (via Framework/Docker)
Serverless Function Cost (per 1M invocations)
Estimated Learning Time for New Developer
Heroku vs Vercel — Attribute Category Vocabulary
Taxonomy of attribute categories used to classify comparison data for Heroku vs Vercel.
Why did Heroku discontinue its free tier?
In October 2022, Salesforce (Heroku's parent company) discontinued the free tier due to abuse of free resources and resource allocation costs. The company shifted focus to paid plans starting at $7/month. This directly contrasts with Vercel's continued free tier with 100GB monthly bandwidth, making Vercel more accessible for hobbyist projects.
Can I run Python applications on Vercel?
Vercel has limited Python support through Serverless Functions, but it's not optimized for Python backends like Heroku is. Vercel is designed primarily for JavaScript/TypeScript. For Python-heavy applications, Heroku remains the better choice as it natively supports Python with pip dependencies and full runtime environments.
Which platform is better for global content delivery?
Vercel is significantly superior for global delivery, with Edge Functions deployed across 180+ cities worldwide and sub-300ms cold starts. Heroku offers regional dyno distribution but lacks native edge computing. For applications requiring sub-100ms latency globally, Vercel's edge network is a clear advantage.
Does Vercel provide database hosting like Heroku?
No. Heroku includes integrated Postgres database hosting as a managed add-on, while Vercel provides only compute and requires you to use third-party database services like Supabase, MongoDB Atlas, or PlanetScale. This makes Heroku better for all-in-one solutions, while Vercel requires more infrastructure coordination.
What's the best platform for a Next.js application?
Vercel is the clear winner for Next.js since it was created by the Next.js team. You get automatic optimizations, Image Optimization, native Edge Middleware support, and zero-configuration deployments. While you can deploy Next.js to Heroku, you won't get these native optimizations and it's not the intended platform.