10 Best Heroku Alternatives in 2026: Free Tiers Compared
Since Heroku discontinued its free tier in November 2022, developers have been searching for affordable alternatives to host their applications. Whether you're building a side project, running demos, or deploying production apps, you need a platform that's simple, affordable, and doesn't require a DevOps degree.
What Made Heroku Great
Heroku revolutionized deployment with its simplicity: git push heroku main and your app was live. The key features developers loved:
- Git-based deployment - Push code, get a running app
- Zero infrastructure management - No servers to configure
- Add-ons ecosystem - Databases, caching, and monitoring in one click
- Free tier - Perfect for learning and side projects
The 10 Best Heroku Alternatives
1. SnapDeploy (Best Free Tier)
Free Tier: 100 hours/month with pause capability
Pricing: Starts at $0 (Starter), $9/month (Pro)
SnapDeploy stands out with its unique pause/resume feature. Unlike other platforms where the clock runs 24/7, SnapDeploy lets you stop your container when not in use. Your 100 free hours only count when your app is actually running.
2. Railway
Free Tier: $5 credit/month
Best For: Teams wanting a modern Heroku experience
Railway offers a polished UI and excellent developer experience. Their template library makes it easy to deploy popular frameworks.
3. Render
Free Tier: Free for static sites, limited for services
Best For: Static sites and simple web services
Render is popular for its straightforward pricing. However, free tier services spin down after 15 minutes of inactivity.
4. Fly.io
Free Tier: Generous free allowances
Best For: Developers comfortable with CLI tools
Fly.io runs your apps on lightweight VMs close to users. Great for global applications but has a steeper learning curve.
5-10. Others
Other notable alternatives include Vercel (for frontend), Netlify (JAMstack), DigitalOcean App Platform, Google Cloud Run, AWS App Runner, and self-hosted Dokku.
Feature Comparison
| Platform | Free Tier | Pause Feature | Databases |
|---|---|---|---|
| SnapDeploy | 100 hrs/mo | Yes | Yes |
| Railway | $5 credit | No | Yes |
| Render | Limited | No | Yes |
Conclusion
For developers who want maximum value from a free tier, SnapDeploy's pause feature makes it the clear winner. Stop paying for idle containers and start deploying for free.
Ready to Deploy?
Get 100 free hours to deploy and test your applications. No credit card required.
Start Free Trial