Heroku vs Render: what each really costs

Team size

Billing

Heroku

No plan for this billing option

No paid plan to compare for this billing option.

Render

No plan for this billing option

No paid plan to compare for this billing option.

10 peopleHerokuRender
Entry paid planNo plan for this billing optionNo plan for this billing option
Vendor price
Monthly cost
Annual cost
Per user / year
Billing commitmentNot recordedNot recorded
Minimum seatsNone statedNone stated
Free planNo free plan listedYes
Free trialNot statedNot stated

Calculated by SpecEntry from official vendor prices. Taxes and optional add-ons are not included. Open each product page for every plan and the official source.

Heroku vs Render: features

Key features as each vendor lists them. A feature missing from a list does not mean the product lacks it.

Heroku

  • DynosApps run in managed containers called dynos.
  • Heroku PostgresFully managed PostgreSQL database as a service.
  • Instant rollbackRoll back code or Postgres data to an earlier state.
  • Heroku MetricsShows runtime metrics for your applications.
  • Heroku FlowVisual continuous delivery for app releases.
  • BuildpacksCustomize your stack with buildpacks.
  • ComplianceMaintains PCI, HIPAA, ISO and SOC compliance.
  • Managed AI models and MCPAccess AI models and extend agents via Model Context Protocol.

Source:heroku.com ·

Render

  • Agent sandboxesGive each agent its own computer to use tools, files and run code.
  • Preview environmentsEphemeral previews of your full application architecture for every change.
  • Logs and monitoringView critical infrastructure metrics and stream telemetry to external tools.
  • Durable workflowsDeploy stateful logic and async workloads for AI agents and data pipelines.
  • Infrastructure as codeDefine, deploy and version your architecture in a single YAML file.
  • Private networkingKeep internal traffic off the public internet without VPC complexity.
  • DDoS protectionProtects every service from attacks without extra configuration.

Source:render.com ·

Heroku vs Render pricing questions

  1. How much do Heroku and Render cost?

    Heroku paid plans start at $5 per month for 1,000 eco dyno hours, personal accounts only (Eco Dynos). Render paid plans start at $25 per month plus compute (Pro).

  2. Do Heroku and Render have a free plan?

    Render lists a free plan; Heroku does not list one on its official pricing.