Softwr

File Storage & Backup · head to head

Carbonite vs Heroku

Carbonite logo

Carbonite

File Storage & Backup

Simple and reliable cloud backup for businesses

From
$6/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Heroku logo

Heroku

Cloud & Infrastructure

Cloud Application Platform

From
$7/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Carbonite upload speeds are significantly slower than competitors due to lack of block-level algorithms and multithreading; Heroku there is no free dyno tier; the cheapest Eco dyno is $5 per month
  • They diverge on capability: Carbonite covers Automatic backup, Heroku covers Git-based deployment.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Carbonite and Heroku actually diverge.

Attributes where Carbonite and Heroku differ
AttributeCarboniteHeroku
Starting price$6/month$7/month
PlatformsWindows, Mac, WebWeb, Api, Workers
CategoryFile Storage & BackupCloud & Infrastructure
Founded20052007

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Carbonite

  • Automatic backup
  • Continuous protection
  • Remote file access
  • Bare metal restore
  • Encryption
  • Compliance support
  • Microsoft 365
  • Windows Server

Only in Heroku

  • Git-based deployment
  • Buildpacks
  • Dynos (containers)
  • Add-ons marketplace
  • Postgres database
  • Environment variables
  • Logging
  • API

Both cover

  • Web support

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Carbonite

  • Data protectionnot Heroku
  • Disaster recoverynot Heroku
  • Business continuitynot Heroku
  • Ransomware protectionnot Heroku
  • Compliancenot Heroku

Heroku

  • Deploying and scaling web applications with git push and no server administrationnot Carbonite
  • Running managed Postgres, Redis and Kafka as attached data servicesnot Carbonite
  • Isolated production environments in a Private Space for regulated workloadsnot Carbonite

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Carbonite

  • Upload speeds are significantly slower than competitors due to lack of block-level algorithms and multithreading
  • Bandwidth throttling control is limited, preventing users from managing full bandwidth allocation
  • Mobile apps and web access are more limited than sync-first services like Dropbox or Google Drive
  • Uses AES-128 encryption instead of industry-standard AES-256
  • Hybrid backup support is restricted to professional plans, unavailable for personal users

Heroku

  • There is no free dyno tier; the cheapest Eco dyno is $5 per month
  • Eco dynos sleep after 30 minutes of inactivity, are restricted to personal accounts and allow only 2 process types
  • Free SSL and 10 process types start at the Basic dyno at $7 per month
  • Private and Shield dyno types require a Private Space, which is billed on top of the dynos
  • Private Space dynos start at $250 per month for Private-M and $500 per month for Private-L
  • Dyno prices are per dyno per month, so an app with several process types multiplies the bill

Pricing, plan by plan

Carbonite

$6/month
  • Basic$6/month
    • Automatic backup
    • Unlimited cloud storage
    • Easy restore

Heroku

$7/month
  • Hobby$7/month
    • 512MB RAM
    • Shared CPU
    • 1 web dyno
  • Standard$50/month
    • 512MB RAM
    • Dedicated CPU
    • Automatic scaling

Which should you pick?

Choose Carbonite if

  • You need automatic backup.
  • You work on Windows, Mac, Web.
  • You also want continuous protection.
Carbonite review

Choose Heroku if

  • You need git-based deployment.
  • You work on Web, Api, Workers.
  • You also want buildpacks.
Heroku review

Questions people ask

Is Carbonite or Heroku better?
Neither clearly leads. Carbonite starts at $6/month and Heroku at $7/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Carbonite or Heroku?
Carbonite starts at $6/month and Heroku at $7/month.
Does Carbonite or Heroku run on more platforms?
Carbonite runs on Windows, Mac, Web. Heroku runs on Web, Api, Workers.
What is Carbonite best used for?
Carbonite is most often used for data protection, disaster recovery, business continuity, ransomware protection. Of those, data protection and disaster recovery are not what Heroku is typically brought in for.
What can Carbonite do that Heroku cannot?
Carbonite covers Automatic backup, Continuous protection, Remote file access, Bare metal restore. Heroku covers Git-based deployment, Buildpacks, Dynos (containers), Add-ons marketplace. Both handle Web support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Carbonite: Does Carbonite offer unlimited storage?

Yes, Carbonite's personal plans (Safe Basic through Safe Server Ultimate) offer unlimited cloud storage, though business plans have tiered storage starting at 250 GB.

Source
Carbonite: What is Carbonite's pricing?

Personal plans range from $4.91 to $83.33 per month with annual billing. Business plans start around $50-$75 per endpoint annually, with volume discounts available for multi-year contracts.

Source
Carbonite: How fast are Carbonite's upload speeds?

Carbonite's upload speeds are notably slow and are consistently identified as the platform's main weakness. The lack of block-level algorithms and multithreading contributes to these speed limitations.

Source
Carbonite: What encryption does Carbonite use?

Carbonite uses AES-128 encryption at rest, which is an unusual choice in 2026 when AES-256 is the industry standard.

Source
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