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Software · head to head

Cloudflare vs Heroku

Cloudflare logo

Cloudflare

Software

The web performance and security company

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Heroku logo

Heroku

Software

Cloud Application Platform

From
$7/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Cloudflare has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Cloudflare free tier limited to basic features (no advanced analytics or premium features); Heroku there is no free dyno tier; the cheapest Eco dyno is $5 per month
  • They diverge on capability: Cloudflare covers Global CDN, Heroku covers Git-based deployment.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Cloudflare and Heroku actually diverge.

Attributes where Cloudflare and Heroku differ
AttributeCloudflareHeroku
Starting priceFree$7/month
Pricing modelUnknownsubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWebWeb, Api, Workers
Founded20092007

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).

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 Cloudflare

  • Global CDN
  • DDoS Protection
  • WAF
  • DNS
  • SSL/TLS
  • Load Balancing
  • Bot Management
  • Workers (Serverless)

Only in Heroku

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

Both cover

  • GitHub
  • Cloud deployment
  • Web support
  • Api support

What people use each for

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

Cloudflare

  • Global content delivery network (CDN) with 330+ data centres worldwidenot Heroku
  • DDoS protection and bot blockingnot Heroku
  • Web application security and rate limitingnot Heroku
  • DNS management and domain protectionnot Heroku
  • Static and dynamic content cachingnot Heroku
  • Serverless computing via Cloudflare Workersnot Heroku
  • Database and storage services (D1, R2)not Heroku
  • Performance optimisation for Core Web Vitalsnot Heroku

Heroku

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

Where each one falls short

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

Cloudflare

  • Free tier limited to basic features (no advanced analytics or premium features)
  • Pro tier ($20-25/month) caps at professional websites (higher tiers needed for enterprise scale)
  • Caches only anonymous API GET responses (authenticated requests and non-GET methods not cached)
  • Geographic coverage limited to announced 330+ cities (may not cover all regions globally)

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

Cloudflare

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Cloudflare review.

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 Cloudflare if

  • You need global cdn.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want ddos protection.
Cloudflare 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 Cloudflare or Heroku better?
Neither clearly leads. Cloudflare starts at Free and Heroku at $7/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Cloudflare or Heroku?
Cloudflare has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Cloudflare and $7/month for Heroku.
Does Cloudflare or Heroku run on more platforms?
Cloudflare runs on Web. Heroku runs on Web, Api, Workers.
Can I use Cloudflare for free?
Yes. Cloudflare has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Heroku starts at $7/month.
What is Cloudflare best used for?
Cloudflare is most often used for global content delivery network (cdn) with 330+ data centres worldwide, ddos protection and bot blocking, web application security and rate limiting, dns management and domain protection. Of those, global content delivery network (cdn) with 330+ data centres worldwide and ddos protection and bot blocking are not what Heroku is typically brought in for.
What can Cloudflare do that Heroku cannot?
Cloudflare covers Global CDN, DDoS Protection, WAF, DNS. Heroku covers Git-based deployment, Buildpacks, Dynos (containers), Add-ons marketplace. Both handle GitHub, Cloud deployment, Web support, Api support.
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