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Software · head to head

Cockroach Labs vs Heroku

Cockroach Labs logo

Cockroach Labs

Software

The cloud-native distributed SQL database

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Heroku logo

Heroku

Software

Cloud Application Platform

From
$7/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Cockroach Labs has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Cockroach Labs basic and Standard tiers limited to AWS and GCP (select regions only); Heroku there is no free dyno tier; the cheapest Eco dyno is $5 per month
  • They diverge on capability: Cockroach Labs covers Distributed SQL, Heroku covers Git-based deployment.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Cockroach Labs and Heroku actually diverge.

Attributes where Cockroach Labs and Heroku differ
AttributeCockroach LabsHeroku
Starting priceFree$7/month
Pricing modelfreemiumsubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsAWS, GCP, AzureWeb, Api, Workers
Founded20152007

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 Cockroach Labs

  • Distributed SQL
  • Automatic Sharding
  • Multi-region Replication
  • Geo-partitioning
  • ACID Transactions
  • Horizontal Scaling
  • Survivability
  • PostgreSQL Compatibility

Only in Heroku

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

Both cover

  • Datadog
  • Cloud deployment

What people use each for

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

Cockroach Labs

  • Distributed SQL database for scalable applicationsnot Heroku
  • Multi-region deployment and failovernot Heroku

Heroku

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

Where each one falls short

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

Cockroach Labs

  • Basic and Standard tiers limited to AWS and GCP (select regions only)
  • Azure support restricted to Advanced tier only
  • Basic tier limited to 50 million RUs and 10 GiB storage per month
  • Advanced tier starts at $0.60/hour for 4 vCPUs minimum
  • 3 TiB maximum storage on Basic and Standard tiers, 10 TiB per node on Advanced

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

Cockroach Labs

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Cockroach Labs 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 Cockroach Labs if

  • You need distributed sql.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on AWS, GCP, Azure.
  • You also want automatic sharding.
Cockroach Labs 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 Cockroach Labs or Heroku better?
Neither clearly leads. Cockroach Labs 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, Cockroach Labs or Heroku?
Cockroach Labs has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Cockroach Labs and $7/month for Heroku.
Does Cockroach Labs or Heroku run on more platforms?
Cockroach Labs runs on AWS, GCP, Azure. Heroku runs on Web, Api, Workers.
Can I use Cockroach Labs for free?
Yes. Cockroach Labs has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Heroku starts at $7/month.
What is Cockroach Labs best used for?
Cockroach Labs is most often used for distributed sql database for scalable applications, multi-region deployment and failover. Of those, distributed sql database for scalable applications and multi-region deployment and failover are not what Heroku is typically brought in for.
What can Cockroach Labs do that Heroku cannot?
Cockroach Labs covers Distributed SQL, Automatic Sharding, Multi-region Replication, Geo-partitioning. Heroku covers Git-based deployment, Buildpacks, Dynos (containers), Add-ons marketplace. Both handle Datadog, Cloud deployment.
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