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Software · head to head

Deepgram vs Heroku

Deepgram logo

Deepgram

Software

Voice AI API platform for speech-to-text, text-to-speech, and voice agents

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Heroku logo

Heroku

Software

Cloud Application Platform

From
$7/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Deepgram has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Deepgram pricing is entirely usage-based, so total cost can be harder to predict than flat subscription tools.; Heroku there is no free dyno tier; the cheapest Eco dyno is $5 per month
  • They diverge on capability: Deepgram covers Flux speech-to-text, Heroku covers Git-based deployment.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Deepgram and Heroku actually diverge.

Attributes where Deepgram and Heroku differ
AttributeDeepgramHeroku
Starting priceFree$7/month
Pricing modelusage-basedsubscription
Free tierYesNo
Platformsweb, apiWeb, Api, Workers
FoundedUnknown2007

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 Deepgram

  • Flux speech-to-text
  • Flux text-to-speech
  • Voice Agent API
  • Real-time and batch processing
  • Self-hosted deployment
  • Audio intelligence

Only in Heroku

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

What people use each for

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

Deepgram

  • Building real-time voice agents for customer supportnot Heroku
  • Transcribing recorded audio at scale via batch STTnot Heroku
  • Adding conversational text-to-speech to voice applicationsnot Heroku
  • Self-hosting speech models for data residency requirementsnot Heroku

Heroku

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

Where each one falls short

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

Deepgram

  • Pricing is entirely usage-based, so total cost can be harder to predict than flat subscription tools.
  • The Growth plan requires a minimum $4K/year commitment to unlock discounted rates.
  • Enterprise features and custom SLAs require a direct sales conversation rather than self-serve signup.
  • Some promotional per-minute rates are time-limited, meaning long-term pricing may differ from current promotional rates.

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

Deepgram

Free
  • Pay As You Go$undefined/mo
    • $200 free credit to start
    • No minimums or expiration
    • No credit card required to start
  • Growth$undefined/mo
    • Save up to 20% with annual pre-paid credits
    • Minimum $4K/year commitment
    • Credits applied against actual usage
  • Enterprise$undefined/mo
    • Custom pricing for large-scale deployments
    • Dedicated support and contracts

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 Deepgram if

  • You need flux speech-to-text.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on web, api.
  • You also want flux text-to-speech.
Deepgram 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 Deepgram or Heroku better?
Neither clearly leads. Deepgram 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, Deepgram or Heroku?
Deepgram has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Deepgram and $7/month for Heroku.
Does Deepgram or Heroku run on more platforms?
Deepgram runs on web, api. Heroku runs on Web, Api, Workers.
Can I use Deepgram for free?
Yes. Deepgram has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Heroku starts at $7/month.
What is Deepgram best used for?
Deepgram is most often used for building real-time voice agents for customer support, transcribing recorded audio at scale via batch stt, adding conversational text-to-speech to voice applications, self-hosting speech models for data residency requirements. Of those, building real-time voice agents for customer support and transcribing recorded audio at scale via batch stt are not what Heroku is typically brought in for.
What can Deepgram do that Heroku cannot?
Deepgram covers Flux speech-to-text, Flux text-to-speech, Voice Agent API, Real-time and batch processing. Heroku covers Git-based deployment, Buildpacks, Dynos (containers), Add-ons marketplace.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Deepgram: What does Deepgram cost?

Deepgram uses usage-based pricing starting with $200 in free credit, pay-as-you-go rates per minute or per character, a Growth plan with annual pre-paid credits requiring a $4K/year minimum, and custom Enterprise pricing.

Source
Deepgram: Is there a free plan, and what are its limits?

New users get $200 of free credit with no credit card required, which can be applied to speech-to-text, text-to-speech, or voice agent usage before any payment is needed.

Source
Deepgram: How is usage metered?

Usage is metered per minute of audio for speech-to-text and voice agent calls, and per 1,000 characters for text-to-speech, with add-ons like redaction and entity detection billed separately per minute.

Source
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