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Software · head to head

FastAPI vs Heroku

F

FastAPI

Software

A modern, fast, high-performance web framework for building APIs with Python

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Heroku logo

Heroku

Software

Cloud Application Platform

From
$7/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only FastAPI has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: FastAPI licensed under the MIT License per fastapi.tiangolo.com; as open source software it has no paid tier or vendor price to compare; Heroku there is no free dyno tier; the cheapest Eco dyno is $5 per month

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which FastAPI and Heroku actually diverge.

Attributes where FastAPI and Heroku differ
AttributeFastAPIHeroku
Starting priceFree$7/month
Pricing modelopen-sourcesubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWebWeb, 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 FastAPI

Nothing recorded that Heroku does not also cover.

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.

FastAPI

No use cases recorded yet. See the FastAPI review.

Heroku

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

Where each one falls short

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

FastAPI

  • Licensed under the MIT License per fastapi.tiangolo.com; as open source software it has no paid tier or vendor price to compare
  • FastAPI depends entirely on Starlette for its web layer and Pydantic for validation, per its own documentation, so it is not a standalone framework and inherits both dependencies' constraints

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

FastAPI

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the FastAPI 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 FastAPI if

  • You want to start without paying.
FastAPI 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 FastAPI or Heroku better?
Neither clearly leads. FastAPI 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, FastAPI or Heroku?
FastAPI has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for FastAPI and $7/month for Heroku.
Does FastAPI or Heroku run on more platforms?
FastAPI runs on Web. Heroku runs on Web, Api, Workers.
Can I use FastAPI for free?
Yes. FastAPI has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Heroku starts at $7/month.
What can FastAPI do that Heroku cannot?
Heroku covers Git-based deployment, Buildpacks, Dynos (containers), Add-ons marketplace.
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Related pages

More on FastAPI

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