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Database & Data Management · head to head

FaunaDB vs Heroku

FaunaDB logo

FaunaDB

Database & Data Management

The distributed serverless database for modern applications

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Heroku logo

Heroku

Cloud & Infrastructure

Cloud Application Platform

From
$7/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only FaunaDB has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: FaunaDB the Internet Archive's capture of FaunaDB's homepage on 5 January 2019 confirmed a free 'Try Cloud' tier alongside a self-hosted download, with a separate Pricing page linked but not itself retrievable from the archive within two attempts.; Heroku there is no free dyno tier; the cheapest Eco dyno is $5 per month
  • They diverge on capability: FaunaDB covers ACID Transactions, Heroku covers Git-based deployment.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which FaunaDB and Heroku actually diverge.

Attributes where FaunaDB and Heroku differ
AttributeFaunaDBHeroku
Starting priceFree$7/month
Pricing modelfreemiumsubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWebWeb, Api, Workers
CategoryDatabase & Data ManagementCloud & Infrastructure
Founded20122007

Identical on both: 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 FaunaDB

  • ACID Transactions
  • Document-relational Model
  • GraphQL API
  • Global Distribution
  • Temporal Queries
  • Multi-tenancy
  • Serverless
  • GraphQL

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.

FaunaDB

  • Serverless applicationsnot Heroku
  • Rapid prototypingnot Heroku
  • Mobile backendsnot Heroku
  • JAMstacknot Heroku
  • Microservicesnot Heroku

Heroku

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

Where each one falls short

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

FaunaDB

  • The Internet Archive's capture of FaunaDB's homepage on 5 January 2019 confirmed a free 'Try Cloud' tier alongside a self-hosted download, with a separate Pricing page linked but not itself retrievable from the archive within two attempts.

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

FaunaDB

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 100K read ops
    • 50K write ops
    • 1GB storage
  • Pro$25/month
    • Pay per use
    • Priority support
    • Advanced features

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 FaunaDB if

  • You need acid transactions.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want document-relational model.
FaunaDB 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 FaunaDB or Heroku better?
Neither clearly leads. FaunaDB 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, FaunaDB or Heroku?
FaunaDB has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for FaunaDB and $7/month for Heroku.
Does FaunaDB or Heroku run on more platforms?
FaunaDB runs on Web. Heroku runs on Web, Api, Workers.
Can I use FaunaDB for free?
Yes. FaunaDB has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Heroku starts at $7/month.
What is FaunaDB best used for?
FaunaDB is most often used for serverless applications, rapid prototyping, mobile backends, jamstack. Of those, serverless applications and rapid prototyping are not what Heroku is typically brought in for.
What can FaunaDB do that Heroku cannot?
FaunaDB covers ACID Transactions, Document-relational Model, GraphQL API, Global Distribution. Heroku covers Git-based deployment, Buildpacks, Dynos (containers), Add-ons marketplace. Both handle Web support.
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