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GNAT Pro vs Heroku

GNAT Pro logo

GNAT Pro

Developer Tools

Software development environments and toolchains for Ada, C/C++ and Rust

From
On request
Free plan
No
Full reviewWebsite
Heroku logo

Heroku

Cloud

Cloud Application Platform

From
$5/month
Free plan
No
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: GNAT Pro no pricing published on website; requires contacting AdaCore directly for quotes; Heroku there is no free dyno tier; the cheapest Eco dyno is $5 per month
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which GNAT Pro and Heroku actually diverge.

Attributes where GNAT Pro and Heroku differ
AttributeGNAT ProHeroku
Starting priceOn request$5/month
Pricing modelquotesubscription
PlatformsWebWeb, Api, Workers
CategoryDeveloper ToolsCloud
FoundedUnknown2007

Identical on both: free tier (No), 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 GNAT Pro

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.

GNAT Pro

  • Building certified avionics software meeting DO-178B/C standardsnot Heroku
  • Developing automotive embedded systems with ISO-26262 compliancenot Heroku
  • Integrating Ada, C/C++, and Rust components in single codebasenot Heroku
  • Managing software supply chain vulnerabilities and SBOMsnot Heroku
  • Supporting long-lived software systems spanning decadesnot Heroku

Heroku

  • Application hostingnot GNAT Pro
  • Database as a servicenot GNAT Pro
  • CI/CD pipelinesnot GNAT Pro
  • API deploymentnot GNAT Pro

Where each one falls short

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

GNAT Pro

  • No pricing published on website; requires contacting AdaCore directly for quotes
  • Vendor indicates per-user, per-year subscription model but does not disclose specific costs

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

GNAT Pro

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the GNAT Pro review.

Heroku

$5/month
  • Eco Dyno$5/month
    • 0.5 GB RAM
    • Git/Docker deploy
    • Custom domains
  • Basic Dyno$7/month
    • 0.5 GB RAM
    • Always-on
    • Free SSL
  • Standard-1X Dyno$25/month
    • 0.5 GB RAM
    • Horizontal scaling
    • App metrics
  • Standard-2X Dyno$50/month
    • 1 GB RAM
    • Horizontal scaling
    • App metrics

Which should you pick?

Choose GNAT Pro if

Nothing in the data separates GNAT Pro from Heroku on the points above - pick on price and on how each one feels to use.

GNAT Pro 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 GNAT Pro or Heroku better?
Neither clearly leads. GNAT Pro starts at On request and Heroku at $5/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, GNAT Pro or Heroku?
GNAT Pro starts at On request and Heroku at $5/month.
Does GNAT Pro or Heroku run on more platforms?
GNAT Pro runs on Web. Heroku runs on Web, Api, Workers.
What is GNAT Pro best used for?
GNAT Pro is most often used for building certified avionics software meeting do-178b/c standards, developing automotive embedded systems with iso-26262 compliance, integrating ada, c/c++, and rust components in single codebase, managing software supply chain vulnerabilities and sboms. Of those, building certified avionics software meeting do-178b/c standards and developing automotive embedded systems with iso-26262 compliance are not what Heroku is typically brought in for.
What can GNAT Pro do that Heroku cannot?
Heroku covers Git-based deployment, Buildpacks, Dynos (containers), Add-ons marketplace.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

GNAT Pro: How much does GNAT Pro cost?

GNAT Pro pricing is not published on the website. Customers must request a pricing quote by contacting AdaCore directly or speaking with a GNAT Pro expert.

Source
Heroku: How much does Heroku cost?

Heroku dyno pricing starts at $5 per month USD for the Eco tier (with 30-minute inactivity sleep), $7 per month for Basic (always-on), and scales up to $1,500 per month for Performance-2XL with 126 GB RAM.

Source
GNAT Pro: What is GNAT Pro licensing model?

GNAT Pro is sold on a per-user, per-year basis with no license locks. Customers can request pricing for their specific needs.

Source
Heroku: What is the cheapest always-on Heroku plan?

The Basic Dyno at $7 per month USD is Heroku's cheapest always-on container option. It provides 0.5 GB RAM, free SSL, and support for 10 process types.

Source
Heroku: How is Heroku Postgres priced?

Heroku Postgres Essential tier (shared resources) starts at $5-$20 per month for 1-32 GB disk. Standard tier (dedicated) ranges $50-$12,000 per month. Premium, Private, Shield, and Advanced tiers offer higher performance at corresponding prices.

Source
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