Softwr

Network & Connectivity · head to head

Grafana vs Heroku

Grafana logo

Grafana

Network & Connectivity

Observability and Data Visualization

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Heroku logo

Heroku

Cloud & Infrastructure

Cloud Application Platform

From
$7/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Grafana has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Grafana the free tier retains metrics, logs and traces for 14 days only; Heroku there is no free dyno tier; the cheapest Eco dyno is $5 per month
  • They diverge on capability: Grafana covers Dashboard creation, Heroku covers Git-based deployment.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Grafana and Heroku actually diverge.

Attributes where Grafana and Heroku differ
AttributeGrafanaHeroku
Starting priceFree$7/month
Pricing modelopen-sourcesubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, ApiWeb, Api, Workers
CategoryNetwork & ConnectivityCloud & Infrastructure
Founded20142007

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 Grafana

  • Dashboard creation
  • Alerting
  • Data source integration
  • Visualization plugins
  • Webhooks
  • REST

Only in Heroku

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

Both cover

  • API
  • Web support
  • Api support

What people use each for

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

Grafana

  • Dashboards and visualisation over metrics, logs and tracesnot Heroku
  • Running observability across infrastructure and applicationsnot Heroku

Heroku

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

Where each one falls short

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

Grafana

  • The free tier retains metrics, logs and traces for 14 days only
  • Free is capped at 10,000 active metric series and 50 GB each of logs and traces a month
  • The Pro plan carries a $19 a month platform fee before any usage charges
  • Logs and traces are billed on three separate meters, at $0.050 per GB processed, $0.400 per GB written and $0.100 per GB retained
  • Retaining data is an ongoing charge rather than a one off, so historical data costs every month it exists

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

Grafana

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Dashboard creation
    • Alerting
    • Data source integration

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 Grafana if

  • You need dashboard creation.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Api.
  • You also want alerting.
Grafana 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 Grafana or Heroku better?
Neither clearly leads. Grafana 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, Grafana or Heroku?
Grafana has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Grafana and $7/month for Heroku.
Does Grafana or Heroku run on more platforms?
Grafana runs on Web, Api. Heroku runs on Web, Api, Workers.
Can I use Grafana for free?
Yes. Grafana has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Heroku starts at $7/month.
What is Grafana best used for?
Grafana is most often used for dashboards and visualisation over metrics, logs and traces, running observability across infrastructure and applications. Of those, dashboards and visualisation over metrics, logs and traces and running observability across infrastructure and applications are not what Heroku is typically brought in for.
What can Grafana do that Heroku cannot?
Grafana covers Dashboard creation, Alerting, Data source integration, Visualization plugins. Heroku covers Git-based deployment, Buildpacks, Dynos (containers), Add-ons marketplace. Both handle API, Web support, Api support.
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