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Cloud & Infrastructure · head to head

Heroku vs Packer

Heroku logo

Heroku

Cloud & Infrastructure

Cloud Application Platform

From
$7/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
P

Packer

Cloud & Infrastructure

Build automated machine images

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Packer has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Heroku there is no free dyno tier; the cheapest Eco dyno is $5 per month; Packer packer 1.10.0 and later is licensed under the Business Source License 1.1 with IBM Corporation as licensor, not an OSI open source licence
  • They diverge on capability: Heroku covers Git-based deployment, Packer covers Image building.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Heroku and Packer actually diverge.

Attributes where Heroku and Packer differ
AttributeHerokuPacker
Starting price$7/monthFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionopen-source
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, Api, WorkersLinux, Windows, Mac
Founded20072013

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Cloud & Infrastructure).

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 Heroku

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

Only in Packer

  • Image building
  • Multi-platform support
  • Provisioners
  • Builders
  • Post-processors
  • Variables
  • Data sources
  • Validation

Both cover

  • Cloud deployment

What people use each for

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

Heroku

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

Packer

  • Building identical machine images for multiple clouds from one templatenot Heroku
  • Baking golden AMIs and VM images into a CI pipelinenot Heroku
  • Creating immutable infrastructure artifacts consumed by Terraformnot Heroku

Where each one falls short

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

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

Packer

  • Packer 1.10.0 and later is licensed under the Business Source License 1.1 with IBM Corporation as licensor, not an OSI open source licence
  • The Additional Use Grant forbids offering Packer to third parties on a hosted or embedded basis in a paid product that competes with IBM's paid versions of Packer
  • Each version converts to the MPL 2.0 Change License only four years after that version is first published, and the Change Date is set separately per version
  • Alternative licensing for uses outside the grant must be arranged with the licensor rather than taken under the public licence

Pricing, plan by plan

Heroku

$7/month
  • Hobby$7/month
    • 512MB RAM
    • Shared CPU
    • 1 web dyno
  • Standard$50/month
    • 512MB RAM
    • Dedicated CPU
    • Automatic scaling

Packer

Free
  • Open SourceFree
    • Multi-platform image building
    • Template-driven
    • Provisioner support

Which should you pick?

Choose Heroku if

  • You need git-based deployment.
  • You work on Web, Api, Workers.
  • You also want buildpacks.
Heroku review

Choose Packer if

  • You need image building.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, Windows, Mac.
  • You also want multi-platform support.
Packer review

Questions people ask

Is Heroku or Packer better?
Neither clearly leads. Heroku starts at $7/month and Packer at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Heroku or Packer?
Packer has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $7/month for Heroku and Free for Packer.
Does Heroku or Packer run on more platforms?
Heroku runs on Web, Api, Workers. Packer runs on Linux, Windows, Mac.
Can I use Packer for free?
Yes. Packer has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Heroku starts at $7/month.
What is Heroku best used for?
Heroku is most often used for deploying and scaling web applications with git push and no server administration, running managed postgres, redis and kafka as attached data services, isolated production environments in a private space for regulated workloads. Of those, deploying and scaling web applications with git push and no server administration and running managed postgres, redis and kafka as attached data services are not what Packer is typically brought in for.
What can Heroku do that Packer cannot?
Heroku covers Git-based deployment, Buildpacks, Dynos (containers), Add-ons marketplace. Packer covers Image building, Multi-platform support, Provisioners, Builders. Both handle Cloud deployment.
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Related pages

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