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Heroku vs PlanetScale

Heroku logo

Heroku

Software

Cloud Application Platform

From
$7/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
PlanetScale logo

PlanetScale

Software

The MySQL-compatible serverless database

From
$15/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Heroku there is no free dyno tier; the cheapest Eco dyno is $5 per month; PlanetScale eBS High Availability requires 3-node configuration with replication overhead
  • They diverge on capability: Heroku covers Git-based deployment, PlanetScale covers Database Branching.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Heroku and PlanetScale actually diverge.

Attributes where Heroku and PlanetScale differ
AttributeHerokuPlanetScale
Starting price$7/month$15/month
PlatformsWeb, Api, WorkersCloud-hosted (AWS, GCP, Azure)
Founded20072018

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), free tier (No), 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 Heroku

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

Only in PlanetScale

  • Database Branching
  • Non-blocking Schema Changes
  • Insights
  • Horizontal Scaling
  • Connection Pooling
  • Query Caching
  • Automatic Backups
  • Global Replication

Both cover

  • Cloud deployment
  • Web support

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 PlanetScale
  • Running managed Postgres, Redis and Kafka as attached data servicesnot PlanetScale
  • Isolated production environments in a Private Space for regulated workloadsnot PlanetScale

PlanetScale

  • MySQL database hosting with automatic failover and replicationnot Heroku
  • Vitess-based sharding for horizontal scaling across large datasetsnot Heroku
  • Cloud provider flexibility across AWS, GCP, Azure with 60+ regionsnot Heroku
  • Cost-effective database clusters using ARM64 architecture optionsnot 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

PlanetScale

  • EBS High Availability requires 3-node configuration with replication overhead
  • EBS Non-HA single-node option lacks redundancy and automatic failover
  • Pricing varies by cloud provider and region, requiring queries for specific rates
  • ARM64 architecture only available on EBS tier, not Metal deployments

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

PlanetScale

$15/month

No published plan breakdown. See the PlanetScale review.

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 PlanetScale if

  • You need database branching.
  • You work on Cloud-hosted (AWS, GCP, Azure).
  • You also want non-blocking schema changes.
PlanetScale review

Questions people ask

Is Heroku or PlanetScale better?
Neither clearly leads. Heroku starts at $7/month and PlanetScale at $15/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Heroku or PlanetScale?
Heroku starts at $7/month and PlanetScale at $15/month.
Does Heroku or PlanetScale run on more platforms?
Heroku runs on Web, Api, Workers. PlanetScale runs on Cloud-hosted (AWS, GCP, Azure).
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 PlanetScale is typically brought in for.
What can Heroku do that PlanetScale cannot?
Heroku covers Git-based deployment, Buildpacks, Dynos (containers), Add-ons marketplace. PlanetScale covers Database Branching, Non-blocking Schema Changes, Insights, Horizontal Scaling. Both handle Cloud deployment, Web support.
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