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Heroku vs StackBlitz

Heroku logo

Heroku

Cloud

Cloud Application Platform

From
$5/month
Free plan
No
Full reviewWebsite
StackBlitz logo

StackBlitz

Developer Tools

Browser-based IDE and AI app builder running full Node.js stacks via WebContainers

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only StackBlitz 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; StackBlitz specific Teams and Enterprise pricing figures are not published; visitors must request a quote or infer from the pricing calculator.
  • They diverge on capability: Heroku covers Git-based deployment, StackBlitz covers WebContainers.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Heroku and StackBlitz actually diverge.

Attributes where Heroku and StackBlitz differ
AttributeHerokuStackBlitz
Starting price$5/monthFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionfreemium
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, Api, Workersweb
CategoryCloudDeveloper Tools
Founded2007Unknown

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 Heroku

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

Only in StackBlitz

  • WebContainers
  • Bolt.new AI app builder
  • Instant boot times
  • GitHub project import
  • Team collaboration
  • Offline functionality

What people use each for

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

Heroku

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

StackBlitz

  • Editing a GitHub repository instantly in the browser without cloning itnot Heroku
  • Generating a working web app from a text prompt with Bolt.newnot Heroku
  • Sharing private projects across a team without individual GitHub seats for viewersnot Heroku
  • Running lightweight Node.js projects with no local setupnot 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

StackBlitz

  • Specific Teams and Enterprise pricing figures are not published; visitors must request a quote or infer from the pricing calculator.
  • Browser-based execution via WebContainers has limits on which native/binary dependencies can run compared to a real server-backed environment.
  • Heavy or resource-intensive workloads may be constrained by the end user's own browser and machine resources.

Pricing, plan by plan

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

StackBlitz

Free
  • PersonalFree
    • Unlimited public projects, collections, and GitHub repositories
    • View and edit without a GitHub account
  • Teams$undefined/mo
    • Private collections and repositories for paid members
    • Free and paid member roles
    • Automatic permission mirroring for org-owned repositories

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 StackBlitz if

  • You need webcontainers.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on web.
  • You also want bolt.new ai app builder.
StackBlitz review

Questions people ask

Is Heroku or StackBlitz better?
Neither clearly leads. Heroku starts at $5/month and StackBlitz at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Heroku or StackBlitz?
StackBlitz has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $5/month for Heroku and Free for StackBlitz.
Does Heroku or StackBlitz run on more platforms?
Heroku runs on Web, Api, Workers. StackBlitz runs on web.
Can I use StackBlitz for free?
Yes. StackBlitz has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Heroku starts at $5/month.
What is Heroku best used for?
Heroku is most often used for application hosting, database as a service, ci/cd pipelines, api deployment. Of those, application hosting and database as a service are not what StackBlitz is typically brought in for.
What can Heroku do that StackBlitz cannot?
Heroku covers Git-based deployment, Buildpacks, Dynos (containers), Add-ons marketplace. StackBlitz covers WebContainers, Bolt.new AI app builder, Instant boot times, GitHub project import.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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
StackBlitz: Is there a free plan, and what are its limits?

Yes, the free Personal plan includes unlimited public StackBlitz projects, collections, and GitHub repositories, and lets anyone view and edit projects without needing a GitHub account.

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
StackBlitz: What does the Teams plan add?

Teams lets GitHub organizations add free or paid members; paid members get access to private collections and repositories, with permissions mirrored from GitHub-owned repos.

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
StackBlitz: Is there an Enterprise option?

Yes, custom Enterprise plans are available and require contacting StackBlitz directly.

Source
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