Cloud & Infrastructure · head to head
IBM Cloud vs Heroku
IBM Cloud
Cloud & Infrastructure
Enterprise cloud solutions from a trusted partner
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Only IBM Cloud has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
- Each has a real cost: IBM Cloud the USD 200 starter cloud credit is valid for 30 days only; Heroku there is no free dyno tier; the cheapest Eco dyno is $5 per month
- They diverge on capability: IBM Cloud covers Virtual Servers, Heroku covers Git-based deployment.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which IBM Cloud and Heroku actually diverge.
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 IBM Cloud
- Virtual Servers
- Bare Metal
- Cloud Foundry
- Kubernetes
- Watson AI
- Blockchain
- Databases
- API Gateway
Only in Heroku
- Git-based deployment
- Buildpacks
- Dynos (containers)
- Add-ons marketplace
- Postgres database
- Environment variables
- Logging
- API
Both cover
- Cloud deployment
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
IBM Cloud
- Running containerized and VM workloads on IBM's public cloudnot Heroku
- Building on Watson APIs and IBM middleware as managed servicesnot Heroku
Heroku
- Deploying and scaling web applications with git push and no server administrationnot IBM Cloud
- Running managed Postgres, Redis and Kafka as attached data servicesnot IBM Cloud
- Isolated production environments in a Private Space for regulated workloadsnot IBM Cloud
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
IBM Cloud
- The USD 200 starter cloud credit is valid for 30 days only
- The larger promotional credits are time boxed: USD 1,000 for Bare Metal Servers for VPC over 120 days, USD 2,500 for Power Virtual Server over 90 days, and USD 5,000 for Backup and Recovery over 90 days
- The USD 5,000 Backup and Recovery promotion is valid for new clients only and requires a checkout promo code
- The listed promotions carry an expiry date of 31 December 2026
- Beyond the free tier the account is pay as you go, so cost tracks usage with no published cap
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
IBM Cloud
Free- Lite PlanFree
- Free services
- Limited resources
- 30-day trial
- Standard PlanFree
- Pay-as-you-go
- Enterprise support
- Advanced services
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 IBM Cloud if
- You need virtual servers.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Linux, Windows, Api, Cli.
- You also want bare metal.
Choose Heroku if
- You need git-based deployment.
- You work on Web, Api, Workers.
- You also want buildpacks.
Questions people ask
- Is IBM Cloud or Heroku better?
- Neither clearly leads. IBM Cloud 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, IBM Cloud or Heroku?
- IBM Cloud has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for IBM Cloud and $7/month for Heroku.
- Does IBM Cloud or Heroku run on more platforms?
- IBM Cloud runs on Linux, Windows, Api, Cli. Heroku runs on Web, Api, Workers.
- Can I use IBM Cloud for free?
- Yes. IBM Cloud has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Heroku starts at $7/month.
- What is IBM Cloud best used for?
- IBM Cloud is most often used for running containerized and vm workloads on ibm's public cloud, building on watson apis and ibm middleware as managed services. Of those, running containerized and vm workloads on ibm's public cloud and building on watson apis and ibm middleware as managed services are not what Heroku is typically brought in for.
- What can IBM Cloud do that Heroku cannot?
- IBM Cloud covers Virtual Servers, Bare Metal, Cloud Foundry, Kubernetes. Heroku covers Git-based deployment, Buildpacks, Dynos (containers), Add-ons marketplace. Both handle Cloud deployment.