Software · head to head
Oracle Cloud vs Heroku
The short version
- Only Oracle Cloud has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
- Each has a real cost: Oracle Cloud the free trial gives US$300 of credit that expires when consumed or after 30 days, whichever comes first; Heroku there is no free dyno tier; the cheapest Eco dyno is $5 per month
- They diverge on capability: Oracle Cloud covers Autonomous Database, Heroku covers Git-based deployment.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Oracle Cloud and Heroku actually diverge.
| Attribute | Oracle Cloud | Heroku |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | Free | $7/month |
| Pricing model | usage-based | subscription |
| Free tier | Yes | No |
| Platforms | Linux, Windows, Api, Cli | Web, Api, Workers |
| Founded | 2019 | 2007 |
Identical on both: 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 Oracle Cloud
- Autonomous Database
- Compute Instances
- MySQL Database Service
- Object Storage
- Block Volume
- Load Balancers
- Virtual Cloud Network
- 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.
Oracle Cloud
- Running virtual machines, databases and storage on Oracle's cloud infrastructurenot Heroku
- Hosting Oracle Database workloads on infrastructure from the same vendornot Heroku
Heroku
- Deploying and scaling web applications with git push and no server administrationnot Oracle Cloud
- Running managed Postgres, Redis and Kafka as attached data servicesnot Oracle Cloud
- Isolated production environments in a Private Space for regulated workloadsnot Oracle Cloud
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Oracle Cloud
- The free trial gives US$300 of credit that expires when consumed or after 30 days, whichever comes first
- The US$300 cloud credit is available only in select countries
- Only one Oracle Cloud Free Trial or Always Free account is permitted per person
- Accounts left idle for 30 days or more are eligible for suspension or termination as abandoned
- Always Free NoSQL Database is restricted to the Phoenix region
- Free Tier availability is subject to capacity limits, and the published per-service capacity figures are estimates that assume the entire credit is spent on that one service
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
Oracle Cloud
Free- Always FreeFree
- Oracle Autonomous Database
- 2 compute instances
- 100 GB storage
- Pay-as-You-GoFree
- Flexible pricing
- No long-term commitment
- Enterprise support
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 Oracle Cloud if
- You need autonomous database.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Linux, Windows, Api, Cli.
- You also want compute instances.
Choose Heroku if
- You need git-based deployment.
- You work on Web, Api, Workers.
- You also want buildpacks.
Questions people ask
- Is Oracle Cloud or Heroku better?
- Neither clearly leads. Oracle 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, Oracle Cloud or Heroku?
- Oracle Cloud has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Oracle Cloud and $7/month for Heroku.
- Does Oracle Cloud or Heroku run on more platforms?
- Oracle Cloud runs on Linux, Windows, Api, Cli. Heroku runs on Web, Api, Workers.
- Can I use Oracle Cloud for free?
- Yes. Oracle Cloud has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Heroku starts at $7/month.
- What is Oracle Cloud best used for?
- Oracle Cloud is most often used for running virtual machines, databases and storage on oracle's cloud infrastructure, hosting oracle database workloads on infrastructure from the same vendor. Of those, running virtual machines, databases and storage on oracle's cloud infrastructure and hosting oracle database workloads on infrastructure from the same vendor are not what Heroku is typically brought in for.
- What can Oracle Cloud do that Heroku cannot?
- Oracle Cloud covers Autonomous Database, Compute Instances, MySQL Database Service, Object Storage. Heroku covers Git-based deployment, Buildpacks, Dynos (containers), Add-ons marketplace. Both handle Cloud deployment.