Fly.io vs Heroku
Compare Fly.io and Heroku on features, pricing, and buyer fit using the same researched criteria.
Fly.io
Cloud PaaS / microVM app platform — PAYG; shared-cpu-1x from ~$1.94/mo in lower-cost regions. Support Standard $29/mo is support, not hosting. Does not outrank Render 7.9.
Best for
- • Teams that want PAYG microVM/app hosting close to users
- • Buyers comparing Fly.io $1.94 shared-cpu-1x to Render Pro $25 + compute
- • Orgs that will not treat $29 Support as the hosting SKU
Starting from $1.94/user/mo
No free plan
VS
Our verdict
There is no universal winner between Fly.io and Heroku. Choose Fly.io when Teams that want PAYG microVM/app hosting close to users. Choose Heroku when Teams that want Salesforce-backed Cedar dynos with a published Basic $7 always-on floor. Criterion scores come from approved SoftwareGlimpse editorial assessments and first-party research — not hands-on lab testing.
Fly.io is better for
- ✓ Starting pricing
Heroku is better for
- ✓ Security & admin
Tie
- • Integrations
Choose Fly.io if: Teams that want PAYG microVM/app hosting close to users
Choose Heroku if: Teams that want Salesforce-backed Cedar dynos with a published Basic $7 always-on floor
Heroku
Cloud PaaS / Cedar dynos — Eco $5 (sleeps); Basic $7 always-on (research floor); Standard-1X $25; Standard-2X $50; Performance-M $250+. No forever-free dyno. Does not outrank Render 7.9.
Best for
- • Teams that want Salesforce-backed Cedar dynos with a published Basic $7 always-on floor
- • Buyers comparing Heroku Basic to Railway Hobby/Pro and Render Pro $25
- • Orgs that will not treat Eco sleep dynos as production always-on TCO
Starting from $7.00/user/mo
No free plan
Evidence & transparency
Sources and research process behind this comparison.
Sources
6
Criteria
5
Screenshots
2
Sources consulted
| Title | Product | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Fly.io — Official Site | Fly.io | official-product-page |
| Fly.io Pricing | Fly.io | official-pricing-page |
| Fly.io pricing | Fly.io | official-product-page |
| Heroku — Official Site | Heroku | official-product-page |
| Heroku Pricing | Heroku | official-pricing-page |
| Heroku pricing | Heroku | official-product-page |
Methodology steps
- 1Collect first-party product and pricing evidence
- 2Map both products to the same category criteria
- 3Record criterion outcomes with confidence and sources
- 4Publish only when editorial gates allow indexing
Methodology version 1.0.0.
Affiliate relationships never change comparison outcomes. We evaluate both products on the same criteria and allow ties when evidence does not support a universal winner.
Read full methodology →Some visit links may be affiliate links — we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Comparison outcomes are never based on commission.