Fly.io vs Heroku: Pricing and Ratings Compared (2026)
Entry prices and free plans as read on each vendor's pricing page, and user ratings as published on review sites, for Fly.io and Heroku side by side. This page compares data; it is not a hands-on review.
On the data: On the data below, Fly.io leads on lower entry price. We do not name an overall winner for this pair.
Short on time? Here's the quick answer
Based on published vendor pricing and features and on public review data, here's who should pick what:
Fly.io
Deploy apps close to users on edge infrastructure
Best for you if:
- • You want run apps close to users globally
Heroku
The original easy deployment platform, now owned by Salesforce
Best for you if:
- • You want easiest platform for deploying apps
| At a Glance | Fly.io | Heroku |
|---|---|---|
Starts at | From $2.19/mo, billed monthly shared-cpu-1x · 256MB plan | From $5/mo, billed monthly Eco plan |
Category | Hosting & Deployment Cloud & Infrastructure | Hosting & Deployment Cloud & Infrastructure |
Rating | n/a | 4.4/5 Capterra 4.6 · G2 4.2 453 reviews |
Free plan | No | No |
Watch out for | Bandwidth is not free and varies wildly by region: $0.02/GB in North America/Europe but $0.12/GB in Africa and India. An app serving 100GB/month to African users costs $12/month in bandwidth alone, 6x the North American rate | Postgres/Redis add-ons |
Choose Fly.io or Heroku?
Choose Fly.io if
- You want run apps close to users globally
- You want excellent for containerized apps
- Budget matters ($2.19/mo, billed monthly vs $5/mo, billed monthly)
Choose Heroku if
- You want easiest platform for deploying apps
- You want git-based deployment workflow
In-Depth Analysis
Fly.io
Deploy apps close to users on edge infrastructure
Fly.io abandoned fixed plans in favor of pure pay-as-you-go, which is transparent but makes cost prediction harder.
Watch out
Bandwidth is not free and varies wildly by region: $0.02/GB in North America/Europe but $0.12/GB in Africa and India. An app serving 100GB/month to African users costs $12/month in bandwidth alone, 6x the North American rate
Strengths
- Pro: Run apps close to users globally
- Pro: Excellent for containerized apps
- Pro: Free allowance included
- Pro: Good CLI experience
- Pro: Sqlite and Postgres hosting
Weaknesses
- Con: Learning curve for full features
- Con: Pricing model complex
- Con: Support can be slow
- Con: UI less polished
- Con: Debugging remote apps hard
Key features
Heroku
The original easy deployment platform, now owned by Salesforce
Heroku is more expensive than alternatives but offers unmatched DX.
Watch out
Postgres/Redis add-ons
Strengths
- Pro: Easiest platform for deploying apps
- Pro: Git-based deployment workflow
- Pro: Large add-on marketplace
- Pro: Great for prototypes and small projects
- Pro: Managed Postgres included
Weaknesses
- Con: No more free tier
- Con: Expensive at scale compared to alternatives
- Con: Limited customization options
- Con: Cold starts on lower tiers
- Con: Performance ceiling for high-traffic apps
Key features
Plans and prices: Fly.io vs Heroku
| Tool | Plans and prices | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Fly.io |
| fly.io/pricing read Oct 31, 2026 |
| Heroku |
| heroku.com/pricing read Oct 31, 2026 |
Prices as read on each vendor's own pricing page on the date shown. Plans are listed per tool and are not matched against the other tool's plans: a plan name or price in one column says nothing about the same row in the other. Details on Fly.io pricing and Heroku pricing.
Key Takeaways
Fly.io
- Lower entry price: $2.19/mo, billed monthly vs $5/mo, billed monthly
Heroku
- Choose if you want the original easy deployment platform, now owned by Salesforce
What the data shows
On the data below, Fly.io leads on lower entry price. We do not name an overall winner for this pair.
- Only Heroku has a published user rating (4.4/5 from 453 reviews); Fly.io has none we can show.
- Fly.io has the lower entry price: $2.19/mo, billed monthly (shared-cpu-1x · 256MB) against $5/mo, billed monthly (Eco) for Heroku.
Criteria: user rating (only above 20 reviews on both sides, gap of 0.2 or more), entry price (only on the same billing basis), free plan. How we rate
Frequently Asked Questions
How do Fly.io and Heroku compare in 2026?
On the data below, Fly.io leads on lower entry price. We do not name an overall winner for this pair. Only Heroku has a published user rating (4.4/5 from 453 reviews); Fly.io has none we can show. Fly.io has the lower entry price: $2.19/mo, billed monthly (shared-cpu-1x · 256MB) against $5/mo, billed monthly (Eco) for Heroku.
What are Fly.io and Heroku used for?
Fly.io: Deploy apps close to users on edge infrastructure. Heroku: The original easy deployment platform, now owned by Salesforce.
What does Fly.io cost vs Heroku?
Fly.io's cheapest paid plan is shared-cpu-1x · 256MB at $2.19/mo, billed monthly. Heroku's cheapest paid plan is Eco at $5/mo, billed monthly. Prices read on the vendors' pricing pages, latest check Oct 31, 2026.
What's the main difference between Fly.io and Heroku?
Fly.io's main strength: run apps close to users globally. Heroku's main strength: easiest platform for deploying apps.