Fly.io
Heroku
| Feature | Fly.io | Heroku |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free / from $0/mo | From $5/mo |
| Free Plan | ✓ Yes | ✗ No |
| Rating | 4.2 / 5 | 4 / 5 |
| Best For | full-stack-developers, global-apps, edge-computing, hobby-projects | startups, prototyping, small-teams, ruby-python-node-developers |
| Founded | 2017 | 2007 |
| Global Deployment | ✓ | ✗ |
| Firecracker Vms | ✓ | ✗ |
| Fly Postgres | ✓ | ✗ |
| Auto Scaling | ✓ | ✓ |
| Volumes | ✓ | ✗ |
| Private Networking | ✓ | ✗ |
| Gpu Support | ✓ | ✗ |
| Git Deploy | ✗ | ✓ |
| Managed Postgres | ✗ | ✓ |
| Managed Redis | ✗ | ✓ |
| Add Ons | ✗ | ✓ |
| Review Apps | ✗ | ✓ |
| Pipelines | ✗ | ✓ |
✓ Fly.io Pros
- Deploy apps globally to 30+ regions easily
- Built-in Postgres and Redis for data at the edge
- Generous free tier for hobby projects
- Firecracker VMs start in milliseconds
✗ Fly.io Cons
- Operational complexity for simple apps
- Documentation can be hard to navigate
- Billing surprises if auto-scaling triggers unexpectedly
✓ Heroku Pros
- Simplest deployment experience (git push to deploy)
- Extensive add-on marketplace for databases and services
- Great for prototyping and MVPs
- Managed Postgres and Redis included
✗ Heroku Cons
- Removed free tier in 2022
- Expensive for production workloads at scale
- Limited infrastructure customization
The Verdict
Fly.io is built for full stack developers and global apps, with a focus on global-deployment and firecracker-vms. Heroku targets startups and prototyping and leads with git-deploy and managed-postgres.
On pricing, Fly.io is the clear winner for budget-conscious users — starting at $0/mo compared to $5/mo for Heroku. That $5/mo difference adds up quickly for growing teams.
Fly.io has a free plan, which gives it a meaningful edge for individuals and small teams exploring their options. Heroku requires a paid subscription from day one.
This is a genuinely close comparison. If you can, sign up for both free trials (where available) and run a one-week test with your actual team tasks before deciding.