GitLab
Heroku
| Feature | GitLab | Heroku |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free / from $29/mo | From $5/mo |
| Free Plan | ✓ Yes | ✗ No |
| Rating | 4.3 / 5 | 4 / 5 |
| Best For | enterprise, devops-teams, security-focused-teams, regulated-industries | startups, prototyping, small-teams, ruby-python-node-developers |
| Founded | 2011 | 2007 |
| Source Control | ✓ | ✗ |
| Ci Cd | ✓ | ✗ |
| Security Scanning | ✓ | ✗ |
| Package Registry | ✓ | ✗ |
| Issue Tracking | ✓ | ✗ |
| Wiki | ✓ | ✗ |
| Self Hosting | ✓ | ✗ |
| Git Deploy | ✗ | ✓ |
| Managed Postgres | ✗ | ✓ |
| Managed Redis | ✗ | ✓ |
| Add Ons | ✗ | ✓ |
| Review Apps | ✗ | ✓ |
| Pipelines | ✗ | ✓ |
| Auto Scaling | ✗ | ✓ |
✓ GitLab Pros
- All-in-one DevOps — no tool sprawl
- Built-in CI/CD without separate setup
- Self-hosted option for full control
- Security scanning integrated into pipeline
✗ GitLab Cons
- Interface can feel complex and slow
- Resource-heavy for self-hosted instances
- Community features lag behind GitHub
✓ 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
GitLab is built for enterprise and devops teams, with a focus on source-control and ci-cd. Heroku targets startups and prototyping and leads with git-deploy and managed-postgres.
On pricing, Heroku is the clear winner for budget-conscious users — starting at $5/mo compared to $29/mo for GitLab. That $24/mo difference adds up quickly for growing teams.
GitLab 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.
Bottom line: GitLab has a slight overall edge — but if simplest deployment experience (git push to deploy) matters most to you, Heroku may still be the right call.