Heroku
Vercel
| Feature | Heroku | Vercel |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | From $5/mo | Free / from $20/mo |
| Free Plan | ✗ No | ✓ Yes |
| Rating | 4 / 5 | 4.6 / 5 |
| Best For | startups, prototyping, small-teams, ruby-python-node-developers | frontend-developers, next-js-users, startups, agencies |
| Founded | 2007 | 2015 |
| Git Deploy | ✓ | ✓ |
| Managed Postgres | ✓ | ✗ |
| Managed Redis | ✓ | ✗ |
| Add Ons | ✓ | ✗ |
| Review Apps | ✓ | ✗ |
| Pipelines | ✓ | ✗ |
| Auto Scaling | ✓ | ✗ |
| Edge Functions | ✗ | ✓ |
| Analytics | ✗ | ✓ |
| Preview Deployments | ✗ | ✓ |
| Serverless | ✗ | ✓ |
| Domains | ✗ | ✓ |
✓ 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
✓ Vercel Pros
- Best Next.js support
- Global CDN
- Great DX
- Preview deployments
✗ Vercel Cons
- Expensive at scale
- Vendor lock-in
- Limited backend features
The Verdict
Heroku is built for startups and prototyping, with a focus on git-deploy and managed-postgres. Vercel targets frontend developers and next js users and leads with git-deploy and edge-functions.
On pricing, Heroku is the clear winner for budget-conscious users — starting at $5/mo compared to $20/mo for Vercel. That $15/mo difference adds up quickly for growing teams.
Vercel 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.
Vercel edges out on user ratings (4.6 vs 4). While both are well-regarded, that gap reflects real differences in user satisfaction worth considering.
Feature-wise, Heroku offers broader built-in capabilities (7 features vs 6), while Vercel takes a more focused approach — which can mean a simpler, faster onboarding experience.
Both tools are a solid fit for startups — in those cases, the decision often comes down to workflow style and how your team prefers to organize work.
Bottom line: Vercel 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.