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Hosting & Infra

Heroku vs Portainer: Pricing Comparison 2026

Side-by-side pricing comparison of Heroku and Portainer. See all plans, features, and costs at a glance.

Bottom line: Heroku starts at $5/mo, making it $5/mo cheaper than Portainer ($10/mo). Portainer offers a free plan.

Last updated: July 2, 2026

Data compiled by Arthur Jacquemin
Updated July 2, 2026
Try Heroku freeTry Portainer freeUpdated this monthUpdated this month

Heroku vs Portainer: Quick Pricing Facts

FeatureHerokuPortainer
Starting Price$5/mo$10/mo
Number of Plans44
Free TierNoYes
Pricing Modelusage-basedfreemium
Annual DiscountN/AN/A

Heroku is the more affordable option, starting at $5/mo compared to Portainer's $10/mo. Both are Hosting & Infra tools with 8 combined pricing plans and 25 features compared. At comparable tiers, the monthly price difference is $15.

Portainer stands out with a free plan for getting started. Heroku uses usage-based pricing while Portainer uses freemium pricing, which may affect your total cost at scale.

Review the detailed tier-by-tier comparison above to see exactly which features are included at each price point and find the best fit for your Hosting & Infra needs.

Pricing Plans
Heroku
Heroku
Try free
Portainer
Portainer
Try free
Tier 1
Eco
$5/month
Includes
  • 1000 dyno hours/mo
  • Sleep after 30min
  • Custom domains
Start with Eco
Free
$0/monthCheapest
Includes
  • Basic features
  • Community support
Start with Free
Tier 2
Basic
$7/monthCheapest
Includes
  • Always on
  • 512 MB RAM
  • Custom domains
  • Free SSL
Start with Basic
ProPopular
$10/month
$8 / year
Includes
  • Advanced features
  • Priority support
  • Team collaboration
Start with Pro
Tier 3
Standard 1xPopular
$25/monthCheapest
Includes
  • 512 MB RAM
  • Horizontal scaling
  • Preboot
  • Metrics
Start with Standard 1x
Business
$25/monthCheapest
$21 / year
Includes
  • All Pro features
  • Custom integrations
  • Enhanced security
Start with Business
Tier 4
Performance M
$250/monthCheapest
Includes
  • 2.5 GB RAM
  • Dedicated resources
  • Autoscaling
Start with Performance M
Enterprise
Custom pricing
Includes
  • Custom solutions
  • Dedicated support
  • Scalability options
Start with Enterprise

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Heroku

Cloud platform for building, running, and scaling apps

View all Heroku plans

Portainer

Container management platform with GUI for Docker and K8s

View all Portainer plans

Frequently Asked Questions: Heroku vs Portainer

Which is cheaper, Heroku or Portainer?
As of July 2026, Heroku starts at a lower price point. Heroku starts at $5/mo while Portainer starts at $10/mo. However, the best value depends on the features you need at each tier.
How many pricing plans does Heroku have vs Portainer?
Heroku offers 4 pricing plans, while Portainer offers 4 plans. More plans typically means more flexibility to match your exact needs and budget.
Does Heroku or Portainer offer a free plan?
Portainer offers a free plan, while Heroku does not. If budget is a concern, Portainer lets you get started at no cost.
Can I save money by paying annually for Heroku or Portainer?
Both Heroku and Portainer offer annual billing options. Check each plan's yearly pricing for potential savings compared to monthly billing.
What is the most popular Heroku plan?
The Standard 1x plan is Heroku's most popular tier, priced at $25/mo. Key features include 512 MB RAM, Horizontal scaling, Preboot.
What is the most popular Portainer plan?
The Pro plan is Portainer's most popular tier, priced at $10/mo. Key features include Advanced features, Priority support, Team collaboration.
Does Heroku or Portainer offer custom enterprise pricing?
Portainer offers a custom-priced enterprise tier for larger teams. Heroku lists all its pricing publicly.
AI Recommendations

Sources

  1. Heroku Official Pricing- Vendor pricing page
  2. Portainer Official Pricing- Vendor pricing page

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