Heroku vs UpCloud: Pricing Comparison 2026
Side-by-side pricing comparison of Heroku and UpCloud. See all plans, features, and costs at a glance.
Bottom line: UpCloud starts at $3/mo, making it $2/mo cheaper than Heroku ($5/mo). UpCloud offers a free plan.
Last updated: March 16, 2026
Heroku vs UpCloud: Quick Pricing Facts
| Feature | Heroku | UpCloud |
|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | $5/mo | $3/mo |
| Number of Plans | 4 | 10 |
| Free Tier | No | Yes |
| Pricing Model | usage-based | usage-based |
| Annual Discount | N/A | N/A |
UpCloud is the more affordable option, starting at $3/mo compared to Heroku's $5/mo. Both are Hosting & Infra tools with 14 combined pricing plans and 36 features compared.
UpCloud stands out with a free plan for getting started.
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 Try it free |  UpCloud Try it free |
|---|---|---|
| Tier 1 | Managed Kubernetes Development $0/monthCheapest Includes
| |
| Tier 2 | Managed Load Balancer Essentials $0/monthCheapest Includes
| |
| Tier 3 | NAT and VPN Essentials $0/monthCheapest Includes
| |
| Tier 4 | Developer Plan $3/monthCheapest $0 / year Includes
| |
| Tier 5 | — | Managed Databases (1 GB) $8/monthCheapest $1 / year Includes
|
| Tier 6 | — | File Storage (250 GB) $38/monthCheapest $3 / year Includes
|
| Tier 7 | — | Managed Object Storage (250 GB) $5/monthCheapest $0 / year Includes
|
| Tier 8 | — | GPU Server (1 x NVIDIA L40S, 8 cores, 64 GB) $747/monthCheapest $62 / year Includes
|
| Tier 9 | — | High Memory Plans $2490/monthCheapest $208 / year Includes
|
| Tier 10 | — | Private Cloud Custom pricing Includes
|
Swipe to compare plans →
UpCloud
UpCloud offers a free plan, starts at $2/mo lower ($3/mo vs $5/mo), offers 10 tiers vs 4.
Based on pricing data only. Review the full comparison below for your specific needs.
Best value: UpCloud
Try UpCloud freeWhich Should You Choose?
Choose Heroku if:
- •You prioritize Heroku's user experience and interface over price (both tools are similarly priced)
- •Heroku's 4-tier usage-based structure gives clearer cost visibility for budget planning
- •Heroku's feature bundling aligns with how Hosting & Infra teams actually work day-to-day
Choose UpCloud if:
- •You want lower per-user costs—UpCloud starts at $3/mo, saving $2/mo compared to Heroku at $5/mo
- •You need a free plan with Up to 30 data plane nodes—UpCloud offers no-cost access with no credit card required
- •You need 10 pricing tiers for flexible team sizing—more options mean less overpaying for features you don't need
- •You want more features built-in—UpCloud offers 8 additional features across its plans
UpCloud is the more affordable choice [1], starting at $3/mo compared to Heroku's $5/mo. For a 50-person team on paid plans, this translates to UpCloud saving approximately $100/month. UpCloud offers 10 pricing tiers compared to Heroku's 4, giving you more granular control over scaling costs as your team grows. Across all tiers, UpCloud provides 22 total features versus 14 for Heroku, offering a richer feature set depending on your specific needs. If controlling SaaS spend is a priority, UpCloud offers the better cost-to-value ratio. Consider Heroku only if its unique capabilities directly address a gap UpCloud cannot fill.
Frequently Asked Questions: Heroku vs UpCloud
Which is cheaper, Heroku or UpCloud?
How many pricing plans does Heroku have vs UpCloud?
Does Heroku or UpCloud offer a free plan?
Can I save money by paying annually for Heroku or UpCloud?
What is the most popular Heroku plan?
Does Heroku or UpCloud offer custom enterprise pricing?
How do Heroku and UpCloud compare for Hosting & Infra?
Sources
- Heroku Official Pricing— Vendor pricing page
- UpCloud Official Pricing— Vendor pricing page
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