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Heroku vs Coolify
Heroku vs Coolify
A side-by-side look at Heroku (the paid SaaS) and Coolify (the open source alternative). Use this page to decide if the switch fits your team and workflow.
| Heroku | Coolify | |
|---|---|---|
| Tagline | App hosting platform as a service by Salesforce. | Open source Vercel/Heroku/Netlify alternative with a UI. |
| License | Proprietary SaaS | Apache-2.0 |
| Pricing | Eco dynos from $5/month; production tiers from $25. | Free to self-host · optional paid hosted plan |
| Self-host option | No | Yes — difficulty 2/5 |
| Hosted cloud available | Yes (only option) | Yes |
| Desktop apps | Varies by product | Web only |
| Mobile apps | Official apps typically available | None official |
Ad slot — between tables
Best for
UI-driven self-hosted PaaS with modern multi-server support.
Coolify strengths
- Slick web UI — no CLI required.
- Multi-server support and one-click deploys for common stacks.
- Active, fast-moving development.
Coolify weaknesses
- Rapid updates occasionally break setups.
- Some quirks on older Linux distributions.
- Paid cloud is new.
What's the catch with Heroku?
- Free tier removed in 2022.
- Pricing grew sharply for small projects.
- Vendor lock-in with buildpacks and add-ons.
Still unsure?
Check the full list of alternatives to Heroku: see Heroku alternatives, or learn more about Coolify on its project page.