Top 7+ Free Heroku Alternatives for 2025
Heroku has long been a pioneer in the Platform as a Service (PaaS) space, making it easier for developers to deploy applications without building servers from scratch.
However, since Heroku shut down its free plan in 2022, developers have been actively searching for the best free Heroku alternatives to continue building and scaling applications without high costs.
If you’re one of them, you’re in the right place. In this guide, we'll explore the top Heroku alternatives free for 2025 that offer solid features, developer-friendly environments, and generous free tiers.
Best Free Heroku Alternatives
Here are the best platforms to consider if you're looking for reliable, 7+ free alternatives to Heroku. Review the features and choose the one that fits your project needs.
Fly.io
Fly.io is a global app deployment platform that you can try for free. It helps you deploy app servers, databases, and full-stack apps close to your users worldwide.
Key Features:
- Build using your favorite framework and deploy easily.
- Supports Docker, JavaScript, Ruby on Rails, Laravel, Django, Rust, and Python.
- Deploy globally across multiple regions.
- Simple, developer-friendly workflow with automatic scaling.
- Free plan available with core features.
Railway.app
Railway.app is a simple yet powerful Heroku alternative that supports a wide range of languages. It’s great for projects of any size, offering smooth development, deployment, and debugging.
Key Features:
- Supports JavaScript, Python, Go, Ruby, and more.
- Offers developing, diagnosing, deploying, and database management.
- Multiple environments and team collaboration tools.
- Built-in monitoring and easy debugging.
- Free trial available with $5 in credits.
Qoddi
Qoddi is a developer-focused Heroku alternative perfect for deploying full-stack apps, APIs, and microservices. It offers easy Git deployment with one-click setup.
Key Features:
- Supports Node.js, Python, Ruby, PHP, and Java.
- Integrates with MySQL, MongoDB, PostgreSQL, and Redis.
- Ideal for SaaS, e-commerce, and small businesses.
- Auto-scaling for high availability and performance.
- Free plan with 3 static sites and 512 MB RAM.
Render
Render is a modern and fully managed cloud platform, making it a popular Heroku alternative. It supports static sites, databases, and app deployments with great flexibility.
Key Features:
- Deploy from Git repositories with zero manual configuration.
- Built-in CI/CD pipelines for smooth deployment.
- Supports Node.js, Python, Ruby, Go, and more.
- Free SSL certificates for secure apps.
- Flexible plans with a generous free tier.
Northflank
Northflank is a developer-centric platform designed for efficient app deployment and scaling. It supports services, databases, and microservices out of the box.
Key Features:
- Deploy apps, services, and microservices easily.
- Built-in support for PostgreSQL, MySQL, MongoDB, and Redis.
- Simple Git push deployments with CI/CD integration.
- Real-time logs, metrics, and monitoring tools.
- Smooth scaling and flexible workflow management.
Koyeb
Koyeb is a serverless PaaS offering effortless app deployment with high performance. It’s a strong Heroku alternative with a global edge network and built-in security.
Key Features:
- Serverless deployment with global scaling.
- Zero-downtime deployments and auto-scaling.
- DDoS protection, encryption, and secret management.
- Supports Docker images and Git-based deployments.
- Easy-to-use platform with a free plan.
Dokku
Dokku is a lightweight, open-source PaaS that lets you self-host apps on a single server. It’s built on Docker and perfect for developers seeking full control.
Key Features:
- Deploy apps via Git and Docker.
- Supports Go, Java, PHP, JavaScript, Python, Ruby, and Scala.
- Scale apps horizontally for high traffic.
- Minimal setup, full server control.
- Open-source and free to use.
Coolify
Coolify is a flexible, open-source PaaS for self-hosting applications, databases, and services. It provides seamless Git integration and full control over deployments.
Key Features:
- Deploy apps and databases with zero downtime.
- Supports PostgreSQL, MySQL, MongoDB, and Docker.
- Integrates easily with GitHub, GitLab, and CI/CD pipelines.
- Supports Django, Next.js, Ruby on Rails, Vue.js, and more.
- Free and full-featured with the open-source version.
Final Words
Although Heroku offers numerous advantages, including excellent documentation, ease of use, and simple scaling, it can be quite expensive compared to options like Google Cloud or AWS.
Therefore, if you're seeking more cost-effective alternatives, consider any of the platforms mentioned above, depending on your specific needs and preferences.