Comparison
Heroku alternative
Unbroker is a Heroku alternative for teams that deploy from Git and want databases and Linux servers in the same account. Heroku runs apps as dynos and lists data services alongside them. Unbroker Free is a $0 plan with hard limits. Heroku's Eco dynos are a low monthly plan that sleeps after inactivity.
For a root virtual machine, see Linux cloud server hosting.
Unbroker and Heroku
Competitor cells were checked on October 26, 2026. Unbroker limits come from the current pricing catalogue. Open pricing.
| Topic | Unbroker | Heroku |
|---|---|---|
| Unit of compute | Paid app CPU and memory follow the capacity you configure, for as long as the service is running. A quiet service and a busy one with the same settings accrue the same app CPU and memory charge. | A dyno. Heroku publishes sizes from Eco through Performance and Private, and charges dyno time even when the process is idle, prorated to the second. Eco is the exception that sleeps. |
| Low-end plans | Free is $0: 1 project, up to 2 services, and 3 deploys per UTC day. Each service is capped at 250m CPU and 256 MiB, with 10 GB of outbound transfer a month. On the default Free runtime, an app pauses after 7 days without qualifying traffic. Pro apps do not pause for inactivity. The pricing page is the current description if that Free runtime changes. Free does not include persistent volumes, servers, managed databases, Beacon, Dockerfiles, or container images. | Heroku's pricing page lists Eco at $5 per month for 1,000 dyno hours shared by personal apps, sleeping after 30 minutes of inactivity, and Basic at $7 per month with 512 MB RAM, always on. |
| Production plan shape | Pro is $25 per month and includes $25 of usage credit for that billing cycle. The credit does not roll over. Usage above the credit is added to the invoice. Pro has unlimited members and no seat fee. | Heroku Standard-1X is listed at $25 per month for 512 MB RAM, with horizontal scale, metrics, and preboot. Larger Performance dynos are listed separately. This page does not restate that full ladder. |
| Databases and other services | You can run a database image as a private Apps service, or provision a provider-operated managed cluster. The API supports PostgreSQL, MySQL, Redis, Valkey, MongoDB, Kafka, and OpenSearch. The create flow shows which combinations the selected provider and region offer. Managed clusters require Pro, and recovery features depend on the engine and plan. Linux cloud servers are virtual machines with root access, a flat monthly price, and unlimited traffic that is not billed as a separate overage. They require Pro. Regions are the European Union, US Central, US East, and US West, at the same price in each. Deleting a server does not prorate the month already started. You operate the operating system. | Heroku sells databases and other add-ons next to dynos. Confirm backup and plan limits on the add-on you select. Heroku is not a Linux virtual machine you administer. |
Sleep is not the same limit
Heroku Eco sleeps after 30 minutes without activity so the shared hour pool lasts. Unbroker Free, on the default runtime, keeps the app up and pauses it after days without qualifying traffic. Pro on Unbroker does not pause for inactivity. Neither behavior is a preview of the other's uptime.
Heroku dyno prices scale with size: Basic, Standard, and Performance are different monthly ceilings. Unbroker Pro's app charge scales with the CPU, memory, and replicas you configure, then the included credit is applied once. Read both pricing pages with the process size you actually need. The [Heroku migration guide](/migrate/heroku) maps dynos, config vars, Postgres, and DNS without inventing a combined bill.
When to pick Heroku instead
- You want dynos and Heroku's add-on catalog, or the app already runs there.
- Eco's 30-minute sleep and shared hour pool match a personal app better than Unbroker Free's project and service caps.
- You need a Heroku Private Space or a dyno size Unbroker does not sell as a matching SKU. Compare the specs. Do not assume a name lines up.
When to pick Unbroker instead
- You want Git deploys plus a managed database cluster or a Linux server, without assembling them as add-ons.
- You want configured capacity and a single Pro credit, instead of picking a dyno tier per process.
Questions
Is Unbroker a Heroku alternative?
Yes for the usual Heroku job: deploy an app from Git and attach data. It does not reproduce every Heroku add-on, Private Space, or dyno size.
How does Unbroker Free compare with Heroku Eco?
Unbroker Free is $0 with the caps above, and the default runtime pauses after 7 days. Heroku Eco is $5 per month for 1,000 dyno hours and sleeps after 30 minutes of inactivity. They are both small-app plans with different limits.
Do I get a virtual machine on either platform?
On Unbroker, only if you buy a Linux cloud server, which requires Pro and is a machine you administer. Heroku dynos are not that product.