Railway is often called “the modern Heroku.” Same idea — push code, get a live URL — but rebuilt with modern tooling, better UI, and a pricing model that works differently.
We’ve used both extensively for client projects. Here’s an honest comparison.
At a Glance
| Feature | Heroku | Railway |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Per-dyno + add-ons | Usage-based ($5/mo + compute) |
| Free tier | No (Eco $5/mo sleeps) | $5 trial credits (no card) |
| Database | Add-on ($5+/mo) | One-click provision (usage-based) |
| Deploy from | Git, Docker | Git, Docker, CLI |
| Buildpacks | Heroku buildpacks | Nixpacks (auto-detect) |
| Dashboard | Dated, functional | Modern, fast, beautiful |
| Preview environments | Review Apps (paid) | PR deploys (all plans) |
| Monorepo support | Limited | Native |
| SSH access | No | No |
| Regions | US, EU | US, EU, Asia |
Pricing: Fixed vs Usage-Based
This is the biggest difference and the most important decision factor.
Heroku charges per dyno. A Basic dyno is $7/mo, always running. You know what you’ll pay. But add a database ($5/mo), Redis ($3/mo), and a worker dyno ($7/mo), and you’re at $22/mo for a simple app.
Railway charges by usage. The Hobby plan is $5/mo + actual CPU/memory/bandwidth consumption. A small Node.js app running 24/7 might cost $3-8/mo in compute. But if you get a traffic spike, costs spike too. You don’t know exactly what you’ll pay until the month ends.
Which is better? Heroku’s model is predictable but expensive for what you get. Railway’s model can be cheaper for small apps but risky if traffic is unpredictable.
If predictable pricing matters most, consider platforms with flat monthly billing. InstaPods charges $3-7/mo flat — no usage charges, no add-on stacking, databases included.
Developer Experience
Railway wins here, and it’s not close.
Railway’s Nixpacks auto-detect your stack without a Procfile. Push a Node.js app, Python app, Go binary, or Rust project — Railway figures it out. Heroku’s buildpack system works but requires more configuration for non-standard setups.
Railway’s dashboard is genuinely well-designed. Real-time logs, resource graphs, environment variable management, and service graphs — all in a clean, fast UI. Heroku’s dashboard feels like 2015.
Railway’s CLI (railway run, railway up) is modern and fast. Heroku’s CLI works but hasn’t evolved much.
Database Provisioning
Heroku: Databases are add-ons with separate billing. Heroku Postgres Mini is $5/mo, Heroku Data for Redis Mini is $3/mo. Each database is managed separately.
Railway: Click “New” → “Database” → done. PostgreSQL, MySQL, Redis, MongoDB — all provisioned in seconds. Billed by usage (storage + compute), not flat monthly.
Railway’s approach is faster and more flexible. But usage-based database pricing means a growing database costs more over time with no cap.
Where Heroku Still Wins
- Ecosystem maturity: Heroku’s add-on marketplace has hundreds of integrations. Railway has fewer native integrations.
- Enterprise features: Heroku has Private Spaces, Shield (compliance), and Heroku Connect (Salesforce sync). Railway is still building enterprise tooling.
- Stability track record: Heroku has been running since 2007. Railway is younger and has had growing pains.
Where Railway Wins
- Modern DX: Better dashboard, better CLI, better auto-detection
- Monorepo support: Deploy multiple services from one repo easily
- PR previews: Every pull request gets its own deploy — included in all plans
- Docker-first: Native Docker support without the container registry dance
- More regions: US-West, US-East, EU-West, Asia-Southeast
The Bigger Question
Both Heroku and Railway share a fundamental limitation: you don’t get a real server. No SSH access, no installing custom system packages, no debugging production issues with familiar Linux tools.
Both also charge separately for databases — either as add-ons (Heroku) or usage-based (Railway). A simple app + database quickly reaches $10-15/mo on either platform.
For developers who want server access, flat pricing, and databases included, there are alternatives outside the PaaS model. Our full Heroku alternatives comparison covers platforms that take different approaches — real servers, flat monthly pricing, and AI-native deployment.
Verdict
Pick Railway if you want the best modern PaaS experience and don’t mind usage-based billing. It’s objectively better than Heroku for new projects.
Pick Heroku only if you have existing apps with deep add-on dependencies or need enterprise/compliance features.
Pick neither if you want SSH access, flat pricing, or databases included in your hosting cost. The PaaS model has tradeoffs that don’t work for every project.
