Heroku vs Render: An Honest Comparison for 2026

Render calls itself “the modern Heroku.” Heroku is the OG that every PaaS gets compared to. Both platforms target the same developer — someone who wants to push code and get a live URL without managing servers.

We’ve deployed projects on both. Here’s where each wins, where each loses, and when you should skip both entirely.

Head-to-Head

The Sleeping Problem

Both have it, just at different price points.

Heroku Eco dynos ($5/mo): Sleep after 30 minutes of inactivity. Wake-up takes 5-10 seconds. Monthly cap of 1,000 dyno hours across all Eco apps.

Render free tier (free): Sleep after 15 minutes of inactivity. Wake-up takes 30-60 seconds. No monthly hour cap.

Render’s free tier is technically free (no credit card needed), which beats Heroku’s $5/mo Eco plan. But both deliver the same bad user experience — your first visitor waits while the app wakes up.

Always-on starts at $7/mo on both platforms.

True Cost Comparison

Let’s price a realistic app: Node.js API + PostgreSQL + Redis.

Heroku:

• Basic dyno: $7/mo
• Mini Postgres: $5/mo
• Mini Redis: $3/mo
• Total: $15/mo

Render:

• Starter instance: $7/mo
• Starter PostgreSQL: $7/mo
• Redis: $10/mo (or bring your own)
• Total: $24/mo

Render is actually more expensive for this stack. Heroku’s add-on pricing, while annoying, starts lower for databases.

For comparison, flat-pricing platforms bundle everything differently. InstaPods includes databases at no extra cost — a Node.js app with PostgreSQL and Redis runs on a single $7/mo pod.

Where Render Wins

• Free static site hosting — excellent CDN, no charge. Heroku isn’t built for this.
• Blueprint specs — define your entire infrastructure in render.yaml. More capable than Heroku’s app.json.
• Native Docker support — Heroku’s container registry works but feels bolted on. Render treats Docker as a first-class deployment method.
• Cron jobs built in — Heroku needs the Scheduler add-on.
• SSH access on paid plans — Heroku never gives you shell access.

Where Heroku Wins

• Add-on marketplace — hundreds of third-party services integrated with one click. Render has a much smaller ecosystem.
• Enterprise features — Private Spaces, Heroku Connect (Salesforce), Shield (compliance). Render is still building enterprise tooling.
• Track record — 18+ years in production. Render is younger with a shorter stability history.
• Heroku buildpacks — if your app uses a custom buildpack, migration to Render may require changes.

When to Skip Both

Both Heroku and Render share the same limitations:

1. No real server access on cheap plans. Render offers SSH on paid plans, but Heroku never does.
2. Databases cost extra. Both charge separately for PostgreSQL, and it adds up.
3. Sleeping on the cheapest tiers. Neither gives you always-on for free.
4. Not built for the AI-native workflow. No MCP support, no CLI deploy for AI-generated apps.

If these pain points matter to you, the entire PaaS model might not be the right fit. See our full comparison of Heroku alternatives for platforms that take fundamentally different approaches — real servers, flat pricing, and AI-native deployment.

Verdict

For new projects: Render is the better platform. Modern UI, better Docker support, Blueprint specs, free static hosting.

For existing Heroku apps: Migration is straightforward if you don’t rely heavily on Heroku-specific add-ons.

For cost-sensitive projects: Neither wins. Both charge $7/mo minimum for always-on + $5-7/mo extra for a database. Flat-pricing alternatives exist.

Render is the better Heroku. But “better Heroku” still means you’re in the PaaS model with its tradeoffs.