Who should choose Netlify?

Teams that want build and deploy modern web apps

Who should choose Heroku?

Teams that want classic paas for shipping apps

Software comparison - Hosting Platforms

Netlify vs Heroku: 2026 Comparison

Netlify specializes in jamstack — static site hosting with built-in CI/CD, edge functions and serverless forms, shipped in seconds. Heroku is a classic PaaS for any language — spin up a database, deploy from git, and let the platform handle ops. Pick Netlify for front-ends; pick Heroku for full-stack apps or custom backends. [resources](/resources) abound for both.

Comparison dimensions

Dimension	Netlify	Heroku	Winner
DX & Deploys	8/10Netlify's git-triggered builds and atomic deploys mean every push previews instantly. Rollback to any commit in a click. DX is seamless for JAMstack workflows.	8/10Heroku's git push deploys invoke buildpacks that auto-detect your language and run custom scripts. Less opinionated than Netlify — you define the CI steps.	Tie
Performance	9/10Netlify's CDN edge servers sit globally — fast Time to First Byte for static assets, automatic gzip, and image optimization included. Median TTFB under 100ms.	7/10Heroku runs app containers in US regions by default. Add-on dynos improve response time, but you pay per node. Cold starts on free dyno tiers add latency.	Netlify
Pricing	7/10Netlify's free tier is generous — 300 build minutes/month, unlimited sites, serverless function invocations capped at 125k/month. Paid tiers from $19/mo unlock more builds.	7/10Heroku's free dyno is gone as of late 2022, but hobby tier starts at $7/mo per dyno. Postgres and Redis add-ons climb quickly. Total cost scales linearly with dyno count.	Tie
Scaling	7/10Netlify's Zapier, GitHub, Slack and Segment integrations automate workflows. Deploy previews auto-post to PR comments. Build plugins extend the ecosystem.	8/10Heroku speaks to nearly every language and database. Postgres, Redis, RabbitMQ, Datadog, New Relic — the ecosystem is mature and open-ended.	Heroku
Integrations	9/10Netlify edge functions execute server-side logic without cold starts, perfect for auth, API gateways and personalization. Deploy functions alongside static sites.	9/10Heroku apps run long-lived processes — background jobs, cron tasks, web servers. Better for stateful apps that need persistent memory.	Tie
Support	7/10Netlify support is helpful for platform questions but billing and build issues sometimes require digging into docs. Community forum is active.	8/10Heroku's support tiers range from community forums to 24/7 enterprise SLAs. Paid support responds quickly to platform-level issues.	Heroku

DX & Deploys

Netlify: Netlify's git-triggered builds and atomic deploys mean every push previews instantly. Rollback to any commit in a click. DX is seamless for JAMstack workflows.

Heroku: Heroku's git push deploys invoke buildpacks that auto-detect your language and run custom scripts. Less opinionated than Netlify — you define the CI steps.

Performance

Netlify: Netlify's CDN edge servers sit globally — fast Time to First Byte for static assets, automatic gzip, and image optimization included. Median TTFB under 100ms.

Heroku: Heroku runs app containers in US regions by default. Add-on dynos improve response time, but you pay per node. Cold starts on free dyno tiers add latency.

Pricing

Netlify: Netlify's free tier is generous — 300 build minutes/month, unlimited sites, serverless function invocations capped at 125k/month. Paid tiers from $19/mo unlock more builds.

Heroku: Heroku's free dyno is gone as of late 2022, but hobby tier starts at $7/mo per dyno. Postgres and Redis add-ons climb quickly. Total cost scales linearly with dyno count.

Scaling

Netlify: Netlify's Zapier, GitHub, Slack and Segment integrations automate workflows. Deploy previews auto-post to PR comments. Build plugins extend the ecosystem.

Heroku: Heroku speaks to nearly every language and database. Postgres, Redis, RabbitMQ, Datadog, New Relic — the ecosystem is mature and open-ended.

Integrations

Netlify: Netlify edge functions execute server-side logic without cold starts, perfect for auth, API gateways and personalization. Deploy functions alongside static sites.

Heroku: Heroku apps run long-lived processes — background jobs, cron tasks, web servers. Better for stateful apps that need persistent memory.

Support

Netlify: Netlify support is helpful for platform questions but billing and build issues sometimes require digging into docs. Community forum is active.

Heroku: Heroku's support tiers range from community forums to 24/7 enterprise SLAs. Paid support responds quickly to platform-level issues.

Best for Netlify

Teams that want build and deploy modern web apps
Users prioritizing integrations
Growth-stage teams

Best for Heroku

Teams that want classic paas for shipping apps
Users prioritizing scaling
Growth-stage teams

Decision notes

Choose Netlify if you value integrations; choose Heroku if scaling matters more. Try both — most teams decide within a week.

Export/import support between Netlify and Heroku
Team onboarding and learning curve
Pricing at your seat count
Integration coverage for your stack

Frequently asked questions

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