Heroku
Heroku is built for running complete applications, not just shipping frontends, which makes it a stronger fit than Netlify when the “hard part” is your API server, workers, and long-running processes. Instead of centering the experience around static deploys plus functions, it gives you a managed runtime with dynos and process types so backends, job queues, and scheduled work feel first-class.
A major advantage is how quickly teams can go from repo to production using a simple, CLI-driven flow and tight GitHub integration. That fast feedback loop is especially helpful for prototypes that need to become real services without rewriting deployment from scratch.
Heroku’s add-ons ecosystem is another reason it’s often chosen over Netlify for full-stack work: databases, caching, observability, and more are designed to plug in as part of the platform rather than requiring you to assemble infrastructure pieces yourself. The trade-off is that it’s less “static-site-first” and can be more cost-sensitive for hobby projects, but it’s hard to beat when you want a cohesive PaaS for backend-heavy apps.
For teams that prefer focusing on product features instead of server configuration, Heroku can replace a patchwork of hosting, queues, and database setup with one consistent workflow.
Best for
Best for small teams shipping full-stack apps who want a managed backend runtime without heavy DevOps.
Standout features
- ✓Managed dynos for app processes
- ✓Add-ons for databases and queues
- ✓CLI-first deployment workflow
- ✓GitHub-based continuous deploys
