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Fly.io vs Heroku(2026)

Fly.io is better for teams that need true global deployment. Heroku is the stronger choice if large add-ons ecosystem. Fly.io is freemium (from $1.94/month) and Heroku is paid (from $5/month).

Full feature breakdown, pricing details, and pros & cons below.

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Fly.io logo

Fly.io

freemium

Fly.io transforms containers into micro-VMs that run on hardware in 35+ cities around the world, close to your users.

Starting at $1.94/month

Visit Fly.io
Heroku logo

Heroku

paid

Heroku is a platform as a service (PaaS) that enables developers to build, run, and operate applications entirely in the cloud.

Starting at $5/month

Visit Heroku

How Do Fly.io and Heroku Compare on Features?

FeatureFly.ioHeroku
Pricing modelfreemiumpaid
Starting price$1.94/month$5/month
Global edge deployment
Docker-based
35+ regions
Persistent volumes
Private networking
Git push deploy
Add-ons marketplace
Managed PostgreSQL
Review apps
CI/CD pipeline

Fly.io Pros and Cons vs Heroku

F

Fly.io

+True global deployment
+Docker-native
+Low latency globally
+Competitive pricing
Steeper learning curve
CLI-heavy workflow
Less beginner-friendly
H

Heroku

+Large add-ons ecosystem
+Mature platform
+Good documentation
Removed free tier in 2022
Expensive compared to alternatives
Older UX
Owned by Salesforce

Should You Use Fly.io or Heroku?

Choose Fly.io if…

  • True global deployment
  • Docker-native
  • Low latency globally

Choose Heroku if…

  • Large add-ons ecosystem
  • Mature platform
  • Good documentation

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