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Heroku vs Flywheel

Heroku

Optimal Baseline Tier

Heroku_Plan_29 plan (Optimal for baseline workload)

$0.10/ month
Included storageUnlimited
Included bandwidthUnlimited
Included RAMN/A
Base plan$0.10
Disk storagePlan limit
Bandwidth overagePlan limit
App RAM overage$0.00

Flywheel

Optimal Baseline Tier

Tiny plan (Optimal for baseline workload)

$28.00/ month
Included storage5 GB
Included bandwidth20 GB
Included RAMN/A
Base plan$15.00
Disk storage$9.00
Bandwidth overage$4.00
App RAM overage$0.00

When evaluating Heroku against Flywheel, the baseline economics show Heroku starting at $0.10 while Flywheel begins at $15.00. Looking strictly at the entry barrier, Heroku provides a more cost-effective starting point, undercutting Flywheel's base plan by $14.90 per month.

For intensive workloads exceeding the included quotas, overage limits become a critical factor. For Heroku, additional storage is requires a plan upgrade, while excess egress traffic is requires a plan upgrade. In contrast, when using Flywheel, additional storage is billed at $0.20 per GB, while excess egress traffic is billed at $0.05 per GB.

Architectural Cost Simulation

PaaS Parameters

10,000 Visits
100 GB
20 GB
Heroku (_Plan_29)Details →
Requires higher plan
Base plan:$0.10
Monthly visits:Plan limit
Bandwidth overage:Plan limit
Disk storage:Plan limit
Heroku (_Plan_28)Details →
Requires higher plan
Base plan:$0.12
Monthly visits:Plan limit
Bandwidth overage:Plan limit
Disk storage:Plan limit
Heroku (_Plan_20)Details →
Requires higher plan
Base plan:$1.00
Monthly visits:Plan limit
Bandwidth overage:Plan limit
Disk storage:Plan limit
Heroku (_Plan_21)Details →
Requires higher plan
Base plan:$3.00
Monthly visits:Plan limit
Bandwidth overage:Plan limit
Disk storage:Plan limit
Heroku (_Plan_25)Details →
Requires higher plan
Base plan:$4.00
Monthly visits:Plan limit
Bandwidth overage:Plan limit
Disk storage:Plan limit
Heroku (Eco 1X)Details →
Requires higher plan
Base plan:$5.00
Monthly visits:Plan limit
Bandwidth overage:Plan limit
Disk storage:Plan limit
Heroku (_Plan_26)Details →
Requires higher plan
Base plan:$5.00
Monthly visits:Plan limit
Bandwidth overage:Plan limit
Disk storage:Plan limit
Heroku (_Plan_10)Details →
Requires higher plan
Base plan:$5.00
Monthly visits:Plan limit
Bandwidth overage:Plan limit
Disk storage:Plan limit
Heroku (_Plan_22)Details →
Requires higher plan
Base plan:$6.00
Monthly visits:Plan limit
Bandwidth overage:Plan limit
Disk storage:Plan limit
Heroku (_Plan_27)Details →
Requires higher plan
Base plan:$8.00
Monthly visits:Plan limit
Bandwidth overage:Plan limit
Disk storage:Plan limit
Heroku (_Plan_11)Details →
Requires higher plan
Base plan:$9.00
Monthly visits:Plan limit
Bandwidth overage:Plan limit
Disk storage:Plan limit
Heroku (_Plan_23)Details →
Requires higher plan
Base plan:$12.00
Monthly visits:Plan limit
Bandwidth overage:Plan limit
Disk storage:Plan limit
Heroku (_Plan_14)Details →
Requires higher plan
Base plan:$15.00
Monthly visits:Plan limit
Bandwidth overage:Plan limit
Disk storage:Plan limit
Heroku (_Plan_12)Details →
Requires higher plan
Base plan:$20.00
Monthly visits:Plan limit
Bandwidth overage:Plan limit
Disk storage:Plan limit
Heroku (Basic 1X)Details →
Requires higher plan
Base plan:$25.00
Monthly visits:Plan limit
Bandwidth overage:Plan limit
Disk storage:Plan limit
Heroku (_Plan_15)Details →
Requires higher plan
Base plan:$30.00
Monthly visits:Plan limit
Bandwidth overage:Plan limit
Disk storage:Plan limit
Heroku (Basic 2X)Details →
Requires higher plan
Base plan:$50.00
Monthly visits:Plan limit
Bandwidth overage:Plan limit
Disk storage:Plan limit
Heroku (_Plan_16)Details →
Requires higher plan
Base plan:$60.00
Monthly visits:Plan limit
Bandwidth overage:Plan limit
Disk storage:Plan limit
Heroku (Basic M)Details →
Requires higher plan
Base plan:$100.00
Monthly visits:Plan limit
Bandwidth overage:Plan limit
Disk storage:Plan limit
Heroku (_Plan_17)Details →
Requires higher plan
Base plan:$120.00
Monthly visits:Plan limit
Bandwidth overage:Plan limit
Disk storage:Plan limit
Heroku (Performance 2X)Details →
Requires higher plan
Base plan:$125.00
Monthly visits:Plan limit
Bandwidth overage:Plan limit
Disk storage:Plan limit
Heroku (Eco M)Details →
Requires higher plan
Base plan:$150.00
Monthly visits:Plan limit
Bandwidth overage:Plan limit
Disk storage:Plan limit
Heroku (Private 2X)Details →
Requires higher plan
Base plan:$150.00
Monthly visits:Plan limit
Bandwidth overage:Plan limit
Disk storage:Plan limit
Heroku (_Plan_18)Details →
Requires higher plan
Base plan:$200.00
Monthly visits:Plan limit
Bandwidth overage:Plan limit
Disk storage:Plan limit
Heroku (Standard 2X)Details →
Requires higher plan
Base plan:$250.00
Monthly visits:Plan limit
Bandwidth overage:Plan limit
Disk storage:Plan limit
Heroku (Performance M)Details →
Requires higher plan
Base plan:$500.00
Monthly visits:Plan limit
Bandwidth overage:Plan limit
Disk storage:Plan limit
Heroku (Standard M)Details →
Requires higher plan
Base plan:$500.00
Monthly visits:Plan limit
Bandwidth overage:Plan limit
Disk storage:Plan limit
Heroku (Private M)Details →
Requires higher plan
Base plan:$600.00
Monthly visits:Plan limit
Bandwidth overage:Plan limit
Disk storage:Plan limit
Heroku (_Plan_19)Details →
Requires higher plan
Base plan:$750.00
Monthly visits:Plan limit
Bandwidth overage:Plan limit
Disk storage:Plan limit
Flywheel (Tiny)Details →
Requires higher plan
Base plan:$15.00
Monthly visits:Plan limit
Bandwidth overage:$4.00
Disk storage:$3.00
Flywheel (Starter)Details →
Requires higher plan
Base plan:$25.00
Monthly visits:Plan limit
Bandwidth overage:$2.50
Disk storage:$2.00
Flywheel (Freelance)Details →
Requires higher plan
Base plan:$115.00
Monthly visits:Plan limit
Bandwidth overage:Plan limit
Disk storage:Plan limit
Flywheel (Agency)Details →
Requires higher plan
Base plan:$290.00
Monthly visits:Plan limit
Bandwidth overage:Plan limit
Disk storage:Plan limit

Still exploring your options?

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Frequently asked questions

Is Heroku more cost-effective than Flywheel?

The starting price for Heroku is $0.10 per month, whereas Flywheel starts at $15.00. The true cost-effectiveness depends heavily on your specific resource requirements beyond these base tiers.

How do resource limits and scaling fees compare between Heroku and Flywheel?

When scaling, overages dictate the final bill. For Heroku, expanding extra storage requires a plan upgrade and expanding network egress requires a plan upgrade. In contrast, for Flywheel, storage is billed at $0.20 and egress is billed at $0.05.

Should I choose Heroku or Flywheel for my infrastructure?

Choose Heroku if your workload strictly aligns with their base limits and penalty structure. Choose Flywheel if their starting footprint offers a more predictable financial trajectory for your specific application requirements.

Pricing metrics are updated automatically from official provider data. Last synced:
August 30, 2026