Updated September 28, 2026 · DeployCue Editorial Team
DigitalOcean vs Heroku
| Fact | DigitalOcean | Heroku |
|---|---|---|
| Published offerings | 8 | 0 |
Where DigitalOcean and Heroku differ
| Fact | DigitalOcean | Heroku |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | $4Lower | $5 |
| Database engines | MongoDB, Kafka, PostgreSQL, MySQL, Valkey, OpenSearch | PostgreSQL, Redis, Kafka |
| Compliance certifications | SOC 2, SOC 3, Global PRP, HIPAA, DORA | Not confirmed |
Same on both: Free tier (No).
Key differences
- Price from is lower at DigitalOcean: $4 vs $5.
- Database engines: only DigitalOcean offers MongoDB, MySQL, Valkey.
- Database engines: only Heroku offers Redis.
- Support channels: only Heroku offers Email.
- Founded is lower at Heroku: 2007 vs 2012.
Score breakdown
| Area | DigitalOcean | Heroku |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 9.60HigherIncluded transfer of 500 GiB outbound transfer per month and new account credit of USD 5, valid 90 days cut the first bill. | 8.90Entry plan starts at $5, under the €5.83 median on this site, with no free tier to soften the opening bill. |
| Offer | 9.20VPS and bare metal under vps and bare metal, hourly, monthly and per second billing and 12 regions. | 9.50Higher |
| Trust | 8.90 | 9.90Higher |
Choosing between them
Pick DigitalOcean if cost and price from matter most.
Pick Heroku if offer matter most.
The bill, worked out
A year on the entry plan
DigitalOcean
$48
12 × $4
Heroku
$60
12 × $5
DigitalOcean costs $12 less.
Worked out from the stated prices and rates; your own total depends on how you use it.
Area by area
DigitalOcean
- Cost9.6
- Offer9.2
Heroku
- Cost8.9
- Offer9.5
- DigitalOcean leads on cost by 0.7 points (9.6 vs 8.9).
- On offer the two are close: Heroku 9.5, DigitalOcean 9.2.
Availability and regulation
| Country | DigitalOcean | Heroku |
|---|---|---|
| Headquarters | United States | United States |
Every fact side by side
| Fact | DigitalOcean | Heroku |
|---|---|---|
| Legal entity | DigitalOcean, LLC | Not confirmed |
| Headquarters | United States | United States |
| Founded | 2012 | 2007Lower |
| Support channels | Help centre, Community | Email, Help centre, CommunityCovers more |
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