Heroku Basic vs Render Free web service.
plan vs plan · prices as of
The same 512 MB of memory at two platforms, so the size is identical and everything around it is not. Render Free web service takes 2 of 4 rounds against Heroku Basic. It is also the cheaper of the two, at free against $7/mo.
Renderwins 2 roundsFree web service
free
$0 a year · no size to divide by
512 MB RAM · sleeps when idle
Monthly price (lower wins)
$7/mo
free
Price per GB of RAM (lower wins)
$14.00/GB-mo
no size to divide by
Memory
512 MB
512 MB
vCPU
not stated
not stated
Transfer included (more included is better)
not stated
5 GB
Build minutes included (more included is better)
not stated
500 min
Stops when idle (staying on wins)
always on
sleeps when idle
Members covered (more members covered is better)
members not charged
members not charged
What the invoice adds
- A gigabyte of transfernot published vs $0.15 per GB
- Transfer includednot stated vs 5 GB
- Build minutes includednot stated vs 500 min
- A year at this price$84 vs $0
Heroku then Render, at the published rates; a rate nobody publishes is not a rate of zero
Go further
Add a third or fourth plan, or switch the weighting, in the tool.
Frequently asked
- Which is cheaper, Heroku Basic or Render Free web service?
- Render Free web service, at free against $7/mo, both excluding tax and read on 17 Sept 2026. Over a year that is $0 against $84, before anything either platform meters on top.
- Which gives you more memory?
- Both state 512 MB, so the question is what a gigabyte costs: $14.00/GB-mo at Heroku and no size to divide by at Render.
- Does either one stop when the app is idle?
- Heroku Basic: always on. Render Free web service: sleeps when idle.
- What does the monthly price leave out?
- Heroku Basic: transfer not stated included and not published beyond it, builds not stated, disk none · volumes extra, members not charged. Render Free web service: transfer 5 GB included and $0.15 per GB beyond it, builds 500 min, disk none · volumes extra, members not charged.
Every price is one month in the provider's own currency converted to dollars, read 17 Sept 2026 from each provider's own page, excluding tax. Transfer, build minutes, disks and members are metered on top wherever a platform says so, and none of those rates is folded into the figures above. Bars are scaled to the larger value in each row.