A Heroku alternative for bots and small apps
Heroku removed its free dynos in November 2022. Its Eco dyno is $5 a month and sleeps after 30 minutes without traffic, which no bot survives; Basic is $7 a month for half a gigabyte that stays awake. The arithmetic is simple: $7 for 0.5 GB there, $2 for 1 GB here, and the first bot free.
Moving a Heroku app
- The
Procfileline becomes the start command (or is detected from package.json and requirements.txt). - Config vars become environment variables in the panel.
- Heroku Postgres becomes a managed PostgreSQL: export with pg_dump, import here, and the connection string is injected into the app.
- A web dyno gets a web address; a worker dyno needs none.
Side by side
| Heroku | FadeHost | |
|---|---|---|
| Free tier | None since 2022 | One bot or app, 256 MB |
| Cheapest always-on | Basic $7, 0.5 GB | Starter $2, 1 GB |
| Sleeping | Eco sleeps after 30 min | Processes never sleep |
| Database | Postgres from $5 | MySQL, PostgreSQL, MongoDB or Redis, first one free |
| Deploy | git push heroku | Push to GitHub |
Heroku prices are from its pricing page in September 2026; check the current page before deciding.
When Heroku still fits
Large apps that lean on Heroku's add-on marketplace, pipelines and review apps, and teams already paying for Standard dynos, have reasons to stay. For a bot, a webhook, a small API or a side project, they are paying for machinery they do not use.
Frequently asked questions
Does FadeHost support Procfiles?
The start command is set per app; paste the Procfile's command into it, or let the runtime detect it from package.json or requirements.txt.
Can I move a Heroku Postgres database?
Yes: pg_dump on Heroku, add a managed PostgreSQL here, import the dump; the connection string is in the app's environment.
Are there buildpacks?
Paid tiers build any language from the repository without a Dockerfile (Railpack); a Dockerfile works too.
What does a small always-on app cost?
$2 a month for 1 GB on Starter, plus $2 a month if it needs an always-on web address. Bots need no address.