Heroku vs CapRover | Which is the best?

Businesses invest massive amounts of money in developing apps to engage with their clients effectively. However, creating an app necessitates using server space, a secure environment, and software.

This enabling environment entails managing a sophisticated software stack, hardware maintenance, frequent updates of software, and investing massive capital in creating an on-premises environment to develop apps. This entire process is not only expensive but also time-consuming. 

Many businesses are looking externally to solve their internal problems related to the infrastructure needed for app development.

Platform as a Service (PaaS) offers a cheaper, secure, efficient, and scalable cloud-based solution for the app development needs of businesses.

The PaaS platform takes care of the infrastructure and tech stacks required to build an app. The ready-to-use infrastructure lets app developers focus on writing code to produce a highly sophisticated mobile app.

There are many PaaS platforms available on the market. This article will compare two major PaaS platforms—Heroku and CapRover. This comparison will assist you in determining which of these two best meets your needs.

Heroku overview

Heroku is a well-known container-based PaaS platform. This platform allows app developers to create highly complicated and feature-rich applications and deploy them online seamlessly.

Because the platform is cloud-based, the app you are creating and developing can be quickly scaled up or down to meet your needs. Using Heroku, you can access multiple languages such as Python, Node.js, Ruby, Java, Scala, and Clojure.

Running your application on Heroku can be done using Dynos (virtual containers). The amount of money you have to pay for using this secure, feature-rich, and highly robust platform depends on how many virtual machines you use to run your application. Heroku allows developers to design and develop apps quickly and with relative ease.

Heroku features

Heroku offers numerous features that make it so crucial for app developers. Among these, the following components are noteworthy.

• It is easy to use

One of the biggest USPs of Heroku is that it is pretty easy to use, which means it can be used by even those app developers who do not have tremendous expertise in creating overly complex apps.

Furthermore, as it is free, this platform is widely used by small businesses. However, suppose you want a higher level of sophistication in the app. In that case, you must buy this platform’s premium version. 

• This PaaS platform accelerates the app developers’ work

The Heroku cloud platform is developer friendly. This platform provides access to numerous app development tools, which are crucial for coding.

These tools help in speeding up the app development process significantly. This popular PaaS platform assists app developers in integrating highly complicated features into the app to improve its usefulness. 

• Scaling up is automatic

Heroku uses virtual containers called Dynos to run any code. The Dynos are designed in such a way that each one of them comes with memory, a CPU, and multiple application codes and their related dependencies.

This platform has an autoscaling feature that can automatically detect the rising traffic to the app and based on the demand, can add more Dynos to ensure the smooth functioning of the app. 

• Third-party support

Heroku supports third-party add-ons, which helps in further improving the overall functionality of the app. 

• Security

Heroku offers enterprise-level security, ensuring your data’s complete safety.  

Heroku pricing

You can register for any one of the four different pricing plans that suit your needs. These pricing plans include the following:  

• Free and Hobby

The basic plan for app developers to check their proof of concept. The free option is available until Nov 28, 2022.

• Production

If you want more features and functionality than the free plan, then this plan is perfect for you. For the production plan, you have to pay $ 25 per month.  

• Advanced

This plan is perfect for you if you want to create an app with highly advanced and sophisticated features, requiring the best tools and software available on Heroku. For this plan, you have to pay $ 250 per month. 

• Enterprise

This plan is created for big companies, and the pricing is related to the type of functionality and storage space the business wants. 

To know more about the pricing and features you get in each one of these pricing plans from this platform, visit their website. 

CapRover overview

CapRover is a well-recognized PaaS platform that offers numerous features that assist in app development.

This robust platform with a wonderful user-friendly interface uses Nginx, NetData, and LetsEncrypt to provide app developers with a highly secure and feature-rich environment. This platform also supports Ruby, Node.js, PHP, and Postgres.

CapRover features

This cloud-based platform offers numerous features that simplify the app development process. Some of its prominent features are as follows:

• Command-line interface: It provides free automation and scripting solutions.
• Web GUI: It allows ease of access and convenience.
• No Lock-in: Even if you remove CapRover, the app you have developed through this platform will function normally.
• Free SSL: You can get a free SSL certificate (HTTPS) for your project.

CapRover pricing

It is a free and open-source platform. However, you must pay according to the market rates to register your domain or hire a server.

To know more about the features of this platform and how you can use them for app development, visit their website.

CapRover vs Heroku Comparison

Conclusion

CapRover and Heroku are excellent PaaS platforms that allow app developers to develop, deploy, and manage apps in the cloud. Both platforms have unique features.

Heroku enables app developers to improve their productivity as it is easy to use. However, if you want to use all the premium features of Heroku, you must subscribe to one of its premium plans.

On the other hand, CapRover is an open-source platform, has an integration to DigitalOcean, and is available on GitHub.

Carefully check all the features of both these platforms to choose one that you believe optimally fulfills your requirements.

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