Compare providers·Tools

AWS (serverless) vs Heroku

Monthly hosting costs for typical app profiles — computed with the same recommendation engine as StackPlan stack reports. Assumes balanced budget and ops preferences unless noted.

Pricing data:AWS (serverless) · updated Jun 2026Heroku · updated Jul 2026

Web app

MetricAWS (serverless)Heroku
Cost at 1k DAU$25.44/mo$55/mo
Cost at 100 DAU$12.68/mo$14/mo
Cost at 1K DAU$25.44/mo$55/mo
Cost at 10K DAU$165.84/mo$55/mo
Cost at 100K DAU$1571.52/mo$64/mo
Services used
  • AWS (serverless) · Lambda + API Gateway · Pay as you go
  • AWS (serverless) · RDS Postgres · db.t4g.micro
  • Heroku · Dynos · Eco
  • Heroku · Heroku Postgres · Standard-0
Fit score90/10083/100
Verdict: It flips at scale: AWS (serverless) cheaper at 1k DAU, Heroku at 100k.

SaaS product

MetricAWS (serverless)Heroku
Cost at 1k DAU$25.84/mo$55.40/mo
Cost at 100 DAU$12.68/mo$14/mo
Cost at 1K DAU$25.84/mo$55.40/mo
Cost at 10K DAU$171.44/mo$60.60/mo
Cost at 100K DAU$1631.12/mo$123.60/mo
Services used
  • AWS (serverless) · Lambda + API Gateway · Pay as you go
  • AWS (serverless) · RDS Postgres · db.t4g.micro
  • Cloudflare · Queues · Paid
  • AWS (serverless) · EventBridge Scheduler · Free
  • Heroku · Dynos · Eco
  • Heroku · Heroku Postgres · Standard-0
  • Cloudflare · Queues · Paid
  • Heroku · Scheduler · Free add-on
Fit score70/10064/100
Verdict: It flips at scale: AWS (serverless) cheaper at 1k DAU, Heroku at 100k.

E-commerce store

MetricAWS (serverless)Heroku
Cost at 1k DAU$40.90/mo$63.73/mo
Cost at 100 DAU$14.23/mo$14.81/mo
Cost at 1K DAU$40.90/mo$63.73/mo
Cost at 10K DAU$320.38/mo$142.84/mo
Cost at 100K DAU$3116.84/mo$942.85/mo
Services used
  • AWS (serverless) · Lambda + API Gateway · Pay as you go
  • AWS (serverless) · RDS Postgres · db.t4g.micro
  • AWS (serverless) · S3 · Standard
  • Heroku · Dynos · Eco
  • Heroku · Heroku Postgres · Standard-0
  • Netlify · Blobs · Metered
Fit score82/10065/100
Verdict: It flips at scale: AWS (serverless) cheaper at 1k DAU, Heroku at 100k.

API / backend service

MetricAWS (serverless)Heroku
Cost at 1k DAU$25.44/mo$55/mo
Cost at 100 DAU$12.68/mo$14/mo
Cost at 1K DAU$25.44/mo$55/mo
Cost at 10K DAU$165.84/mo$55/mo
Cost at 100K DAU$1571.52/mo$64/mo
Services used
  • AWS (serverless) · Lambda + API Gateway · Pay as you go
  • AWS (serverless) · RDS Postgres · db.t4g.micro
  • Heroku · Dynos · Eco
  • Heroku · Heroku Postgres · Standard-0
Fit score100/10083/100
Verdict: It flips at scale: AWS (serverless) cheaper at 1k DAU, Heroku at 100k.

Mobile app backend

MetricAWS (serverless)Heroku
Cost at 1k DAU$40.90/mo$63.73/mo
Cost at 100 DAU$14.23/mo$14.81/mo
Cost at 1K DAU$40.90/mo$63.73/mo
Cost at 10K DAU$320.38/mo$142.84/mo
Cost at 100K DAU$3116.84/mo$942.85/mo
Services used
  • AWS (serverless) · Lambda + API Gateway · Pay as you go
  • AWS (serverless) · RDS Postgres · db.t4g.micro
  • AWS (serverless) · S3 · Standard
  • Heroku · Dynos · Eco
  • Heroku · Heroku Postgres · Standard-0
  • Netlify · Blobs · Metered
Fit score92/10065/100
Verdict: It flips at scale: AWS (serverless) cheaper at 1k DAU, Heroku at 100k.

Realtime / collaborative

MetricAWS (serverless)Heroku
Cost at 1k DAUNot a fit for this app type$55/mo
Cost at 100 DAUNot a fit for this app type$14/mo
Cost at 1K DAUNot a fit for this app type$55/mo
Cost at 10K DAUNot a fit for this app type$55/mo
Cost at 100K DAUNot a fit for this app type$64/mo
Services usedNot a fit for this app type
  • Heroku · Dynos · Eco
  • Heroku · Heroku Postgres · Standard-0
Fit score—83/100
Verdict: Heroku is the only viable option for this app type.

Jobs & pipelines

MetricAWS (serverless)Heroku
Cost at 1k DAU$25.84/mo$55.40/mo
Cost at 100 DAU$12.68/mo$14/mo
Cost at 1K DAU$25.84/mo$55.40/mo
Cost at 10K DAU$171.44/mo$60.60/mo
Cost at 100K DAU$1631.12/mo$123.60/mo
Services used
  • AWS (serverless) · Lambda + API Gateway · Pay as you go
  • AWS (serverless) · RDS Postgres · db.t4g.micro
  • Cloudflare · Queues · Paid
  • AWS (serverless) · EventBridge Scheduler · Free
  • Heroku · Dynos · Eco
  • Heroku · Heroku Postgres · Standard-0
  • Cloudflare · Queues · Paid
  • Heroku · Scheduler · Free add-on
Fit score80/10064/100
Verdict: It flips at scale: AWS (serverless) cheaper at 1k DAU, Heroku at 100k.

AI app

MetricAWS (serverless)Heroku
Cost at 1k DAU$40.90/mo$63.73/mo
Cost at 100 DAU$14.23/mo$14.81/mo
Cost at 1K DAU$40.90/mo$63.73/mo
Cost at 10K DAU$320.38/mo$142.84/mo
Cost at 100K DAU$3116.84/mo$942.85/mo
Services used
  • AWS (serverless) · Lambda + API Gateway · Pay as you go
  • AWS (serverless) · RDS Postgres · db.t4g.micro
  • AWS (serverless) · S3 · Standard
  • Heroku · Dynos · Eco
  • Heroku · Heroku Postgres · Standard-0
  • Netlify · Blobs · Metered
Fit score92/10055/100
Verdict: It flips at scale: AWS (serverless) cheaper at 1k DAU, Heroku at 100k.

Internal tool

MetricAWS (serverless)Heroku
Cost at 1k DAU$25.44/mo$55/mo
Cost at 100 DAU$12.68/mo$14/mo
Cost at 1K DAU$25.44/mo$55/mo
Cost at 10K DAU$165.84/mo$55/mo
Cost at 100K DAU$1571.52/mo$64/mo
Services used
  • AWS (serverless) · Lambda + API Gateway · Pay as you go
  • AWS (serverless) · RDS Postgres · db.t4g.micro
  • Heroku · Dynos · Eco
  • Heroku · Heroku Postgres · Standard-0
Fit score90/10083/100
Verdict: It flips at scale: AWS (serverless) cheaper at 1k DAU, Heroku at 100k.

These numbers assume a typical profile

Get numbers for YOUR app — traffic, storage, database, jobs, and budget — in about two minutes.

Get numbers for your app