Heroku vs Railway: differences in deployment, databases, and workers
Published on 2026-10-26 by frfrand
Heroku vs Railway with backend and PostgreSQL example
Heroku and Railway want to simplify the same awkward moment: when the code already works, but no one outside your computer has used it yet. Their way of organizing processes, databases, and billing has differences that appear as you grow.
There is no universal winner. If we only compare the lowest price in the catalog, the conclusion is usually false: an API with a database, workers, files, and multiple clients does not cost the same as a static page.
The fundamental difference between Heroku and Railway
Heroku: Heroku uses dynos and add-ons, with a well-known PaaS experience and processes separated by function.
Railway: Railway works with services and resources within projects, Git integration, and its usage model.
| Question | Heroku | Railway |
|---|---|---|
| What approach does it have | Heroku uses dynos and add-ons, with a well-known PaaS experience and processes separated by function | Railway works with services and resources within projects, Git integration, and its usage model |
| How it is verified | Deploying a real app and reviewing logs | With the same case, resources, and tests |
| What counts toward cost | Compute, data, and necessary services | Compute, data, and necessary services |
| What remains yours | Code, permissions, logic, and tests | Code, permissions, logic, and tests |
A real project to compare them without guessing
A chatbot receives messages via webhook and generates responses using an AI model. If the webhook takes too long, you could lose retries or block resources. It is safer to store the event, respond quickly, and process it with a worker.
Instead of deploying two separate demos, choose a single repository and apply the same load. If one uses an external PostgreSQL database and the other a local database, note that difference so you don't attribute all latency to the web provider.
Practical test in five steps
- Define the web process and worker separately before comparing.
- Publish the same API and save a reproducible version of the code.
- Connect PostgreSQL and check permissions and persistence.
- Simulate a slow task and verify if it needs its own process.
- Calculate costs for all components, not just the web compute unit.
Don't forget to test the error path: stop the process in a controlled window and see if the system shows you why it stopped responding. If an application records reservations, also test two simultaneous requests to check the availability and consistency rule.
The typical mistake when comparing
Don't upload credentials to Git and don't store user files in the ephemeral filesystem of a process expecting them to be permanent.
Also, don't just look at the "yes" and "no" boxes in a table: ask under which plan the feature is available, if it requires an external integration, if there is an execution limit, and which team will be responsible for maintaining it.
How ArduMaker fits into the discussion
In ArduMaker you can configure an HTTP service and another worker on the same VPS, with Redis and PostgreSQL if you need them. The model implies more infrastructure and operational control.
For an architecture that combines FastAPI, PostgreSQL, and a worker, in ArduMaker you can create the VPS, associate the Git repository, manage the database and the process, and publish the domain with HTTPS. If you have a frontend on another platform, you can also keep it there and move only the API. You don't need to migrate everything to take advantage of a concrete benefit.
| Need | Heroku or Railway | ArduMaker |
|---|---|---|
| Applications from Git | According to each provider's flow | Git deployment on the VPS |
| Database and continuous processes | According to product and configuration | PostgreSQL/Redis and services according to VPS resources |
| Root access | Depends on the product model | VPS administration |
| Operational complexity | Depends on the managed or self-hosted level | More control, with your own maintenance tasks |
Which one would I choose to work every day?
Choose PaaS if delegating the system is more valuable for your team. Try the VPS if your processes are persistent and you need configuration flexibility.
I would make the comparison with the project I actually have to deliver, not with the shortest tutorial. Before changing providers, save and verify backups, prepare the rollback, and calculate how much time it will cost you to maintain the new configuration.
Sources to verify current details
- Heroku Documentation
- Railway Documentation
- Compare Heroku with ArduMaker
- Compare Railway with ArduMaker
Summary: what matters is not only how the first version is published, but who can operate it, recover the data, and solve a problem at three in the morning.