Heroku dyno pricing in 2026
Every tier, what it actually gives you, and the thing most people notice too late: three of them have exactly the same amount of memory.
Verified 2026-08-13 from heroku.com/pricing.
| Dyno | RAM | Price | $/GB |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ecosleeps after 30 min idle | 0.5 GB | $5 | $10 |
| Basic | 0.5 GB | $7 | $14 |
| Standard-1X | 0.5 GB | $25 | $50 |
| Standard-2X | 1 GB | $50 | $50 |
| Performance-M | 2.5 GB | $250 | $100 |
| Performance-L | 14 GB | $500 | $36 |
| Performance-XL | 62 GB | $750 | $12 |
| Performance-2XL | 126 GB | $1500 | $12 |
The $/GB column is the point
Eco, Basic and Standard-1X all provide 0.5 GB. Going from Basic to Standard-1X costs $18 more per month and adds no memory at all — you are buying metrics, autoscaling eligibility and preboot. That is a reasonable thing to sell, but it is worth knowing you are not buying resources. For comparison, a Hostwares Standard pack is $7/mo for 2 GB, and the entry pack is $2/mo.
Common questions about Heroku dyno pricing
How much does a Heroku dyno cost?+
Eco is $5/mo and sleeps after 30 minutes idle. Basic is $7/mo and stays on. Standard-1X is $25/mo, Standard-2X $50/mo, and Performance dynos run from $250/mo to $1,500/mo.
What is the difference between Basic and Standard-1X?+
Not memory - both give 0.5 GB. Standard adds metrics, autoscaling eligibility, preboot and horizontal scaling beyond one dyno. You are paying $18 more per month for the platform features, not for resources.
Why do Eco, Basic and Standard-1X all have 0.5 GB of RAM?+
Because Heroku prices those tiers on capability rather than memory. If your app needs more memory, the next step is Standard-2X at $50/mo for 1 GB - the price doubles to double the RAM.
Does Heroku still have a free tier?+
No. Free dynos were retired in November 2022. Eco at $5/mo is the cheapest option, and it sleeps after 30 minutes of inactivity.
What does an Eco dyno sleeping actually mean?+
After 30 minutes without a request the dyno shuts down, and the next request has to wait for it to start again - typically several seconds. Fine for a hobby project, not for anything a user is waiting on.
How many dynos do I need?+
One web dyno serves traffic. A background worker is a second dyno at full price, and a scheduler is a third. That is where a $25 app quietly becomes a $75 one.
Is Standard-2X worth $50 a month?+
For 1 GB of RAM it is expensive compared with the wider market. It is worth it if you need Heroku's platform features and add-on ecosystem; on resources alone it is not competitive.
How do Performance dynos compare?+
Performance-M is $250/mo for 2.5 GB and Performance-L $500/mo for 14 GB, both on dedicated compute rather than shared. The jump from Standard-2X to Performance-M is 5x the price for 2.5x the memory, but you stop sharing a host.
Do dynos cost more if my app is busy?+
No. Dyno pricing is a flat monthly rate per dyno regardless of traffic, which is genuinely one of Heroku's better characteristics - you scale by adding dynos, not by receiving a usage bill.
What is the cheapest way to run an always-on app on Heroku?+
A Basic dyno at $7/mo. Eco is cheaper at $5 but sleeps, so it is not always-on in any meaningful sense.