Leaving Heroku? Keep the workflow, move to Switzerland.
You keep pushing your code, we build and run the app. Only now it runs in Switzerland, free of the CLOUD Act, with our engineers as your contacts and on a platform that keeps evolving.
In February 2026, Salesforce announced that Heroku moves into “Sustaining Engineering Mode”: no new features, no new enterprise contracts (source: heroku.com). These are the most common reasons teams switch.
Heroku: US provider on AWS
Data outside Switzerland, subject to the CLOUD Act.
Deploio: 100% in Switzerland and under Swiss law
Heroku: free tier dropped
Prices have gone up over the years.
Deploio: from CHF 8.75 per month, billed by the minute based on usage
Heroku: sustaining engineering
No new features.
Deploio: actively developed, with feedback from customer projects
Heroku: ticket system
Support runs through tickets.
Deploio: personal support from our team, plus the Deploio Community Slack Workspace
What moves where
Your Heroku building blocks on Deploio
On Heroku
On Deploio
git push to deploy
A git push is all it takes: automatic Build Phase and Release Phase. New instances replace the running ones.
Buildpacks
Buildpack Stacks: “heroku” (default) uses unchanged Heroku Cloud Native Buildpacks, “paketo” is the alternative. Or use a Dockerfile Build. Ruby, PHP, Node.js, Go and Python are detected automatically. For static sites you set the language once.
Dynos and scaling
Instances (replicas) at a fixed size from micro to standard-4, scaled by setting the replica count. There is no automatic scaling: if you use Heroku autoscaling today, plan a fixed replica count.
Procfile web
The Procfile works, but only web is used. Other keys don’t influence how your app runs.
On-Demand PostgreSQL or MySQL. Service Connections (beta, in Cockpit on the app’s Connected Services tab or via nctl) inject the credentials as NINE_PG_* / NINE_PGDB_* environment variables, not as DATABASE_URL.
Logs kept for 30 days and basic application metrics in Cockpit. Detailed metrics with a Grafana instance.
heroku run
nctl exec opens a shell in a running instance and shares its resources. For one-off tasks such as migrations, use Deploy Jobs.
Heroku CLI and dashboard
Cockpit, nctl or API
We’ll cover special add-ons or configurations in a migration call.
How the switch works
The migration in five steps
01
Get started
Create an account in Cockpit. The smallest size, micro, costs CHF 8.75 per month.
02
Connect your repo
Enter the Git URL. Private repos work with any Git host, over SSH or over HTTPS with username and token. Deploio builds with the heroku Buildpack Stack by default.
03
Map your processes
Deploio runs web from your Procfile. Move release and worker to Deploy Jobs and Worker Jobs.
04
Bring your data
Create an On-Demand database, import your data and connect it with Service Connections or environment variables. Service Connections don’t set DATABASE_URL: set it yourself, or point your app at the injected NINE_PG__DSN.
05
Switch over
Add your Custom Host Names, test, then point DNS to Deploio. Remove AAAA records: Deploio doesn’t support IPv6.
Prices per month and instance, billed by the minute for actual usage. micro is ideal for testing on a small non-production instance. Pause an app to stop it and its jobs, and resume it when you need it again. Connected databases, Key-Value Store, Object Storage and Static Egress keep running and are still billed. Databases, Key-Value Store and Object Storage are priced separately. Full price overview in the Price Calculator.
Case study · Renuo AG
From a Slack message to a Swiss Heroku alternative
Rails agency Renuo ran on Heroku for years. When a price increase in 2022 would have nearly quadrupled Renuo’s costs, the idea for Deploio was born together with us. Today: write code, git push, CI/CD runs, clients test. We handle the rest.
«Cloud yes, but preferably in Switzerland from a Swiss company with capable engineers who take you seriously – with Nine we found that.»
Frequently asked questions about switching from Heroku to Deploio
How long does a migration from Heroku to Deploio take?
That depends on your setup. For a standard web app, the five steps above are usually enough. Renuo AG, a Swiss software agency, moved their Heroku apps to Deploio. Read the full story: From Heroku to Deploio: how Renuo mastered the switch.
Does Deploio support my language or framework?
Deploio detects Ruby, PHP, Node.js, Go and Python automatically from your repository. For static sites you set the language once. If your language isn’t in that list, for example Java, Scala or Clojure, you can bring your own Dockerfile instead.
Do I need a Dockerfile?
No. By default, Deploio builds with the heroku Buildpack Stack, which uses unchanged Heroku Cloud Native Buildpacks. If you already use a Dockerfile, you can build from it instead.
What happens to my Heroku add-ons (Postgres, Redis, etc.)?
Deploio works with our own services: On-Demand Databases (PostgreSQL and MySQL), Key-Value Store (Redis compatible) and Object Storage (S3 compatible). Your existing add-ons don’t move over automatically, plan for setting them up and importing your data.
Is Deploio cheaper than Heroku?
That depends on your setup, and the prices are in different currencies (CHF and USD). Compare your specific workload in both price calculators. On Deploio, you pay by the minute for actual usage. A paused app costs nothing itself, connected services such as databases keep running and are billed.
Is Deploio a 1:1 replacement for Heroku?
For most standard web apps and APIs, the workflow stays the same. Differences: only web from your Procfile is used, release and worker become Deploy Jobs and Worker Jobs, and Deploio doesn’t support IPv6. If you rely on special add-ons or need full server access, have a look at Managed Kubernetes or Managed Server.
Where do I get help?
From our team directly, and in the Deploio Community Slack Workspace, where you can exchange with other teams. We’ll cover special add-ons or configurations in a migration call.
From colocation to Root and Managed Products, platforms and services: all with us, in our Swiss data centres. Grow from one layer to the next without switching providers.
Do you have questions about our products? No problem. Contact our sales department or go directly to your Cockpit to see all the possibilities at Nine.
Status
Option comparison · Deploio or Heroku
Josua SchmidCTO