Engine Yard
Engine Yard is a managed platform-as-a-service that automates the deployment, management, and scaling of Ruby on Rails, Python, and Node.js applications in the cloud to ensure high availability.
Heroku
Heroku is a cloud platform as a service that enables you to build, run, and scale modern applications entirely in the cloud without managing underlying infrastructure.
Quick Comparison
| Feature | Engine Yard | Heroku |
|---|---|---|
| Website | engineyard.com | heroku.com |
| Pricing Model | Subscription | Subscription |
| Starting Price | $150/month | $5/month |
| FREE Trial | ✓ 14 days free trial | ✘ No free trial |
| Free Plan | ✘ No free plan | ✘ No free plan |
| Product Demo | ✓ Request demo here | ✘ No product demo |
| Deployment | ||
| Integrations | ||
| Target Users | ||
| Target Industries | ||
| Customer Count | 0 | 0 |
| Founded Year | 2006 | 2007 |
| Headquarters | Austin, USA | San Francisco, USA |
Overview
Engine Yard
Engine Yard provides a managed platform that takes the complexity out of deploying and scaling your web applications. Instead of spending your time configuring servers or managing database backups, you can focus entirely on writing code. The platform automates the entire infrastructure lifecycle, from initial setup to ongoing security patches and vertical or horizontal scaling.
You get a curated stack optimized for Ruby on Rails, Node.js, and Python, ensuring your apps run reliably on AWS. Whether you are launching a new startup or migrating a high-traffic enterprise application, the platform provides 24/7 support from experts who understand your specific framework. It eliminates the need for a dedicated DevOps team by providing built-in monitoring, automated backups, and environment cloning tools.
Heroku
Heroku is a cloud platform that handles the complexity of infrastructure so you can focus on writing code. You can deploy, manage, and scale your applications using a simplified workflow that supports popular languages like Python, Ruby, Node.js, and Java. By using isolated containers called Dynos, the platform manages everything from hardware orchestration to security patching and runtime configuration automatically.
You can easily extend your application's capabilities through a vast ecosystem of integrated add-ons for databases, monitoring, and caching. Whether you are launching a personal project or scaling a high-traffic enterprise application, the platform provides the tools to monitor performance and adjust resources instantly. It eliminates the need for dedicated systems administration, allowing your development team to move from idea to production faster.
Overview
Engine Yard Features
- Automated Deployment Deploy your code updates instantly using Git integration or command-line tools to keep your application current.
- Environment Cloning Create exact replicas of your production environment in minutes to test new features safely before going live.
- Managed Backups Protect your data with automated database snapshots and recovery options that ensure your information is always safe.
- Vertical & Horizontal Scaling Adjust your computing resources up or out automatically to handle traffic spikes without manual intervention.
- 24/7 Expert Support Access deep technical expertise from engineers who help you optimize your stack and resolve performance bottlenecks.
- Security Patching Keep your operating system and language stacks secure with automated updates and proactive vulnerability management.
Heroku Features
- Heroku Dynos. Run your applications in isolated, virtualized Linux containers that scale vertically or horizontally with a single click.
- Managed Data Services. Access fully managed instances of Postgres, Redis, and Apache Kafka to handle your application data securely and reliably.
- Heroku Add-ons. Extend your app instantly with over 200 integrated services for logging, monitoring, storage, and automated testing.
- GitHub Integration. Connect your repositories to enable automatic deployments every time you push code to a specific branch.
- Heroku Runtime. Deploy apps using official buildpacks for Node, Ruby, Java, PHP, Python, Go, Scala, and Clojure without manual configuration.
- Operational Experience. Monitor application health and performance metrics through an intuitive dashboard that alerts you to potential issues.
Pricing Comparison
Engine Yard Pricing
- Ticketing support (12x5)
- Platform automation tools
- Automated backups
- Security updates
- Environment cloning
- Deployment management
- Everything in Standard, plus:
- 24/7 emergency support
- Faster response times
- Proactive monitoring
- Architecture reviews
- Direct engineer access
Heroku Pricing
- 1,000 monthly Dyno hours
- Shared across all Eco apps
- Sleeps after inactivity
- Custom domains
- Standard deployment tools
- Everything in Eco, plus:
- Unlimited Dyno hours
- App never sleeps
- SSL certificates included
- Heroku Dashboard access
- Integrated metrics
Pros & Cons
Engine Yard
Pros
- Exceptional technical support from Ruby on Rails experts
- Reliable automation for complex infrastructure tasks
- Simplifies AWS management without losing control
- Stable environment for legacy application hosting
Cons
- Higher price point than unmanaged cloud providers
- Interface can feel dated compared to newer competitors
- Limited flexibility for non-supported language stacks
Heroku
Pros
- Extremely simple deployment process saves significant time
- Excellent documentation makes onboarding new developers easy
- Vast add-on marketplace simplifies third-party integrations
- Managed database services reduce operational overhead significantly
Cons
- Costs scale rapidly compared to raw infrastructure
- Limited control over underlying server configurations
- No longer offers a forever-free tier