A few days ago, Heroku announced they are moving to a “sustaining engineering model.” This is big news, and I wanted to share my thoughts on it.
If you are looking for a Heroku alternative, I will also explain why we built Galaxy and how it compares.
What happened to Heroku
Heroku will now focus only on “stability, security, reliability, and support.” They will not build new features anymore. Their team is moving to work on AI projects at Salesforce.
For existing customers, nothing changes right now. Your apps keep running. Your bills stay the same. But the platform is frozen.
They also said that new Enterprise contracts are no longer available. If you already have one, it will be honored.
What “sustaining engineering” really means
I have been in this industry long enough to know what “sustaining engineering” means. It is the step before end-of-life. The platform will work, but it will not evolve.
For many developers, Heroku was where they deployed their first app. I understand that feeling. I had the same experience with Meteor years ago. That magic moment when you push your code and it just works.
Seeing Heroku enter this phase is sad. It is the end of an era.
Should you look for a Heroku alternative?
Not everyone needs to migrate today. If your app is simple and stable, you can stay for now.
But if you are building something new, I would not start on a platform that stopped evolving. And if you are running production apps that need to grow, you should start thinking about Heroku alternatives now.
The worst time to migrate is when you are forced to. Better to do it on your own terms.
Galaxy: A Heroku alternative built for simplicity
At Galaxy, we have been hosting production apps for years. We started with Meteor apps, but today we support any Node.js application — Express, AdonisJS, Fastify, NestJS, and more. We also support Python apps, including FastAPI, Django, and Flask.
I always believed in simple tools for developers. That is why we built Galaxy with a few things in mind:
Simple deploys. Connect your repo, push your code, done. No complicated setup.
Galaxy CLI (coming soon). We are building a command-line tool for deployment and logs. If you loved heroku logs and heroku deploy, you will feel at home.
Predictable pricing. You see the price before you deploy. No surprise bills at the end of the month. This was important to me personally, I have been burned by unexpected cloud bills before.
Databases included. MongoDB, PostgreSQL, and Redis. Everything in one place.
Active development. We are not in maintenance mode. We shipped new features last month, and we have more coming. Galaxy CLI is just one example. We are also working on Rails, Phoenix, and Golang support — coming soon.
We use Galaxy ourselves. Galaxy runs on Galaxy. We trust it with our own business.
How Galaxy compares to Heroku
| Heroku | Galaxy | |
|---|---|---|
| New features | No (maintenance mode) | Yes (active development) |
| Pricing | Can be unpredictable | Predictable, no surprises |
| Databases | Add-ons with extra cost | Included (MongoDB, PostgreSQL, Redis) |
| MeteorJS support | Basic | First-class (official hosting) |
| AdonisJS support | Basic | First-class |
| Node.js support | Yes | Yes (Express, NestJS, Next) |
| Python support | Yes | Yes (FastAPI, Django, Flask) |
| CLI tool | Yes | Coming soon |
| Git deploys | Yes | Yes |
| Free migration help | — | Yes |
How to migrate from Heroku to Galaxy
For simple apps, migration is quick:
- Create a Galaxy account at galaxycloud.app
- Connect your GitHub or Bitbucket repo
- Set your environment variables
- Deploy
This can take less than an hour.
For production apps, it depends. If you have databases, workers, multiple services, or specific configurations, migration needs more planning. We don’t want to pretend it is always simple — it is not.
The good news: we can help. We have migrated many production apps from Heroku, and we know the common challenges. Reach out to us and we will review your setup together.
Frequently asked questions
Is Galaxy a good Heroku alternative?
Yes. Galaxy offers simple deploys, predictable pricing, and integrated databases. We have been hosting production apps for years, and we are actively developing new features.
How do I get the Heroku migration credit?
Fill out the form on our migration page and we will send you a code for $100 in credits. This also lets us know you are coming from Heroku so we can help you better.
How long does it take to migrate from Heroku to Galaxy?
It depends on your app. For simple apps, less than an hour. For production apps with databases, workers, or multiple services, it takes more planning. If you spend more than $500/month, we offer free Concierge Migration — we guide you through the entire process with calls and a dedicated Slack channel.
Can you help me migrate my production app?
Yes. If you spend more than $500/month on Heroku, we offer Concierge Migration at no cost. We will join calls with your team, create a dedicated Slack channel, and guide you step by step. Reach out to us and we will review your setup together.
What languages does Galaxy support?
We support Node.js (Express, AdonisJS, Fastify, NestJS, MeteorJS, and more) and Python (FastAPI, Django, Flask). Rails, Phoenix, and Golang support are coming soon.
What about my Heroku database?
Galaxy offers managed MongoDB, PostgreSQL, and Redis. We can help you migrate your data from Heroku.
Is Galaxy actively developed?
Yes. Unlike Heroku, we are not in maintenance mode. We ship new features regularly. Galaxy CLI, Rails, Phoenix, and Golang support are all coming soon.
Final thoughts
Heroku changed how we deploy apps. Many of us learned cloud deployment there. I respect what they built.
But platforms evolve, and sometimes they stop evolving. When that happens, it is time to look for a new home.
At Galaxy, we are building something for the long term. We are not going anywhere.
If you have questions, contact our team.
Ready to try Galaxy? Start here →