Hosting Node.js API on Heroku
Pricing data as of 2026-10-12 · refreshed weekly
Heroku is a paas platform. Node.js API needs roughly 512MB RAM for a production server process, so the cheapest plan that actually fits depends on your traffic. Below is the cheapest Heroku plan that fits each traffic level, computed from current list prices.
Note: the 512MB figure is for serving the built app. Production builds (next build and friends) are heavier and belong in CI or on your laptop — run them on the same small instance and you'll hit out-of-memory errors that say nothing about its serving capacity.
Cheapest fitting plan by traffic
| Traffic | Plan | $/month | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hobby / side project (~5,000/mo) | Eco | $5 | Sleeps after 30min idle; 1000 dyno-hrs pool |
| Startup / small business (~50,000/mo) | Eco | $5 | Sleeps after 30min idle; 1000 dyno-hrs pool |
| E-commerce (~200,000/mo) | Eco | $5 | Sleeps after 30min idle; 1000 dyno-hrs pool |
| High traffic (~1,000,000/mo) | Eco | $5 | Sleeps after 30min idle; 1000 dyno-hrs pool |
FAQ
How much does it cost to host Node.js API on Heroku?
Hobby / side project: $5/month (Eco); Startup / small business: $5/month (Eco); E-commerce: $5/month (Eco); High traffic: $5/month (Eco).
Is Heroku a cheap place to host Node.js API?
At startup traffic Heroku ranks 8 of 18 providers that fit; the cheapest is Orkestr (free, Starter). Cheaper usually means more setup and maintenance on your side.
How current are these prices?
They are official list prices as of 2026-10-12, re-checked against each provider's pricing page on a weekly cycle. Intro promos and coupons are not used in totals; taxes are not included unless a plan note says so.