Surge vs. Heroku
By SW Habitation
Surge
Heroku
You know when you’ve finished building your website and just want to get it online without dealing with all the techy stuff? That’s where deployment platforms help. They make it super easy to put your site live, just connect your code, click a button, and it’s up and running. No need to worry about servers or complicated setups.
They also take care of the important things like speed, security, and updates in the background. So while they handle the heavy stuff, you can focus on making your website look good and work great. It's simple, right?
What is Surge ?
Surge is a simple, command-line-based deployment platform for static websites. It’s designed for developers who want a fast, no-frills way to publish static sites with a single command. Surge is particularly popular among frontend developers who need quick deployments for prototypes, client demos, or static projects.
Key Features of Surge
- One-command Deployment: Publish a site using the surge CLI in seconds.
- Free SSL Certificates: Automatic HTTPS on all custom domains.
- Custom Domains: Easily attach your own domain to projects.
- Basic Authentication: Protect your site with password authentication.
- Lightweight: No complex setup or configuration required.
- Focus on Static: Specifically designed for static HTML, CSS, and JavaScript projects.
Advantages of Surge
- Extremely simple CLI workflow (one command deploy).
- Free SSL certificates included.
- Supports custom domains for free.
- Great for quick prototypes and static sites.
- Lightweight and beginner-friendly.
Disadvantages of Surge
- Only supports static sites (no backend, databases, or APIs).
- Lacks advanced features like serverless functions or CI/CD.
- Limited scalability compared to Netlify, Vercel, or Render.
- Documentation and community are smaller than competitors.
What is Heroku ?
Heroku is a cloud platform that allows developers to build, run, and operate applications entirely in the cloud. It abstracts away infrastructure complexities, providing a platform-as-a-service (PaaS) solution for deploying apps with just a few commands. From simple web apps to complex backend services, Heroku handles the heavy lifting.
Key Features of Heroku
- Monitoring and Logging: Built-in tools for app health and performance monitoring.
- Scalability: Scale apps effortlessly with dynos (Heroku’s unit of computing power).
- Simple Deployment: Deploy directly from GitHub, Git, or CLI.
- Integrated CI/CD: Continuous integration and delivery pipelines.
- Support for Multiple Languages: Node.js, Python, Ruby, Java, Go, and more.
- Add-ons Marketplace: Extend functionality with databases, monitoring, and more.
Advantages of Heroku
- Free Tier: Great for small projects and learning.
- Easy to Use: Push your code and let Heroku handle the rest.
- Add-ons Marketplace: Access to a rich ecosystem of tools and services.
- Multi-Language Support: Deploy apps in multiple programming languages.
- Scalability: Easily scale up as your app grows.
Disadvantages of Heroku
- Performance: Not ideal for performance-heavy apps at scale.
- Cost Can Add Up: Scaling beyond the free tier gets expensive.
- Limited Customization: Less control over the infrastructure.
- Cold Starts: Apps on the free tier may sleep after inactivity, causing delays.
Comparison Between Surge vs Heroku
Use Cases of Surge
- Prototypes: Quickly share demos with clients.
- Portfolios: Publish personal sites and resumes.
- Static Sites: Deploy blogs, documentation, or landing pages.
- Educational Projects: Perfect for students learning web dev.
Use Cases of Heroku
- Hackathons and Learning: Great for rapid development and experimentation.
- Polyglot Projects: Supports multiple programming languages in one platform.
- Startups and Small Businesses: Deploy fast without worrying about infrastructure.
- Prototyping and MVPs: Quickly test ideas with minimal setup.
Conclusion
Deployment platforms are a total game changer if you’re looking to launch your website quickly, reliably, and without any trouble. Whether it’s a personal portfolio, a startup site, or a growing business platform, they handle the technical heavy lifting like hosting, security, and scalability so you can stay focused on building great experiences for your users.
You’re not boxed into a single approach. Most platforms integrate smoothly with the tools and frameworks you already love, letting you deploy directly from your Git repository, preview updates, and roll back with ease. With lightning-fast performance and dependable uptime, deployment platforms simplify the path from code to production. Pick the one that aligns with your workflow, and you’re all set to launch with confidence 🚀
Frequently asked questions
Is Surge free to use?
Yes, Surge has a free plan that lets you publish sites with a surge.sh subdomain.
Can I use a custom domain with Surge?
Yes, but custom domain + SSL requires a paid plan.
Does Surge support backend or databases?
No, Surge is only for static websites (HTML, CSS, JS).
How do I deploy a site on Surge?
Install the Surge CLI, run surge in your project folder, and your site is live instantly.
Who is Surge best for?
Developers, students, and freelancers who want a lightweight, fast, static site deployment.
Is Heroku free?
Heroku used to offer a free tier, but as of late 2022, it now requires a paid plan for most production use. However, it still offers low-cost hobby plans for testing and personal projects.
What are Dynos in Heroku?
Dynos are lightweight containers that run your application processes. Heroku apps run inside dynos. You can scale up by increasing the number of dynos.
Can I use a custom domain on Heroku?
Yes. You can add custom domains via the Heroku Dashboard or CLI and configure DNS settings to point to your app.