The predictable Heroku alternative for privacy-focused teams.
Stop worrying about dyno sleeping or surprise bills. Ship provides persistent container hosting in Germany. Deploy with a git push. Stay compliant with GDPR by default.
Why teams are seeking a Heroku alternative
Heroku changed how we deploy software. It made git push the standard for developer experience. But the landscape has shifted. The removal of the free tier was just the beginning. For many founders, the real issue is the lack of predictability.
US-based platforms often treat data residency as an afterthought. For EU agencies and startups, GDPR is not optional. Ship on Opsily provides the same simple workflow but keeps your data in Frankfurt and Falkenstein.
No more sleeping dynos
Heroku dynos often sleep when not in use. This causes cold starts. Your users wait while your application boots up. Ship uses persistent containers. Your app stays warm. Response times remain consistent. You do not have to pay for premium tiers just to keep your site online.
Predictable resource models
Heroku billing is complex. Add-ons and dyno types create a bill that changes every month. We use a flat-fee model. You choose your CPU and RAM. You pay one price. There are no hidden bandwidth charges or per-request taxes. It is hosting for people who hate surprises.
Ship vs. Heroku
See why EU teams are choosing a more predictable Heroku alternative.
Comparison based on standard production configurations as of 2024.
The Heroku alternative for managed Ship hosting.
We take the complexity out of PaaS management. You focus on code, we handle the infrastructure.
Sub-minute deployments
Your code goes live in seconds. Connect your GitHub or GitLab repository. Every push triggers a fresh build. Our optimized pipeline ensures your latest features reach users without the wait times of legacy providers.
Cost transparency
Never open a bill with dread again. We do not charge for requests or function calls. You rent the hardware, and you use it how you want. This model is perfect for scaling agencies who need to provide fixed quotes to clients.
Hardened EU security
Infrastructure matters. We host everything in Tier-3, ISO-certified data centers in Germany. Your data never leaves the EU. This satisfies your legal team and provides the peace of mind your customers demand.
Built for teams who need reliability
Deploy to Ship in 4 steps
Moving from Heroku takes minutes, not days. Follow our simple migration path.
Choose Your App
Select an app to get started.
Provision your server
Select your resource tier. Choose between Small, Medium, or Large based on your app needs. Your German instance is ready in under 60 seconds.
Connect your repository
Authenticate with GitHub or GitLab. Select the branch you want to track. We handle the webhooks and build triggers automatically.
Configure and deploy
Set your environment variables. Add your database connection strings. Click deploy and watch your logs in real-time as your container goes live.
Scale with confidence
As your traffic grows, upgrade your resources with one click. Your persistent container stays running, ensuring zero downtime during the transition.
Built for persistent workloads
Many modern PaaS alternatives focus on serverless. While serverless is great for some things, it introduces cold starts and complex state management. Ship is built for persistent containers.
If you have a long-running process, a background worker, or a WebSocket connection, serverless is your enemy. Ship keeps your process alive. It acts like a traditional server but feels like a modern platform.
Database performance without the tax
Heroku databases are notoriously expensive as you scale. Because Ship on Opsily gives you raw resource access, you can run your database alongside your app or as a dedicated service without the 5x price markup.
- Connect PostgreSQL, Redis, or MariaDB easily.
- Manage your own backups or use our automated snapshots.
- Enjoy low-latency connections between your app and data within the same German data center.
Security for professional teams
We don't just talk about compliance. We build it into every layer of our stack.
GDPR Compliant
Full data isolation within Germany. No US data transfer clauses required.
ISO 27001
Our data centers meet the highest global standards for information security.
24/7 Monitoring
Automated systems watch your containers around the clock to ensure maximum uptime.
Daily Backups
We take encrypted snapshots of your entire environment every 24 hours.
Frequently Asked Questions
Everything you need to know about switching to a better Heroku alternative.
Migration is straightforward because Ship supports standard container workflows. Most teams simply connect their GitHub repository to Opsily and mirror their environment variables. If you use a Procfile, our system can interpret it, or you can use a Dockerfile for more control. We recommend exporting your Heroku database and importing it into an Opsily PostgreSQL instance first to ensure data consistency.