Pick Agent Lab
Users in Taiwan who need more than US or EU regions.
Agent Lab vs Heroku · Compare and migrate
A Heroku alternative
hosted in Taiwan.
Heroku moved to sustaining engineering in February 2026 and its standard regions are US and EU only; Agent Lab is in Taiwan and reads a Python project's Procfile. Facts about Heroku come from its own pages, checked on 2026-10-18, with a source on every row.
> move this app from Heroku to Agent Lab
sites_build_planstart command found · listens on $PORT
sites_createshop-api → shop--acme.hosting.agentlab.run
databases_connect_appDATABASE_URL written, password hidden
Preview is up. Import the data with pg_restore, test it, then point your domain here; Heroku keeps running until you do.
Which one fits
Agent Lab or Heroku: it depends on the job
Two reasons to pick Agent Lab, and two to stay on Heroku.
Pick Agent Lab
Deploy from Claude Code or Codex over a remote MCP, with no local MCP server to run.
Stay on Heroku
Apps that lean heavily on the Heroku Add-ons marketplace.
Stay on Heroku
Users in the US or EU, with Pipelines and Review Apps already part of your flow.
Side by side
Agent Lab Deploy vs Heroku
Heroku's side is from its official pricing and docs pages on 2026-10-18; prices change, so follow the source link before you decide.
Scroll the table sideways.
| Agent Lab Deploy | Heroku | |
|---|---|---|
| Free tier | Free US$0: 1 size-S app (sleeps after 15 idle minutes), 1 S database, 3 static sites; pauses at a limit, never charges Details | No free plan; Eco is US$5 a month and sleeps after 30 idle minutes Source |
| Cheapest always-on service | Pro US$29 a month before tax; its usage credit runs one size-S app all month Details | Basic US$7 a month (512 MB) Source |
| PostgreSQL | Managed PostgreSQL 16–18, MySQL 8.4 and 9.7, one dedicated instance per database; Free includes one S Details | Essential-0 US$5 a month Source |
| Nearest region to Taiwan | Google Cloud, Taiwan Details | US and EU on the Common Runtime; Tokyo and Singapore only in Private Spaces Source |
| Deploy from an AI tool (MCP) | Remote MCP with browser OAuth sign-in, no API key, the same permissions as the console Details | Official MCP runs locally only and is marked early development Source |
| Roll back | Every version has a preview URL; roll back to an earlier version in the list, with no rebuild Details | heroku rollback; not to releases older than 30 days or outside the last 20 Source |
Migrate
Move from Heroku in four steps
Heroku keeps serving until you change DNS.
Export settings
Save the environment variables and secrets from Heroku, and note the start command, scheduled jobs and domains.
Deploy the code
Upload, push from GitHub, or ask your AI tool through Agent Lab MCP. You get a preview URL.
Move the data
Create PostgreSQL and connect it to the app, then pg_dump from the old database and pg_restore into the new one.
Switch the domain
Test the preview, lower the DNS TTL, then point the domain at Agent Lab. Roll back in one step if something is off.
From Heroku
What to take out of Heroku, and where it goes
Export from Heroku
# Save Heroku config vars to a file
heroku config -s -a your-app > .env.production
# Heroku Postgres: capture a backup and download it
heroku pg:backups:capture -a your-app
curl -o backup.dump "$(heroku pg:backups:url -a your-app)"
# Import into Agent Lab PostgreSQL (connection string in the console;
# add your IP to the database's allowlist first)
pg_restore --no-owner --no-acl -d "$AGENTLAB_DATABASE_URL" backup.dumpProcfileA Python project's web: line is its start command; other languages are detected, or set the start command in build settings.BuildpacksNot needed. JavaScript, Python and Go build from source; other languages use a Dockerfile.Heroku SchedulerBecomes an Agent Lab scheduled job. A job calls a URL of your app on a clock, so the script becomes an HTTP endpoint.Heroku Postgres / RedisUse Agent Lab's managed PostgreSQL and Redis caches (Redis once enabled for the workspace); the connection is written into the app.
Or ask your AI tool
Read https://app.agentlab.cresclab.com/agent/deploy.md. This project runs on Heroku today; move it to Agent Lab. First list what it uses on Heroku (services, database, scheduled jobs, environment variables, domains) and what each becomes on Agent Lab, deploy it to a preview URL, tell me where to enter secrets, and wait for my OK before anything goes live or DNS changes.FAQ
Agent Lab vs Heroku: questions
What is the difference between Agent Lab and Heroku?
Heroku moved to sustaining engineering in February 2026 and its standard regions are US and EU only; Agent Lab is in Taiwan and reads a Python project's Procfile.
Heroku still works. Why move?
If your users are in the US or EU and it works, you may not need to. People move when their users are in Taiwan and need a closer region, or when Heroku's move to sustaining engineering worries them.
Will my app go down while I move from Heroku?
No. The app runs on a preview URL first while Heroku keeps serving; you change DNS only after testing, and can roll back in one step. Migration guide →
Is there a free plan?
Yes: 1 size-S app that sleeps after 15 idle minutes, 1 S database, 3 static sites, 100 build minutes and 5 GB of traffic a month, pausing at a limit instead of charging. Always-on apps and custom domains start on Pro at US$29 a month before tax. Pricing →
Where do the numbers on this page come from?
Heroku's pricing, regions and features are read from Heroku's own pricing and docs pages on 2026-10-18, and every table row links the page it came from. Where Heroku's pages disagree or say nothing, the table says so. Agent Lab's side follows its pricing and docs. Deploy docs →