Heroku to SnapDeploy Migration: A Step-by-Step Guide

For years, Heroku was the default choice for developers who wanted simple deployments. But by 2026, the rising costs and the need for better security have driven many teams to seek smarter alternatives.

If you're ready to move away from public cloud complexity and adopt a more cost-effective container hosting solution, migrating to SnapDeploy is simpler than you might think. Here's your complete roadmap.

Phase 1: Preparation (The Audit)

Before making any changes, document your existing environment. For SnapDeploy, you'll need a few key ingredients:

Export Config Vars

Use the Heroku CLI to retrieve your environment variables:

heroku config -s > .env

Database Backup

If you're using Heroku Postgres, capture a final backup:

heroku pg:backups:capture

Containerize

Heroku uses buildpacks, but SnapDeploy works best with Docker. Ensure you have a Dockerfile in your project, or let SnapDeploy auto-detect your stack.

Phase 2: The SnapDeploy Migration (6 Steps)

Once you have your repository on GitHub, the SnapDeploy workflow is straightforward:

1. Name Your App — Give your project a meaningful name in the dashboard.
2. Connect GitHub — Select your repository. Your deployment stays within a controlled, isolated environment.
3. Branch Selection — Choose your production branch (usually main or master).
4. Start Deploy — SnapDeploy fetches your code and begins building.
5. Environment Setup — Enter the environment variables you exported from Heroku.
6. Go Live — The deployment completes in 2-3 minutes, and your application is ready.

Phase 3: Post-Migration Optimization

The biggest benefit most Heroku migrants discover is cost savings. On Heroku, you'd pay to keep your dyno running 24/7 whether it was serving traffic or not.

SnapDeploy gives you full control. You can pause your deployment during off-hours or development downtime. Your billing only counts the hours when your container is actually running—making this one of the best options for teams that need free container hosting to validate projects without surprise bills.

Why SMEs Are Switching

This isn't just about moving code—it's about moving to a system that understands SME needs. SnapDeploy eliminates the need to navigate complex AWS consoles while giving you AWS-powered infrastructure with strict client isolation. You get your own subdomain (with custom domain options) and clear visibility into CPU and memory usage.