Render vs Stackhero (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Render grades higher than Stackhero: 2.4 against 1.8 out of 4.0.
Checked Nov 12, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 · graded Nov 12, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
Render grades higher on the free plan and ease of use. They get the same grade on value for money, features and platforms.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Render
Cloud hosting for web services, databases and workers
Stackhero
Managed hosting for Node.js, Docker, databases and open-source apps
Which one is for you
Pick Render if
- Fits if you want web services and Postgres together
- Works for backends that need cron jobs and background workers
Look elsewhere if
- Tight if you stay free: free instances have limits and 5 GB of bandwidth
- Pricey if you add it up: workspace plus each service's instance
- Watch out: full-stack previews and autoscaling need Pro
- Watch out: HIPAA workspaces, SAML SSO and SCIM start at $499 on Scale
- Watch out: no bandwidth overage price is named
Pick Stackhero if
- Fits if you want a managed Node.js or database instance and hourly billing
- Works for developers who deploy by git push and want backups handled
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you want a free plan, because none is listed
- Tight if you run a tiny static site: sizes start at 1 vCPU and 1GB RAM
- Pricey if you stack services, since each one is billed separately, such as PostgreSQL from $19 a month
- Not for you if you don't use a terminal, as deploys are by git push
How we grade them
| 2.4GPARenderFair | 1.8GPAStackheroWeak | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | CPro is $25 a month plus compute, above the dearer quarter's $19 as a floor, but Hobby is $0. A $7 instance buys 512 MB RAM and Postgres starts at $6. | CA Node.js instance is $15 a month, billed hourly, which sits between the $10.99 middle and the $20.83 dearer quarter. Larger sizes reach $299. |
| Free plan and trial | CHobby is $0 with up to 25 services, but free instance types come with limitations and bandwidth is 5 GB. | FNo free plan or trial. The buttons say Try now for free, but the pages read state no trial terms. |
| Features | BWeb services, workers, cron, Postgres, Key Value, previews, autoscaling, API and infrastructure as code. The listing names no core gap. | BGit-push deploys, dedicated instances, daily backups kept up to 3 months, one-click updates and a 99.9% SLA across a large service catalog. Nothing in the listing is missing from the core hosting job. |
| Ease of use | CNo store rating on record. You define services, instance types and databases. | DNo store rating on record. Deploys go through a terminal, GitHub Actions or CI, so you work on the command line. |
| Platforms and integrations | BWeb only, with Docker, a CLI, a REST API and an MCP server. | BWeb console with GitHub Actions, GitLab, Docker and database integrations, in US and EU regions. No desktop or phone apps. |
| Best for | web services and Postgres in one place | managed app and database instances billed by the hour |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: Render and Stackhero. How we grade
Price against what you get
Render starts at $25 a month and scores 2.7 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. Stackhero starts at $15 a month and scores 2.3.
Render scores higher, and starts $10 a month higher: the question is whether the extra is worth that to you. Of the other web hosts on the chart, none scores higher than Render for less, and 5 score higher than Stackhero for less.
Features, ease of use and platforms, averaged
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
- The best score at each price
- Has a free plan
- No free plan
Where they differ
- Render also covers workflow automation.
- Stackhero also covers dashboards.
At a glance
| Render | Stackhero | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Paid |
| Starts at | $25 per month plus compute (Pro workspace) | $15 per month for a Node.js instance (1 vCPU, 1GB RAM), billed hourly |
| Free plan | Hobby workspace: $0 a month, up to 25 services, 5 GB of bandwidth, and free instance types for web services, Postgres and Key Value (limitations apply). | None |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| Web | ||
| Made by | Render | Stackhero |
| Price read from | render.com | stackhero.io |
| Checked | Nov 12, 2026 | Nov 13, 2026 |
Worth knowing
Render
- The workspace fee is only part of the bill: every service pays for its instance, for example $7 a month for 512 MB RAM or $25 for 2 GB.
- Free instance types carry limitations, and Postgres on a paid plan starts at $6 a month for 256 MB RAM.
- HIPAA-compliant workspaces, SAML SSO and SCIM start on the $499 Scale plan.
- Bandwidth is included per workspace plan (5 GB, 25 GB, 1 TB), with the page naming no overage price.
Stackhero
- Each service is priced separately: a PostgreSQL instance, for example, starts at $19 a month and a Node.js instance at $15 a month.
- Sizes start at 1 vCPU and 1GB RAM, so there is no cheaper tier for very small static sites.
- Premium support is included in every plan, and the page states a 99.9% SLA with financial compensation.
- Buttons read 'Try now for free', but the pricing pages read for this listing state no trial terms.
Key features
Render
- Services and workers
- Web services, private services, background workers and cron jobs run Node, Python, Go, Rust, Ruby, Elixir or custom Docker containers.
- Managed Postgres and Key Value
- Fully managed PostgreSQL with point-in-time recovery and connection pooling, plus a Redis-compatible Key Value store.
- Preview environments
- Pull requests can get their own preview, single-service on Hobby and full-stack on Pro and above.
- Autoscaling and zero-downtime deploys
- Horizontal autoscaling is a Pro feature, and deploys are listed as zero downtime in the product menu.
- Infrastructure as code and API
- Services can be defined as code, managed with the Render CLI and REST API, or driven from an MCP server.
- Persistent disks
- SSD disks can be attached to services at $0.25 per GB per month.
Stackhero
- Deploy with git push
- Node.js apps are deployed from a terminal, GitHub Actions, GitLab or any CI/CD system, choosing a branch, tag or commit.
- Dedicated instances
- Each service runs on its own isolated infrastructure with NVMe or SSD disks, a dedicated IP, and TCP and UDP ports available.
- Large service catalog
- The catalog lists dozens of services, among them Docker, PHP, Python, Ruby, PostgreSQL, MySQL, MariaDB, Redis, Elasticsearch, GitLab, Nextcloud and Matomo.
- Backups and updates
- Backups are taken every 24 hours and kept for up to 3 months, restores are free, and updates are applied with one click.
- Hourly billing
- Instances can be created and deleted at any time, are billed by the hour and appear on one invoice at the end of the month.
- US and EU regions
- Servers are offered in the USA and in Europe, and the vendor says its hosting is independent of third-party clouds.
Plans
Render
Hobby$0
per month, plus compute
Up to 25 services, 5 GB of bandwidth, single-service previews, custom domains, database PITR and chat support.
Pro$25
per month, plus compute
Unlimited seats and services, 25 GB of bandwidth, full-stack previews, horizontal autoscaling and isolated environments.
Scale$499
per month, plus compute
Multiple workspaces, 1 TB of bandwidth, HIPAA-compliant workspaces, SAML SSO and SCIM, and advanced RBAC roles.
EnterpriseCustom
Contractual uptime SLAs, a dedicated technical account team, a support Slack channel and support response SLAs.
Stackhero
Hobby 1 GB$15
per month for one Node.js instance, billed hourly
1 vCPU, 1GB RAM and 10GB SSD storage for a Node.js app; about $0.02 an hour.
Hobby 2 GB$29
per month for one Node.js instance, billed hourly
1 vCPU, 2GB RAM and 20GB SSD storage; about $0.04 an hour.
Startup 8 GB$59
per month for one Node.js instance, billed hourly
2 vCPUs, 8GB RAM and 50GB SSD storage; about $0.08 an hour.
Startup 16 GB$99
per month for one Node.js instance, billed hourly
4 vCPUs, 16GB RAM and 100GB SSD storage; about $0.14 an hour.
Enterprise 32 GB$159
per month for one Node.js instance, billed hourly
8 vCPUs, 32GB RAM and 200GB SSD storage; about $0.22 an hour.
Enterprise 64 GB$299
per month for one Node.js instance, billed hourly
16 vCPUs, 64GB RAM and 400GB SSD storage; about $0.42 an hour.
Ways to pay less
Render
- Startups
Up to $100K in credits for VC-funded startups
The pricing page links to Render for Startups, which offers up to $100K in credits to VC-funded startups.
- Other savings
Up to $10K in migration credits
Teams moving to Render can get up to $10K in credits through the migration program linked from the pricing page.
Stackhero
No public discounts listed.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Render or Stackhero?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Stackhero is cheaper to start with: $15 a month, against $25 a month for Render. Render starts at $25 per month plus compute (Pro workspace), and Stackhero starts at $15 per month for a Node.js instance (1 vCPU, 1GB RAM), billed hourly.
Which has a free plan, Render or Stackhero?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only Render has a free plan. Stackhero does not.
More comparisons
How this page was made
- The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
- The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
- Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
- The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.