The Porter Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Porter in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.
Porter
The Insider’s Guide
App deployment into your own AWS, Azure or Google Cloud
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among web hosts, read from Porter’s own pages.
Made by Porter · checked Nov 13, 2026 · toolgpa.com
Contents
- 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
- 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
- 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
- 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
- 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
- 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
- 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
ToolGPA put this guide together from Porter’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Porter’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Nov 13, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
1.6
GPA, above 5 of the 122 other web hosts we grade
Porter deploys applications into the customer's own AWS, Azure or Google Cloud account without hands-on DevOps work. It bills for the CPU and memory an app requests, and the cloud provider's charges for the underlying infrastructure are billed separately by that provider. An Enterprise tier adds volume discounts, advanced roles, SSO and on-premise installation.
To get you started, here are 8 things to know about Porter, taken from its own pages and our grades.
Its fee comes on top of your cloud bill, and there is no free plan.
- 1
Best for Heroku-style deploys on your own cloud
Porter deploys from GitHub into your own AWS, Azure or Google Cloud account, billed on the memory and CPU you request.
- 2
Paid plans start at $13 a month
As its pricing page puts it: Metered: $6 per GB of RAM and $13 per vCPU, per month, plus your cloud bill.
- 3
It runs on Web
Web.
- 4
Your own cloud account
Applications run in your AWS, Azure or Google Cloud account, and the servers keep running if you stop paying Porter, according to the pricing FAQ.
- 5
Deploy from GitHub
Unlimited applications can be deployed from GitHub with preview environments, jobs and cron jobs.
- 6
Autoscaling
Applications autoscale, including custom autoscaling rules.
- 7
A 1.6 GPA, above 5 of 122
That is against the other web hosts we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 8
Keep it
To replace Porter you would be making connections to other products, each kept working as those products change. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
Porter at a glance
- Pricing
- Paid, from Metered: $6 per GB of RAM and $13 per vCPU, per month, plus your cloud bill
- Free plan
- No
- Free trial
- None stated
- Runs on
- Web
- Made by
- Porter
- Category
- Web Hosting
- Our grade
- 1.6 GPA, weak
The report card
Best for Heroku-style deploys on your own cloud
Porter deploys from GitHub into your own AWS, Azure or Google Cloud account, billed on the memory and CPU you request. Its fee comes on top of your cloud bill, and there is no free plan.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | D | $6 per GB of RAM and $13 per vCPU a month, so 1 vCPU with 2 GB is $25 before the cloud bill, above the ordinary range. |
| Free plan and trial | F | No free plan and no trial on record, so you pay from the start. |
| Features | C | GitHub deploys, autoscaling, monitoring, logs, alerts and a Heroku migration path. It relies on a cloud account you supply. |
| Ease of use | C | You connect a cloud account and configure apps, with no store rating. |
| Platforms and integrations | B | Web dashboard with a few integrations, built on GitHub. |
An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.
Who Porter is for
- Fits if you want Heroku-style deploys on your own cloud account
- Works for startups moving off Heroku
Who it is not for
- Pricey if you add it up: the fee comes on top of your cloud provider's bill
- Skip it if you want a free tier, as none is listed
- Tight if you need SSO, advanced roles or volume discounts, which need Enterprise and a sales call
- Watch out: billing is on requested resources, not cloud instance capacity
Good to know
Good for
- Startups that want Heroku-like deploys inside their own cloud account
- Teams using cloud credits to pay for infrastructure
- Companies with growing usage that want a volume discount
Worth knowing
- Porter's metered fee does not include the underlying AWS, Azure or Google Cloud cost, which is billed separately by the provider.
- Rates are $6 per GB of RAM and $13 per vCPU a month, billed on requested resources rather than cloud instance capacity.
- Volume discounts, SSO and advanced roles are Enterprise features that require talking to sales.
- The pricing FAQ mentions startup deals through some accelerators and investors, and a 50% discount for non-profits.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
$13
A month to start
Porter is a paid product, starting at Metered: $6 per GB of RAM and $13 per vCPU, per month, plus your cloud bill.
No free plan and no trial on record, so you pay from the start.
Standard
Custom
Pay as you go for requested app resources: $6 per GB RAM and $13 per vCPU per month ($0.009 and $0.019 per hour). Unlimited apps, preview environments, autoscaling and cron jobs.
Enterprise
Custom
Volume discounts above 40 vCPU or 80 GB RAM, premium support, advanced RBAC, SAML SSO, custom alerts and on-prem installation. Sold through sales.
Read from porter.run on Nov 13, 2026.
Ways to pay less
Nonprofit
50% discount for non-profits
The pricing FAQ states Porter offers non-profits a 50% discount.
Stated on porter.runStartups
Startup deal through accelerators and investors
The pricing FAQ says funded startups often have access to a deal through investors such as Y Combinator and a16z speedrun, and others can apply for the startup deal.
Stated on porter.run
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
1
Place it runs: Web
App deployment into your own AWS, Azure or Google Cloud. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: workflow automation, job scheduling.
GitHub deploys, autoscaling, monitoring, logs, alerts and a Heroku migration path.
- Your own cloud account
- Applications run in your AWS, Azure or Google Cloud account, and the servers keep running if you stop paying Porter, according to the pricing FAQ.
- Deploy from GitHub
- Unlimited applications can be deployed from GitHub with preview environments, jobs and cron jobs.
- Autoscaling
- Applications autoscale, including custom autoscaling rules.
- Monitoring, logging and alerts
- Monitoring, logging and alerting are part of the Standard offering, along with certificate management.
- Heroku migration path
- The site has a dedicated guide for moving apps off Heroku.
- Enterprise controls
- Advanced role-based access control, SAML-based SSO and on-premise installation are offered on the Enterprise tier.
Where it runs
- Web
What it works with
- AWS
- Azure
- Google Cloud
- GitHub
Porter is made by Porter.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
5/122
Other web hosts it is graded above
Porter's GPA of 1.6 is higher than 5 of the 122 other web hosts we grade, and level with 23.
It stands best on platforms and integrations (B, above 57 of 122) and worst on free plan and trial (F, above 0).
Its paid plans start at $13 a month, against a middle price of $9.69 for the category: 67 of the 107 others that charge start lower.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.3 out of 4. 4 tools score higher and cost less.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 123 web hosts we grade, cut by the letter each got. Porter’s own letter is outlined.
- DValue for moneyAbove 0 of 122
- FFree plan and trialAbove 0 of 122
- CFeaturesAbove 0 of 122
- CEase of useAbove 40 of 122
- BPlatforms and integrationsAbove 57 of 122
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 111 web hosts. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Porter is the marked dot.
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
Keep it, or make your own?
Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.
Keep it
To replace Porter you would be making connections to other products, each kept working as those products change. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
That makes this kind of software worth paying for, not this one in particular: 94 of the 122 other web hosts grade higher. It costs $156 a year.
What you could make
- Job scheduling: an app builder makes this well.
What you could not
- Connections to other products, each kept working as those products change.
- What a company asks for before it lets staff use something: single sign-on and roles and permissions.
What this rests on. Porter’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
Part 05 · Alternatives
The alternatives
The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
Qovery, Render, Heroku, Railway and Northflank
The 5 tools Porter is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 2.0GPA
Qovery
Free plan · from $299/mo
Self-service deployment onto your own cloud or Kubernetes.
- Qovery has a free plan. Porter does not.
- Porter also covers workflow automation and job scheduling.
- Qovery also covers databases.
- 2.4GPA
Render
Free plan · from $25/mo
Cloud hosting for web services, databases and workers.
- Render has a free plan. Porter does not.
- Porter also covers job scheduling.
- Render also covers databases.
- 1.8GPA
Heroku
From $5/mo
Platform for deploying apps in containers called dynos.
- Porter also covers workflow automation and job scheduling.
- Heroku also covers databases.
- 2.6GPA
Railway
Free trial · from $5/mo
App and database hosting billed by the second for usage.
- Only Railway lists iOS and Android apps.
- Porter also covers workflow automation and job scheduling.
- Railway also covers databases and AI agents.
- 2.6GPA
Northflank
Free plan · from $12/mo
Container platform for services, jobs, databases and GPUs.
- Northflank has a free plan. Porter does not.
- Porter also covers workflow automation and job scheduling.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
13
Questions, each answered in a line or two
The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.
Is Porter free?
No. Porter is a paid product, starting at Metered: $6 per GB of RAM and $13 per vCPU, per month, plus your cloud bill.
How much does Porter cost?
Porter lists 2 plans. Standard: custom pricing.
What platforms does Porter work on?
Porter is available on Web.
Does Porter offer any discounts?
Porter publicly lists the following: 50% discount for non-profits; Startup deal through accelerators and investors.
Does Porter have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 13, 2026. Porter is listed for Web.
Does Porter have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 13, 2026. Porter is listed for Web.
Is Porter open source?
Porter is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Nov 13, 2026.
What does Porter integrate with?
Porter's listing names AWS, Azure, Google Cloud and GitHub. A listing names up to eight integrations, so it may connect to more.
Who makes Porter?
Porter is made by a company of the same name.
What are the alternatives to Porter?
The closest alternatives to Porter in our directory are Qovery, Render, Heroku, Railway and Northflank.
How does Porter compare with other web hosts?
Porter's GPA of 1.6 is higher than 5 of the 122 other web hosts we grade, and level with 23.
Is Porter good value for money?
ToolGPA grades Porter D for value for money. Its paid plans start at $13 a month, against a middle price of $9.69 for the category: 67 of the 107 others that charge start lower.
Could I make my own version of Porter?
To replace Porter you would be making connections to other products, each kept working as those products change.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Porter’s own pages on Nov 13, 2026, and the grades were given on Nov 13, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Porter's own pages on 13 November 2026. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews.
Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by Porter. Prices change, so check porter.run before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
7,721
Tools graded, in 95 categories
ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.
Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.
7,721
tools graded
95
categories
739
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- Porter, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/porter
- How grades are givenThe rules behind every letter and every GPAtoolgpa.com/grades
- Value chartsWhat each tool costs against what it scores, for every categorytoolgpa.com/charts
- CompareAny two tools side by side, plan by plantoolgpa.com/compare
- Price changesEvery price rise and cut on record, each with its sourcetoolgpa.com/price-changes
- Prices by countryWhat apps cost on the App Store in 12 countriestoolgpa.com/prices-by-country
- Pay lessEvery public discount: yearly billing, students, nonprofitstoolgpa.com/save
- Keep or makeWhich tools are worth paying for, and which you could build yourselftoolgpa.com/keep-or-make
Scan for the live page
Prices and grades as they are today
Quoting this guide?
Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:
ToolGPA, "Porter: The Insider's Guide", checked Nov 13, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/porter
Know someone choosing between web hosts?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/porter/guide
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See our other guides
The best-graded web hosts after Porter, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- Web Hosting Insider's GuideEvery one of the 123 web hosts we grade, compared
- Cloudflare Pages Insider's GuideGit-based hosting for static sites and full-stack apps2.8 GPA
- GitHub Pages Insider's GuideStatic site hosting built into GitHub repositories2.8 GPA
- Netlify Insider's GuideGit-based hosting for sites and web apps, priced by monthly credits2.8 GPA
Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.
Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what Porter’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Porter is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Porter. Prices and plans change: check porter.run before you buy.