Exoscale vs Heroku
Considering a switch from Heroku to a European alternative? Exoscale offers full GDPR compliance and EU-only data hosting without the legal uncertainties that come with US-based services. Here's how they compare on features, pricing, and data protection.
Quick Overview
Exoscale
EU- Headquarters
- Lausanne, CH
- Pricing
- From €5/mo (usage-based)
- Open Source
- No
Heroku
USHeroku is a cloud platform as a service owned by Salesforce that enables developers to build, deploy, and scale applications without managing infrastructure.
The Case for Exoscale
- Exoscale stores all data exclusively in Switzerland, Germany, Austria, Bulgaria, under European jurisdiction. Unlike Heroku, which is subject to the US CLOUD Act and FISA Section 702, Exoscale cannot be compelled by foreign governments to hand over your data.
- Exoscale offers a Data Processing Agreement (DPA) that is fully aligned with GDPR Article 28. There is no legal ambiguity about data transfers or adequacy decisions — your data processor is European, and the law that governs it is European.
Why Switch to Exoscale?
Concerns with Heroku
- US CLOUD Act jurisdiction (owned by Salesforce)
- Application data stored on US infrastructure
- Limited EU region availability
- Salesforce ecosystem data sharing policies apply
Exoscale Compliance
GDPRISO 27001SOC 2DPA
- Headquarters
- Lausanne, CH
- Data Centers
- CH, DE, AT, BG
Get Started
Categories
Exoscale vs Heroku — FAQ
Is Heroku GDPR compliant?
Heroku may offer GDPR compliance features and EU data residency options, but as a US-headquartered company, it remains subject to the US CLOUD Act and FISA Section 702. These laws can compel US companies to hand over data regardless of where it is stored. The EU-US Data Privacy Framework provides some safeguards, but its predecessors (Safe Harbor and Privacy Shield) were both invalidated by the European Court of Justice. Exoscale, as a European company, is not subject to these US laws at all.
How does Exoscale compare to Heroku in features?
Exoscale offers Compute instances, Managed Kubernetes (SKS), Object storage, Managed databases, and 6 more features. While Heroku's ecosystem may be larger due to its market position, Exoscale covers the core functionality that most teams need. The trade-off is typically between breadth of integrations (Heroku) and data sovereignty with regulatory certainty (Exoscale).
Can I migrate from Heroku to Exoscale?
Yes. Most European software providers, including Exoscale, offer migration tools or documentation to help you transition from US-based services. Under GDPR Article 20, you have the right to data portability — meaning Heroku must provide your data in a machine-readable format. The migration process varies in complexity depending on your data volume and integrations, but for most teams it can be completed within a few days to a few weeks.