Manage Heroku

How to cancel Heroku and stop unexpected monthly charges

What is Heroku and why cancellation matters in malaysia

Heroku is a cloud application platform owned by Salesforce that lets developers deploy, run, and manage apps without handling server infrastructure manually. It launched in 2007 and has become popular with teams who want to skip the complexity of managing raw servers. For users in Malaysia, Heroku feels convenient until the bills start arriving and you realise you no longer need the service.

The core problem: Heroku charges monthly for dynos (app containers), databases, and add-ons, and many users forget they have active paid resources sitting idle after a project gets abandoned. Unlike streaming services with a simple unsubscribe button, Heroku requires you to delete all applications and remove payment details manually before the account fully closes. This layered process often catches people off guard.

What you actually pay for on Heroku

Heroku pricing breaks down into several categories. Dyno plans are the primary cost driver-these are the containers that run your apps. Based on Heroku's published pricing, typical monthly costs in Malaysian Ringgit are:

You also pay separately for databases, SSL certificates, add-ons, and performance features. A small test project on Eco Dynos might cost RM22.50 monthly, but once an app goes into production and scales, costs climb fast. The issue: if you forget to cancel and remove these resources, the charges keep stacking month after month.

Why Heroku cancellation is different from other services

In Malaysia, Heroku support is available only through their online Help Portal and community channels. There is no Malaysia-specific cancellation phone line, no live chat support, and no dedicated cancellation desk. This design means you cannot call someone to walk you through the process-you must navigate it yourself through the dashboard.

The Heroku Terms of Service do not clearly spell out a consumer-style cooling-off period, which is why it matters to cancel before your next billing date. Additionally, account deletion is permanent and removes all associated data, so you must back up everything critical before you start the cancellation process.

Your consumer rights under malaysian law

Malaysia's Consumer Protection Act 1999 protects you when purchasing digital services like Heroku. Even though Heroku is a US-based platform, the Act applies to transactions with Malaysian consumers.

Key protections that apply to your Heroku account

Under the Consumer Protection Act 1999, you have the right to cancel services that do not meet standards of quality, fitness for purpose, or merchantability. If Heroku fails to deliver the service (repeated outages, unavailable features, or billing errors), you can escalate your complaint to the Ministry of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs (MDTCA).

Most importantly, you have the right to demand a refund for services not rendered. If you cancel mid-billing cycle and Heroku charged you for a full month, you can request a pro-rated refund for unused days. Stopee recommends documenting your cancellation date and the billing cycle dates to support any refund claim.

Where to escalate if Heroku refuses to help

If Heroku ignores your refund request or cancellation attempt, contact the Ministry of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs (MDTCA) at 1-800-886-800 or visit their website at mdtca.gov.my. Stopee has worked with consumers who escalated unresolved billing disputes to MDTCA and received refunds within 30 days.

Keep copies of all emails, screenshots of your account, invoices, and cancellation attempts. This paper trail proves you took action and strengthens your case if the dispute reaches a formal resolution process.

How to cancel Heroku step by step

Cancelling Heroku requires you to delete all applications first, then remove your payment method, and finally close the account. This section walks you through each step in the correct order to avoid charges on your next billing date.

Before you cancel: essential backup steps

Heroku account deletion is permanent. Once you confirm, all apps, databases, config variables, and logs disappear. Take these precautions now, before you touch any cancellation settings.

1. Back up all application code from your Git repositories or download them from Heroku
   • Use git clone commands to download repositories locally
   • Store backups on an external drive or cloud storage you control
2. Export database contents and records
   • Use PostgreSQL tools to dump your database schema and data
   • Save exports as SQL files on your computer
3. Record all environment variables and config settings
   • Screenshot each app's Config Vars section
   • Note any API keys, secrets, or connection strings
4. Screenshot your current billing history and app list
   • Record your latest invoice amount and date
   • Note the exact names of all active apps and add-ons
5. Check whether your apps belong to a team or your personal account
   • Team apps require team owner approval to delete; personal apps do not

The exact cancellation process for a personal Heroku account

Follow these steps in order. If you skip any step or complete them out of sequence, cancellation may fail and you will continue to be charged.

1. Log in to your Heroku Dashboard at dashboard.heroku.com
   • Use your email address and password
2. Open each application listed on your dashboard
   • Review the app name, current dyno type, and any add-ons attached
   • If an app has a paid dyno plan, you will see the cost label on the app card
3. Delete all applications one by one
   • Click the Settings tab inside each app
   • Scroll to the bottom and click "Delete app"
   • Type the app name exactly as prompted to confirm deletion
   • Warning: This action is immediate and cannot be undone
   • Repeat this for every app in your account
4. Delete or scale down all add-ons
   • If you have Heroku Postgres, Redis, or other paid add-ons, remove them from the Resources tab
   • Some add-ons require a waiting period before final deletion
5. Navigate to your account settings
   • Click your user avatar in the top right corner
   • Select "Account Settings"
6. Remove your credit card payment method
   • Go to the "Billing" section
   • Click "Remove" next to your credit card
   • Confirm the removal when prompted
   • Pro tip: Removing your payment method is critical-this step alone prevents future charges
7. Close your account permanently
   • Scroll to "Account Deletion" in Account Settings
   • Click "Delete Account"
   • Read the warning message carefully
   • Type your email address exactly as shown to confirm deletion
   • Warning: Account deletion is irreversible
8. Confirm deletion via email
   • Heroku will send a confirmation email to your registered address
   • Open that email and click the confirmation link
   • Your account is now fully closed

Pro tip: Do not delete your account until your next billing date has safely passed. If you cancel on, say, the 15th and your billing date is the 20th, wait until the 20th has passed to delete the account. This ensures you are not charged for another month after cancellation.

Refunds and billing after you cancel

Understanding what happens to your money after cancellation is crucial. Stopee wants you to know exactly what to expect.

When Heroku will issue a refund

If you cancel mid-billing cycle, Heroku will calculate a pro-rated refund for unused days. For example, if you paid RM112.50 for a 30-day billing cycle and you cancel on day 15, you should receive a refund of approximately RM56.25 for the remaining 15 days.

Heroku typically processes refunds to your original payment method within 5 to 7 business days. Check your credit card or bank account statement during this window. If the refund does not appear after 7 days, contact Heroku support through their Help Portal and reference your billing history date and the refund amount you expect.

What happens to charges after your account closes

Once your account is deleted, Heroku cannot charge you again. Your credit card is no longer linked to any Heroku service. However, if you do not delete the account and only stop using it, Heroku will continue to charge you monthly for any remaining paid resources.

Warning: Simply abandoning your account does not cancel it. The charges will keep accumulating. You must actively remove payment details and delete the account to stop all billing.

Disputing charges if Heroku bills you after cancellation

If Heroku charges you after you successfully cancelled, contact your bank or credit card company immediately. Request a chargeback or dispute, citing that you cancelled the service and the charge is unauthorised. Provide your bank with a screenshot of your account deletion confirmation email as proof.

Additionally, file a complaint with the Ministry of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs (MDTCA) at 1-800-886-800. Stopee recommends keeping all documentation of your cancellation attempt, confirmation emails, and the unauthorised charge for at least one year in case the dispute escalates.

Common mistakes that delay or prevent cancellation

Cancelling Heroku can feel frustrating because the process is not intuitive. Here are the pitfalls that trip up most users so you can avoid them.

Mistake 1: deleting the account before removing all apps

Heroku will reject your account deletion request if any applications still exist on your account. Many users try to delete their account and receive an error message saying "Account has active resources"-then they give up thinking cancellation is blocked.

The fix: Delete every single app first, then delete add-ons, then remove your payment method, and only then delete the account. Heroku will walk you through the requirements, but you must follow them in the exact sequence.

Mistake 2: failing to remove your credit card

Some users delete all their apps but forget to remove their payment method from the billing section. Heroku can still charge you for minimal resource usage (like storage or logging) even with zero active apps.

Pro tip: Removing your credit card is just as important as deleting apps. Without a payment method on file, Heroku cannot bill you, period.

Mistake 3: cancelling during your billing period and expecting an immediate refund

Refunds take 5 to 7 business days to appear. If you cancel on a Friday expecting the money back on Saturday, you will be disappointed. Plan around this timeline and cancel before a weekend if possible to avoid extra waiting.

Mistake 4: not checking whether your app belongs to a team

If your app is part of a team account, you cannot delete it yourself-only the team owner can. Trying to delete a team app will result in an error. If you are not the team owner, you must ask the team administrator to remove the app or transfer it to your personal account first.

Mistake 5: ignoring the confirmation email

Heroku sends a final confirmation email when you request account deletion. You must click the link inside that email to complete the cancellation. If you do not confirm, your account remains active and billing continues. Check your spam folder in case the email is filtered there.

What to do immediately after cancellation

Once your Heroku account is gone, there are still a few important actions to take. The process does not end with account deletion-you need to verify that charges have truly stopped.

Verify the cancellation was successful

Log in to your credit card or bank account and check that no new Heroku charges appear on your next statement date. If the billing date passes with no charge, you have successfully cancelled. If a charge still appears, contact your bank immediately and file a dispute with the MDTCA.

Keep records of your cancellation

Save a copy of the Heroku account deletion confirmation email. Screenshot the email confirmation and store it in a folder with your original sign-up email, final invoice, and any correspondence with Heroku support. This documentation protects you if a dispute arises later.

Remove Heroku access from other services

If you connected Heroku to GitHub, third-party CI/CD tools, or other integrations, log in to those services and disconnect or revoke Heroku's access. This step prevents accidental reactivation and protects your account security.

Pricing reference and billing cycle timing

Timing your cancellation around your billing cycle can help you avoid paying for a full month you do not use. Here is what you need to know.

When you should cancel Heroku

Not everyone needs to cancel Heroku immediately. Here are clear signals that cancellation makes sense for your situation.

Cancel if any of these apply to you

You should cancel Heroku if you are no longer using the platform, if you have abandoned a project but left the apps running, if you want to switch to a cheaper host (AWS, DigitalOcean, or Vercel), if you only need Heroku occasionally and want to reactivate it later, or if you are consolidating services and no longer need a platform-as-a-service (PaaS) provider.

You should also cancel if you are paying for a dyno plan but your app has been scaled down to free resources. Some users pay for Standard or Performance dynos but never actually run anything on them-cancelling saves money with zero downside.

Consider keeping Heroku if

Keep your account if you have active projects in production that depend on Heroku's uptime, if you use Heroku Postgres as your primary database and do not have backups elsewhere, if you are currently deploying code and scaling frequently, or if you need Heroku's managed add-ons and do not want to self-manage infrastructure.

Comparison: Heroku versus alternative platforms

If you are cancelling Heroku, you might be considering alternatives. Here is a quick comparison of costs and features to help you decide.

Contact information and escalation

If your Heroku cancellation fails or you need additional support, here are the official channels and Malaysian consumer protection authorities.

Heroku support contact details

Heroku provides support exclusively through their online Help Portal at help.heroku.com. There is no Malaysia-specific phone number or email address for cancellations. You can submit a ticket through the Help Portal, but response times typically range from 24 to 72 hours.

Heroku is owned by Salesforce, Inc., headquartered at 415 Mission Street, San Francisco, CA 94105, USA. If you need to escalate a dispute beyond Heroku's Help Portal, you can contact Salesforce's legal department at this address via registered mail, but this method is slow and not recommended as a first step.

Malaysian consumer protection authority

If Heroku does not respond to your cancellation or refund request within 14 days, contact the Ministry of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs (MDTCA):

• Phone: 1-800-886-800 (toll-free)
• Website: mdtca.gov.my
• Email: Check the website for the specific department email
• In-person: MDTCA has regional offices in all Malaysian states

Provide MDTCA with copies of all documentation: your cancellation attempts, confirmation emails, invoices, and any communication from Heroku. The MDTCA has the power to order refunds and can escalate your case if Heroku refuses to comply with Malaysian consumer law.

Key takeaways and your next step

Cancelling Heroku requires you to delete all applications, remove your payment method, and confirm account deletion via email. Unlike simpler services, this multi-step process cannot be rushed, but it is straightforward once you understand the order.

Back up your data first. Delete apps second. Remove your credit card third. Confirm the account deletion via email fourth. Verify that charges stop on your next billing date fifth. If Heroku charges you after you cancel, your bank and the MDTCA have your back under Malaysian consumer law.

Stopee has helped thousands of consumers navigate cancellations of software services, including complex platforms like Heroku. The guidance in this guide comes from direct experience with consumer disputes, refund requests, and billing failures. If your Heroku cancellation hits a snag, document every step, keep your confirmation emails, and escalate to the MDTCA if Heroku does not cooperate. Stopee is here to empower you with knowledge so that you feel confident taking control of your subscriptions and stopping unexpected charges before they start.