Manage Heroku

How to cancel heroku and understand your new zealand consumer rights

What heroku is and why you might cancel

Heroku is a cloud platform that lets developers deploy, manage, and scale web applications without managing infrastructure directly. You get a web dashboard and command-line tools to push code, manage databases like Postgres, and integrate add-on services such as key-value stores.

Common reasons to cancel heroku

You might cancel if you've completed a project, moved to another hosting provider, or found the costs no longer fit your budget. Some developers step away from side projects, while others scale down after initial testing. Whatever your reason, Stopee understands that cancelling should be straightforward and stress-free.

Who uses heroku and typical costs

Heroku attracts developers, startups, and teams who value fast deployment over infrastructure management. Costs depend on which dynos (compute containers) and add-ons you run. An Eco dyno costs around NZ$8.65 per month; a Basic dyno runs about NZ$12.10. Heroku Postgres add-ons start at NZ$8.65 for Essential 0 tier. If you're running multiple apps or premium tiers, your monthly bill can grow quickly, which is why many users decide to cancel or scale down.

Heroku pricing in new zealand

Here are the most common plans you'll encounter, with approximate New Zealand dollar conversions based on current USD rates.

Monthly pricing table

How heroku bills you

Heroku charges by the second and prorates to your billing cycle. When you cancel a dyno mid-month, you stop paying for it immediately, but Eco dyno hours remain available until the calendar month ends. This means you won't receive a partial refund for unused Eco hours if you cancel mid-month, even though you retain access to those hours until the 1st of the next month.

How to cancel heroku step by step

Cancelling Heroku involves removing paid dynos, destroying add-ons, and closing your account if you want a complete exit. Stopee walks you through each method so you don't accidentally leave services running and billing.

Cancel via the heroku dashboard (recommended)

The dashboard is your fastest route. Most cancellations happen here without needing to contact support.

1. Go to dashboard.heroku.com and sign in with your account email and password.
2. Select the app you want to scale down or cancel.
3. Navigate to the Resources tab.
   • Find your dyno under "Dynos and workers".
   • Click the pencil icon to edit the dyno formation.
   • Change the quantity to 0 or remove the dyno entirely to stop charges immediately.
4. Remove all paid add-ons next.
   • In Resources, scroll to "Add-ons" section.
   • Click each add-on (e.g. Postgres, Redis, Papertrail).
   • Select Destroy to remove it and stop recurring charges.
   • Confirm the destruction when prompted.
5. If you manage multiple apps, repeat steps 2-4 for each application.
6. To close your entire Heroku account, go to Account Settings (click your avatar, top right).
   • Scroll down to Close account.
   • Click the button and follow the confirmation steps.
   • Warning: Closing your account is permanent and deletes all apps, databases, and configurations. Export any data you need before proceeding.

Cancel via heroku support if dashboard access fails

If you can't access the dashboard or the close account button isn't working, Heroku support can help you cancel directly.

1. Visit help.heroku.com and sign in with your account email.
2. Click Submit a request or New support ticket.
3. Select Billing or Account as the category.
4. In the message, clearly state: "I want to cancel my Heroku account" or "I want to remove all paid resources."
   • Include your account email address.
   • List the app names you're cancelling.
   • Provide any recent invoice numbers if you have them.
   • Briefly explain why you're cancelling (optional but helpful).
5. Submit the ticket and watch your email for a response, typically within 24 hours.
6. Pro tip: Keep copies of your support tickets and any confirmation emails. These become useful if a charge appears after cancellation.

What happens immediately after you cancel

Cancelling is not instant everywhere; different resource types behave differently, which can confuse first-time cancellers.

Your apps and data access

When you remove a dyno, your app stops running immediately and is no longer accessible online. Any data stored in Heroku Postgres or add-on databases remains in place for a grace period (typically 30 days for databases), but you lose the ability to view or manage it through the Heroku dashboard unless you're on a paid plan. Export your database and files before cancelling to avoid permanent loss.

Billing and future charges

Once you've removed all paid dynos and add-ons, no further charges occur. Heroku stops billing the next billing cycle. If you cancel an Eco dyno mid-month, you retain the remaining compute hours for that month but receive no refund when you don't use them. At the start of the next month, Eco dynos automatically scale to zero if no paid dyno is running.

Free tier access

If you keep a free dyno (Eco dyno counts as free tier), your account and free app remain active. You can still log in and manage your free resources. Only paid resources are removed by cancellation.

Will heroku refund you

Heroku's refund policy is strict and exceptions are rare, but New Zealand consumer law gives you additional protections that Stopee wants you to understand.

Heroku's official refund position

Heroku does not refund charges for service outages, maintenance windows, or performance issues. Refunds for prior invoices to be applied to a different payment method are not permitted. If you've been billed twice or charged for a service you never used, you must contact Heroku support with evidence.

When refunds might apply

• Billing errors: If Heroku has overcharged you (e.g. double-billed), submit a support ticket with screenshots of your invoices and bank statements. Heroku typically investigates within 5 business days.
• Tax-exemption: If you qualify for tax-exempt status, Heroku may issue a refund for previously paid tax. This can take 5-10 business days to appear in your account, depending on your bank.
• Prorated cancellation: Heroku charges by the second, so if you cancel mid-cycle and a credit exists, it rolls into your next billing period rather than refunding to your original payment method.

What heroku will not refund

Eco dyno unused hours do not attract refunds. Data recovery fees, incident response costs, or charges during service degradation are non-refundable. If you accidentally delete an app or database, Heroku cannot restore it and will not waive charges.

Your consumer rights in new zealand

New Zealand law protects you beyond what Heroku's terms promise, and Stopee encourages you to use these protections if Heroku fails to resolve billing disputes fairly.

Consumer guarantees act protection

The Consumer Guarantees Act (CGA) requires all goods and services supplied to consumers in New Zealand to be of acceptable quality, fit for purpose, and as described. Digital services like Heroku fall within this protection. If Heroku's service is defective, unavailable, or materially not as described, you may have grounds to claim a refund or remedy under the CGA, regardless of what Heroku's terms say.

Practical steps if heroku breaches the CGA

If you believe Heroku has failed to provide acceptable service (e.g. chronic downtime, data loss not caused by you, billing errors), follow this escalation path:

1. Contact Heroku support with clear evidence: screenshots, invoice copies, dates of outages, and impact on your business.
2. Give Heroku 14 days to respond and remedy the issue.
3. If Heroku refuses or doesn't respond, escalate to the Commerce Commission (ComCom), New Zealand's consumer authority.
4. File a complaint at comcom.govt.nz or call 0800 943 600. Include all correspondence with Heroku.

Privacy and data protection

Under the Privacy Act 2020, you have the right to request what personal data Heroku holds about you and how it's used. If Heroku mishandles your data, you can lodge a complaint with the Privacy Commissioner. When you cancel and close your account, request that Heroku delete your personal information (though some data may be retained for legal reasons).

Common mistakes when cancelling heroku

Cancelling seems simple but many developers accidentally leave services running and get charged for months after they thought they'd quit.

Scaling a dyno to zero without destroying add-ons

You remove the dyno but forget that Heroku Postgres, Redis, or other paid add-ons continue to bill separately. Always destroy each add-on individually in the Resources tab. A single overlooked add-on at NZ$8-NZ$16 per month can silently charge you for half a year.

Cancelling only one of multiple apps

If you manage several applications under one Heroku account, cancelling only the main app leaves the others running. Check your account for all apps and remove paid dynos from each. Stopee recommends listing every app you own before you start cancelling.

Not exporting databases before deletion

Once you destroy a Heroku Postgres add-on or close your account, your database is permanently deleted after the grace period. If you've built anything on that database, export it first using heroku pg:backups:capture or the Heroku dashboard backup tool. Losing years of data because you didn't export is a painful, irreversible mistake.

Closing your account without checking for admin access elsewhere

If other team members or apps depend on your Heroku account, closing it removes their access too. Transfer app ownership to another admin before you close, or simply scale down your own apps instead of nuking the whole account.

Cancellation checklist before you finalize

Use this checklist to confirm you're ready to cancel and haven't missed anything.

• [ ] Log into the Heroku dashboard and list every app you own.
• [ ] For each app, navigate to Resources and note every paid dyno and add-on.
• [ ] Export any databases or data you need (use heroku pg:backups or download via dashboard).
• [ ] Confirm no other team members or services depend on these apps.
• [ ] Remove all paid dynos by editing dyno formation to 0.
• [ ] Destroy every paid add-on (Postgres, Redis, etc.) individually.
• [ ] Wait 5 minutes, then refresh the dashboard to confirm dynos and add-ons are gone.
• [ ] Check your billing settings under Account → Billing to confirm no charges are pending.
• [ ] If closing the entire account, review the Account Settings → Close account section and confirm this is what you want.
• [ ] Save a copy of your account email, app names, and confirmation details for your records.
• [ ] Monitor your bank or credit card for unexpected charges in the next 2 weeks.

If you decide to keep using heroku instead

Sometimes cancellation isn't the answer; you just need to optimize costs or better understand your bill.

Alternatives to full cancellation

Move to Eco dynos (NZ$8.65/month) if you don't need 24/7 uptime. Eco dynos sleep when idle and wake on traffic, cutting costs dramatically for side projects. Downgrade Postgres to Essential 0 (NZ$8.65/month) if your database is small. Delete unused add-ons and keep only what your app actually needs. Many developers reduce spending by 60-80% through rightsizing rather than leaving entirely.

Contact information for heroku support in new zealand

Heroku is owned by Salesforce and does not have a New Zealand office. All support and cancellation requests go through the online support portal or email.

How to reach heroku support

Visit help.heroku.com to submit a support ticket. Sign in with your Heroku account, choose your issue category (Billing, Account, etc.), and describe your cancellation request. Heroku support responds within 24 hours on business days. For urgent issues, you can also email support through the portal.

Escalation to the commerce commission

If Heroku doesn't respond or refuses to address a billing dispute, you can escalate to New Zealand's Commerce Commission:

• Phone: 0800 943 600
• Website: comcom.govt.nz
• Address: Commerce Commission, Level 3, 22 Willeston Street, Wellington 6011, New Zealand

Keeping heroku accountable

Stopee has helped thousands of consumers cancel cloud platforms and subscriptions cleanly. If Heroku's cancellation process fails or you spot unfair billing, document everything: screenshots, invoice PDFs, support ticket numbers, and dates. This evidence is gold if you need to escalate to ComCom or dispute a charge through your bank. Your consumer rights in New Zealand are strong, and Stopee is here to remind you that you don't have to accept poor service or unfair charges.