What Is It and Why Does It Matter?

Real-time bidirectional CRM sync refers to the automatic, instantaneous updating of data between two or more systems in both directions. When a field changes in System A (like Salesforce CRM), it's immediately reflected in System B (like a PostgreSQL database)—and vice versa.

Unlike traditional one-way ETL processes or batch synchronization, which might run hourly or daily, real-time bidirectional sync propagates changes within seconds or even milliseconds. This creates a "single source of truth" across your technology stack, eliminating the data silos that plague many organizations.

Key Benefits for Mid-Market Organizations

For growing companies with 200-1,000+ employees and lean technical teams, real-time bidirectional CRM sync delivers several tangible benefits:

• Operational Efficiency: Engineering teams spend up to 40% of their time maintaining custom integration code. Purpose-built sync solutions can reduce this by 80-90%.
• Data Consistency: Customer information remains identical across systems, preventing the confusion and errors caused by outdated or conflicting records.
• Developer Focus: Engineers can concentrate on core product innovation rather than "integration dirty plumbing."
• Business Agility: New integrations can be deployed in days instead of months, allowing faster adaptation to changing business requirements.
• Reduced Technical Debt: Replacing brittle custom integrations with reliable sync platforms reduces long-term maintenance burden.

Common Use Cases

Most mid-market companies implement real-time bidirectional CRM sync for:

• Synchronizing customer records between CRM and operational databases
• Creating a backbone connection between CRM and ERP systems
• Building custom internal tools and dashboards with real-time CRM data
• Enabling real-time analytics while maintaining operational data consistency
• Supporting complex multi-system environments during CRM migrations or acquisitions

Platform Overview and Capabilities

Heroku Connect is a synchronization service that connects Salesforce to a PostgreSQL database hosted on Heroku. Launched around 2014 by Salesforce (via Heroku), it provides:

• Near real-time synchronization between Salesforce and PostgreSQL
• Support for Salesforce standard and custom objects
• Bidirectional sync capability for specified objects
• Field-level mapping configuration
• Salesforce APIs optimization (Bulk, REST, Streaming)

The platform is particularly popular with organizations that already use both Salesforce CRM and Heroku for application hosting, as it provides a streamlined way to use Salesforce data in Heroku applications.

Limitations and Constraints

Despite its utility, Heroku Connect has several notable limitations:

1. Limited Ecosystem: Only supports Salesforce to PostgreSQL synchronization, with no ability to connect other CRMs, ERPs, or databases
2. Platform Lock-in: Requires hosting your database on Heroku, limiting flexibility
3. Scalability Concerns: Performance can degrade with high volumes, and pricing increases proportionally with data size
4. Error Handling: Users report challenges with error recovery and manual intervention requirements
5. Maintenance Overhead: Requires ongoing monitoring and occasional troubleshooting

Pricing Structure

Heroku Connect employs a contract-based pricing model tied to Salesforce licenses and required Heroku Postgres instances. Typical costs range from $2,500-$3,000 per month for standard deployments, but can increase significantly based on:

• Number of records synchronized
• Sync frequency requirements
• Number of Salesforce objects
• Enterprise-level requirements

These costs are in addition to Heroku Postgres database hosting expenses, which scale with database size and performance needs.

Key Players and Capabilities

Several purpose-built solutions now offer comprehensive real-time bidirectional CRM sync capabilities:

Stacksync:

• 200+ pre-built connectors spanning CRMs, ERPs, databases, and SaaS applications
• Sub-second bidirectional synchronization
• Enterprise-grade security (SOC 2, GDPR, HIPAA, ISO 27001)
• No-code setup with minimal maintenance
• Automatic error handling and conflict resolution

Syncari:

• "Patented multi-directional sync" across systems
• Data quality management capabilities
• AI-ready data platform positioning
• Focus on unified customer records

Unito:

• Specializes in two-way sync for work management tools
• Strengths in project management, issue tracking, and CRM
• Visual mapping interface

PieSync (HubSpot Operations Hub):

• Specializes in contact synchronization
• Part of HubSpot's operations platform
• Limited to contact/company objects

Technical Architecture Advantages

Purpose-built solutions typically offer architectural benefits over Heroku Connect:

• Event-Driven Architecture: Real-time change detection and propagation
• Connector Flexibility: Support for multiple CRMs, databases, and SaaS applications
• Conflict Resolution: Automated handling of simultaneous updates in different systems
• Error Recovery: Sophisticated retry and remediation mechanisms
• Workflow Capabilities: Ability to trigger actions based on data changes

Feature Comparison Table

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Performance and Scalability

Performance differences become significant at scale:

• Heroku Connect: Performance degrades at higher volumes, and sync can slow to minutes rather than seconds with large datasets. Users report spending significant time troubleshooting as data volumes grow.
  
• Purpose-Built Solutions: Designed for enterprise-scale performance. For example, Stacksync claims to handle "millions of records with sub-second latency" and maintain consistent performance even with complex data models.
  
  

A logistics company with approximately 3 million shipment records reported reducing sync times from hours to seconds after switching from Heroku Connect to a purpose-built solution, while maintaining 99.99% sync reliability at peak load.

Pricing Comparison

The pricing difference can be substantial for growing organizations:

• Heroku Connect: $2,500-$3,000/month base cost, plus additional costs for increased record volume and Heroku Postgres instances. One customer reported spending over $30,000 annually on Heroku Connect.
  
• Purpose-Built Solutions: Typically offer tiered pricing based on record volume, not tied to specific platforms. For example, Stacksync pricing starts around $1,000/month for smaller deployments (50k records), scaling up to $3,000/month for 1M records with enterprise features. Volume discounts apply as record count increases.
  
  

For companies synchronizing millions of records, purpose-built solutions often represent 30-50% cost savings compared to Heroku Connect, with the gap widening as volume grows.

Security and Compliance

Security capabilities vary significantly:

• Heroku Connect: Benefits from Salesforce security but limited to Heroku's compliance framework.
  
• Purpose-Built Solutions: Often offer broader compliance coverage. For example, Stacksync provides SOC 2 Type II, ISO 27001, HIPAA BAA, GDPR, and CCPA compliance. This makes them suitable for regulated industries like healthcare and finance.
  
  

When Heroku Connect Makes Sense

Heroku Connect remains a viable option for organizations that:

• Use Salesforce as their only CRM and are committed to Heroku as their platform
• Need a simple Salesforce-to-Postgres synchronization with limited complexity
• Have a low record volume that won't trigger significant cost increases
• Are already heavily invested in the Salesforce/Heroku ecosystem
• Have only basic sync requirements with no need for multiple systems

When Purpose-Built Solutions Deliver More Value

Consider purpose-built solutions when:

• You need to connect multiple systems (not just Salesforce and Postgres)
• Your organization uses any cloud platform (AWS, Azure, GCP, on-prem) instead of Heroku
• Data volume is large or expected to grow significantly
• You require enterprise security and compliance certifications
• Real-time synchronization is mission-critical
• You want to reduce engineering time spent on integration maintenance
• Cost predictability is important as your data scales

Real-World Implementation Considerations

When implementing either solution, consider:

• Data Volume and Complexity: Accurately forecast your record counts and complexity to determine appropriate sizing and cost.
• Existing Ecosystem: Evaluate how the solution fits with your current technology stack.
• Engineering Resources: Consider the ongoing maintenance requirements and available technical talent.
• Growth Trajectory: If your company is experiencing rapid growth, factor in how the solution will scale.
• Total Cost of Ownership: Look beyond license fees to include implementation, maintenance, and opportunity costs.