Heroku Connect is a popular service used to synchronize data between a Salesforce instance and a Heroku Postgres database [1]. For many developers, it’s the go-to tool for building applications on Heroku that need to use and interact with live Salesforce data. It essentially creates a bridge between your customer data in Salesforce and your operational apps.

However, as businesses grow, so does the complexity of their data. Many teams eventually hit a wall with Heroku Connect's limitations. These constraints, particularly around the number of objects you can sync and how well it performs under pressure, can turn a once-convenient tool into a major bottleneck.

This often leads to frustrating data delays, complex engineering workarounds, and stalled projects. This is where Stacksync comes in, offering a modern solution built specifically to solve these challenges and provide a truly scalable data sync platform.

Understanding Heroku Connect's Multi-Object Limitations

While Heroku Connect works well for simple use cases, its architecture starts to show cracks when your data models become more intricate. Businesses that rely on numerous standard and custom objects in Salesforce quickly find themselves held back by the platform's built-in limits.

What Are the Multi-Object Limits in Heroku Connect?

The problems with Heroku Connect are more than just a hard cap on the number of tables. Users often face a mix of firm limits and performance issues that get worse as their data grows. While there is a limit on the number of mappings (tables) you can create, the real pain points are more subtle. As you add more objects and data, performance slows down, and the time it takes to sync everything gets longer and longer.

This complexity can lead to confusing errors. For instance, querying too many fields at once can create a URL that's too long for Heroku to handle, resulting in a "400 Bad Request" error [4]. In other cases, syncs can get stuck in an 'Altering DB schema' status for long periods, freezing data flow while the system tries to manage complex changes [5]. Furthermore, if a record is updated too many times in a short period a common scenario in busy systems—it can trigger batch update errors that stop the sync completely [3].

The Business Impact of These Limitations

These technical headaches have real-world consequences for your business.

• Operational Inefficiency: When data syncs are slow or failing, the critical business processes that rely on up-to-the-minute information grind to a halt.
• Unreliable Data: Working with incomplete or outdated data in your database leads to bad decisions, flawed reports, and a poor customer experience.
• Engineering Overhead: Your development team ends up spending valuable time creating and maintaining brittle workarounds just to keep the data flowing, instead of building the features your customers want.
• Scalability Blockers: When you can't sync all the data you need from Salesforce, it becomes impossible to scale your applications and operations effectively.

These issues are a clear sign that it might be time to replace Heroku Connect with a more capable and affordable real-time sync solution.

Stacksync: The Scalable Solution for Multi-Object Sync

Stacksync is a powerful alternative built from the ground up to handle the scale, speed, and complexity that tools like Heroku Connect can't. It offers a reliable, real-time, and two-way sync for your most important business data. In the showdown between Heroku Connect vs Stacksync, Stacksync is the clear winner for teams who can't afford data delays or sync failures.

Sync Unlimited Objects without Compromise

Unlike Heroku Connect, Stacksync does not impose hard limits on the number of standard or custom objects you can sync. Our platform is designed to handle even the most complex data models and relationships between objects, whether you have a few dozen or a few thousand tables. This means you can create a complete and accurate copy of your Salesforce data in your Postgres Heroku database, giving your applications access to all the information they need without compromise.

Achieve True Real-Time, Bidirectional Synchronization

Heroku Connect works by polling, which means it checks for changes on a schedule usually every 10 minutes. This creates a noticeable delay. Stacksync uses a modern, event-driven approach that syncs changes in milliseconds, not minutes. This allows data to flow instantly in both directions from Salesforce to Postgres and back again enabling truly real-time applications. Our platform also includes smart features that manage how many calls are made to the Salesforce API, so you won't hit your limits even when syncing large amounts of data across many objects.

Built for Scale and Reliability

Stacksync is designed to handle millions of records from day one, and you don't have to manage any of the underlying infrastructure. We provide powerful features that ensure your data is always accurate and reduce the need for manual monitoring.

• Issue Management Dashboard: Say goodbye to silent sync failures. Our central dashboard lets you see, retry, or revert any sync issues with a single click.
• Workflow Automation: You can do more than just sync data. Set up custom workflows that trigger actions in other systems whenever your data changes in Salesforce or your database.
• Configuration as Code: For teams that want more control, you can manage your sync settings in a GitHub repository. This helps with governance and fits right into modern development practices.

These advanced capabilities make Stacksync a complete real-time sync platform for mid-market and enterprise businesses.

Getting Started with Stacksync

Switching from the constraints of Heroku Connect to the power of Stacksync is a simple and efficient process.

1. Connect Your Systems: Use Stacksync’s easy-to-use, no-code interface to securely connect your Salesforce and Heroku Postgres accounts in just a few minutes.
2. Map Your Objects and Fields: Select all the standard and custom objects you want to sync. Our user-friendly UI makes it easy to map all your fields, even those with complex relationships. Stacksync automatically understands your data structure and handles the technical details for you.
3. Activate and Monitor: Once your mappings are set, just activate the sync. You can watch your data start flowing in real-time on our dashboard, giving you full visibility and the confidence that comes with robust error handling and alerts.

Stacksync is designed to be a powerful yet simple Heroku Connect alternative that lets your team build without limits.

Conclusion: Stop Letting Heroku Connect Limits Hold You Back

While Heroku Connect can be useful for simple projects, its multi-object limitations create serious problems for growing businesses. The constant need for workarounds, the risk of stale data, and the drain on engineering resources are clear signs that it's time for a better solution.

Stacksync offers a scalable, real-time, and reliable platform that eliminates these barriers. With unlimited object sync, true two-way speed, and advanced operational tools, Stacksync empowers you to move beyond temporary fixes and adopt a solution built for today's data demands. It's time to give your team a platform that fuels growth instead of holding it back.