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Heroku Connect syncs Salesforce data with PostgreSQL databases, but many organizations face limitations with its narrow focus, high costs, and dependency on Heroku hosting. Stacksync provides a modern alternative that addresses these challenges while offering broader connectivity, better performance, and significant cost savings.
Organizations switching from Heroku Connect to Stacksync consistently report annual savings exceeding $30,000—representing cost reductions of 40-50% compared to their previous integration spend—while simultaneously gaining access to 200+ enterprise connectors instead of being limited to single-purpose Salesforce-PostgreSQL synchronization.
Heroku Connect is a Salesforce-owned integration service that synchronizes Salesforce data with Heroku PostgreSQL databases. It enables developers to access Salesforce data through familiar SQL interfaces rather than complex SOQL queries and API calls.
The service operates through continuous synchronization between Salesforce objects and PostgreSQL tables, maintaining data consistency through scheduled updates and change detection mechanisms.
Heroku Connect provides Salesforce-PostgreSQL integration but comes with significant constraints that limit its effectiveness for multi-system data integration.
Heroku Connect exclusively handles Salesforce-to-PostgreSQL synchronization. Organizations requiring integration with NetSuite, HubSpot, Snowflake, or other business systems must implement separate integration solutions, creating fragmented data architectures and multiple integration platforms to manage.
This single-purpose focus forces teams to maintain Heroku Connect alongside 2-3 additional integration tools, creating fragmented data architectures that increase operational overhead by 40-60% and require dedicated resources to manage multiple vendor relationships.
The service requires Heroku hosting for the PostgreSQL database, preventing organizations from using their preferred cloud providers or existing database infrastructure. This forced dependency creates vendor lock-in and prevents cost optimization through provider selection.
Organizations already operating AWS RDS, Google Cloud SQL, or Azure Database for PostgreSQL infrastructure cannot integrate Heroku Connect with their existing systems, forcing costly database migrations or maintaining parallel infrastructure that increases total cost of ownership by 35-50%.
Heroku Connect pricing ranges from $2,500 to $3,000 monthly, with mandatory Heroku PostgreSQL hosting adding $500-$1,500 monthly in infrastructure costs. Organizations with moderate data volumes—typically 100,000 to 500,000 records—pay $36,000 to $54,000 annually for single-purpose Salesforce-PostgreSQL synchronization, representing 3-4x the cost of modern alternatives while delivering only a fraction of the functionality.
| Cost Component | Monthly Estimate | Annual Total |
|---|---|---|
| Heroku Connect License | $2,500 – $3,000 | $30,000 – $36,000 |
| Mandatory Heroku Postgres | $500 – $1,500 | $6,000 – $18,000 |
| Total Estimated Cost | $3,000 – $4,500 | $36,000 – $54,000 |
Heroku Connect pricing is driven not only by the license itself but also by mandatory infrastructure dependencies.
Postgres costs are unavoidable and scale independently of actual sync usage, making forecasting harder as data volumes grow.
Total annual costs commonly exceed $36,000 and can reach over $50,000 before accounting for additional Heroku services.
These costs compound when organizations need additional integrations beyond Salesforce and PostgreSQL, requiring separate tools and licenses.
Heroku Connect operates on scheduled synchronization intervals rather than true real-time data propagation. This batch-oriented approach creates delays between when data changes in Salesforce and when those changes reflect in the database.
For organizations requiring immediate data consistency across systems, these delays create data discrepancies that affect business operations.
While Heroku Connect supports bi-directional synchronization, the implementation requires careful configuration to prevent data conflicts. Organizations frequently encounter sync failures and data inconsistencies that require manual intervention and troubleshooting.
Error handling capabilities remain basic, requiring teams to manually troubleshoot sync failures without automated detection or resolution.
Stacksync removes the barriers and limitations inherent in single-purpose integration tools, delivering real-time, bi-directional synchronization across 200+ systems while empowering lean technical teams to focus on innovation and growth rather than integration maintenance.
Stacksync delivers true real-time data consistency with sub-second synchronization latency between Salesforce and databases, enabling immediate operational decision-making and eliminating the 15-30 minute data delays that impact customer service quality. The platform achieves this through field-level change detection that propagates updates instantly rather than waiting for scheduled batch processes.
When data updates in either system, changes propagate instantly rather than waiting for scheduled batch processes.
The platform handles conflict resolution automatically through intelligent merge logic and configurable precedence rules, maintaining data integrity across systems without manual intervention—eliminating the 5-10 hours weekly that teams typically spend troubleshooting sync failures and data inconsistencies with basic integration tools. Built-in error handling detects issues immediately and provides clear resolution paths through automated retry mechanisms.
Beyond Salesforce and PostgreSQL, Stacksync connects to the complete technology stack that mid-market organizations depend on—including NetSuite and SAP for ERP integration, HubSpot for marketing automation, Snowflake and BigQuery for data warehousing, and MySQL and MongoDB for operational databases—enabling comprehensive data ecosystems across CRM, ERP, data warehouse, and operational systems without managing multiple integration vendors.
Organizations consolidate 3-5 separate integration tools into Stacksync's unified platform, reducing vendor management overhead by 60-70% while eliminating $15,000-$25,000 in annual licensing costs for redundant point solutions.
This extensive connector library enables comprehensive data ecosystems where information flows seamlessly across CRMs, ERPs, databases, data warehouses, and SaaS applications.
Stacksync integrates seamlessly with databases hosted on AWS RDS, Google Cloud SQL, Azure Database, or self-managed infrastructure—enabling organizations to leverage their existing $50,000-$200,000 annual cloud infrastructure investments rather than forcing costly migrations to proprietary hosting platforms.
This infrastructure flexibility enables organizations to optimize cloud costs by 25-40% through competitive provider selection and eliminates the $30,000-$50,000 in migration costs and 3-6 month timeline typically required when integration tools force database platform changes.
The platform extends beyond basic synchronization with event-driven workflows triggered by data changes. When Salesforce records update, Stacksync automatically triggers business-critical workflows—calling external APIs for real-time credit checks in financial services, executing database queries to update inventory availability in logistics operations, or initiating multi-system approval processes for enterprise deals—eliminating manual handoffs that typically delay processes by hours or days.
These capabilities enable sophisticated automations that drive measurable business outcomes—real-time customer lifetime value calculations that improve sales targeting accuracy by 35-50% in SaaS environments, automated data enrichment that reduces manual research time by 80% for sales teams, and cross-system approval workflows that accelerate deal cycles by 40-60% in enterprise sales—all without requiring custom development or dedicated engineering resources.
Stacksync maintains SOC 2 Type II, ISO 27001, GDPR, HIPAA BAA, and CCPA certifications—enabling organizations in regulated industries like financial services, healthcare, and logistics to meet stringent compliance requirements while accelerating integration timelines by 60-80% compared to building custom solutions that require separate security audits and compliance validation.
Data passes through the platform encrypted in transit with zero persistent storage, enabling organizations to maintain complete data sovereignty and meet strict regulatory requirements in financial services and healthcare—eliminating the 6-12 month security review cycles and $50,000-$100,000 in audit costs typically required for integration platforms that store customer data.
Organizations benefit from comprehensive access controls including SSO, MFA, and role-based permissions, along with detailed audit logs for compliance requirements.
Stacksync delivers 40-60% cost reduction compared to Heroku Connect while providing 200+ connectors versus single-purpose synchronization—enabling organizations to consolidate their entire integration stack into one platform at a lower total cost than Heroku Connect alone.
Organizations moving from Heroku Connect to Stacksync report annual savings of $30,000-$45,000 when accounting for direct platform cost reduction ($18,000-$24,000 annually), eliminated redundant integration tools ($8,000-$12,000 annually), and reduced engineering overhead ($4,000-$9,000 in recovered productivity)—representing 45-60% total cost of ownership reduction. Stacksync's Pro plan at $3,000 monthly includes up to 1 million records across 3 active bi-directional synchronizations connecting Salesforce, databases, ERP systems, and data warehouses—delivering 3-5x the integration capability of Heroku Connect's $2,500-$3,000 monthly fee that covers only single-purpose Salesforce-PostgreSQL sync. For mid-market organizations managing 200,000-800,000 records across multiple systems, this represents 40-50% cost reduction while eliminating the need for 2-3 additional integration tools.
Additional savings of $15,000-$30,000 annually come from consolidating multiple integration tools into Stacksync's unified platform—eliminating separate licenses for NetSuite integration ($6,000-$12,000 annually), data warehouse synchronization tools like Fivetran ($8,000-$15,000 annually), and workflow automation platforms ($1,000-$3,000 annually).
Engineering time savings deliver equally significant value. Organizations report reducing integration maintenance from 30-50% of engineering resources (equivalent to 1.5-2.5 full-time engineers for typical mid-market teams) to less than 5% oversight—recovering 60-80 hours monthly per engineer that can be redirected toward core product development. At typical engineering costs of $120,000-$180,000 annually per FTE, this represents $180,000-$450,000 in recovered productivity value annually.
Migrating from Heroku Connect to Stacksync completes within 3-7 days for standard implementations—compared to the 6-12 weeks typically required for traditional integration platform migrations or 3-6 months for custom-built solutions—enabling organizations to realize value immediately without extended transition periods.
The process starts with a 15-minute setup connecting Stacksync to both Salesforce and the target database through OAuth 2.0 authentication or secure connection methods including VPN, VPC Peering, or SSH tunneling—requiring no custom code or infrastructure changes to existing systems.
Field mapping leverages intelligent automatic suggestions based on object structures and naming conventions, reducing configuration time by 70-80% compared to manual mapping—while still providing granular control for custom requirements and complex transformation logic when needed.
Stacksync handles initial data backfill for existing records—processing up to 1 million records in 2-4 hours depending on data complexity—before activating real-time synchronization with sub-second latency for ongoing changes.
Organizations run both Heroku Connect and Stacksync in parallel for 3-7 days to validate data consistency across 100% of records and verify business process continuity before fully transitioning—ensuring zero data loss and minimal business disruption during migration.
For complex scenarios involving custom objects, transformations, or workflows, Stacksync provides dedicated support through real-time Slack channels for Pro customers (with <2 hour response times) or assigned solutions architects for Enterprise implementations—ensuring successful deployment within the 3-7 day migration timeline even for the most complex integration requirements.
Acertus, a leading vehicle logistics company managing 500,000+ vehicle movements annually across North America, successfully replaced Heroku Connect with Stacksync while expanding their integration capabilities from single-purpose Salesforce-PostgreSQL sync to a comprehensive data ecosystem spanning CRM, operational databases, data warehouse, and ERP systems.
Acertus, a vehicle logistics company, successfully replaced Heroku Connect with StackSync while expanding their integration capabilities. They previously paid $2,500 to $3,000 monthly for Heroku Connect to sync Salesforce with PostgreSQL.
After implementing StackSync, Acertus achieved bi-directional sync for Salesforce, PostgreSQL, and Snowflake while adding NetSuite integration. The company reported annual savings exceeding $30,000 combining reduced platform costs and decreased engineering maintenance.
Blair Koch, Chief Digital Officer at Acertus, cited measurable improvements in data accuracy, processing time, and team productivity. The implementation included custom VPC networking, SSO support, and workflow features that extended far beyond their original Heroku Connect capabilities.
Organizations should consider StackSync when facing these scenarios:
Integration needs extend beyond Salesforce to include ERPs (NetSuite, SAP) or Data Warehouses (Snowflake, BigQuery).
Database hosting flexibility is required for AWS, Google Cloud, or Azure strategies.
Real-time data synchronization is critical for operational efficiency.
Engineering resources need to be redirected from maintenance to core innovation.
Total cost of ownership for Heroku Connect exceeds budget constraints.
Heroku Connect may remain appropriate for organizations exclusively using Salesforce and Heroku PostgreSQL with simple synchronization requirements and no near-term plans for additional integrations.
StackSync extends beyond Heroku Connect's single-purpose Salesforce-PostgreSQL synchronization. Organizations gain real-time bi-directional sync, 200+ connectors, cloud platform independence, and enterprise-grade capabilities while reducing costs by $30,000 or more annually.
The platform eliminates integration complexity through automated workflows, comprehensive error handling, and unified management across all data systems. Engineering teams shift focus from integration maintenance to core product development.
Ready to replace Heroku Connect with a more comprehensive solution? Discover how StackSync delivers real-time integration across your entire data ecosystem at a lower total cost of ownership.
