Moving Off Heroku: How a ClearDB Shutdown Notice Led Us to DigitalOcean
A few weeks ago, I received an email from ClearDB, the database service we’d been using through Heroku. They announced that they were shutting down in a month, and we’d need to migrate our data somewhere else. Panic set in pretty quickly. One month felt like such short notice, especially for a live app with customer data. It was hard not to worry about downtime, data loss, or getting stuck with an overly complex setup.
For some time, I’d considered moving off Heroku. While it was reliable, the high costs made it tempting to explore other options. But every time I’d think about it, I’d fall back on the old saying: “If it isn’t broken, don’t fix it.” Now, thanks to ClearDB, it was broken.
Exploring the Alternatives: Stackhero, AWS, and DigitalOcean
Once the need for a new database solution was clear, I started looking at other options.
Stackhero: My first thought was to find another database add-on for Heroku, and Stackhero seemed like a solid option. It was easy to set up and would let us keep the rest of our Heroku stack intact. However, to use it securely, we’d need to add a static IP add-on for secure database access, and that bumped up the cost. Stackhero’s customer support was excellent, though, and they were quick to answer my questions. Ultimately, though, the added costs made me hesitate. The whole point was to reduce our hosting expenses, so Stackhero ended up off the table.
AWS: Next up was the all and mighty AWS, a powerful and widely used option. However, as someone without a lot of DevOps experience, AWS felt overwhelming at times. I managed to spin up a database, configure it, and connect it to our app, but within just two days, I noticed charges of about $10 for minimal data usage. I realized AWS might be more than we needed at this stage, but it’s something I’ll keep in mind for future scaling.
DigitalOcean: Then came a recommendation from a friend — DigitalOcean. Signing up felt like a turning point. Setting up a database and app server was seamless, and DigitalOcean’s straightforward pricing model made it easy to estimate monthly costs. For a self-funded startup, knowing what you’ll be spending each month is invaluable, and I kept waiting to find a catch. There wasn’t one — a week in, and it’s still smooth sailing.
Lessons Learned from the Transition
Looking back, I’m almost grateful for ClearDB’s shutdown notice. It pushed me to make a move that I’d been putting off for too long. In the process, I picked up a few important lessons:
Prioritize Security: During this migration, I learned the importance of securing database access, only allowing trusted sources. This might sound basic, but it’s something I overlooked initially. Thankfully, Cloudflare had already been providing some security, which probably saved me from potential issues.
Budget-Friendly Choices Matter: As a self-funded startup, keeping costs under control is crucial. Heroku’s ease of use was tempting, but DigitalOcean’s pricing transparency and functionality were ultimately a better fit for our needs.
Be Prepared to Adapt: Even when your setup seems to be working well, don’t assume things won’t change. Having a migration plan (or at least an idea of other options) can save you a lot of stress.
In the end, I’m glad ClearDB’s shutdown forced me to evaluate our options and make a move that was long overdue.
By the way, this isn’t a sponsored post. I didn’t even use a referral code to get any credits :( — though if anyone from DigitalOcean sees this, I wouldn’t say no to some credits. Cheers to learning, adapting, and finding the right tools as we grow.
Here's a code for you if you decide to go with DO : https://m.do.co/c/110d41caa6cc.
It gets you $200 and will give me $25.
