Top 10 Ruby on Rails Hosting Providers

Ruby on Rails is a great programming language for building web applications. Developers who use this programming language for their development are very satisfied.

Developers love simple syntax and the wide range of Ruby Gems available. These features can manage almost half the challenge of creating a web app.

Finding the right hosting provider for your Ruby on Rails project is the next step here. 

What is Ruby on Rails?

Ruby on Rails is commonly known as a full-stack framework that is used to create web applications, and it is scripted in the programming language Ruby.

In other words, Ruby is the programming language and Rails is the framework if you try to understand the term ‘Ruby on Rails’. 

Therefore, Ruby is a dynamic and high-level programming language that is utilized to script both client-end and server-side of applications.

With the JIT compilation feature, this language was initially released in 1995. Correspondingly, Rails is an MVC framework designed in 2004.

This framework could be a perfect fit for projects that are written in Ruby.

The renowned tech giants using RoR for different stacks are GitHub, Heroku, Hulu, Airbnb, and Shopify. 

Pros & Cons of Ruby on Rails

Here are the considerable advantages and disadvantages of Ruby on Rails:

Rapid Development

It is undoubtedly quick to build applications with RoR. Indeed, you can easily find skilled Ruby on Rails developers in the market because it is a popular language.

Or even it is seamless to grab the services of another coder if one RoR programmer leaves off your project. 

The availability of third-party libraries, tools, and community support also makes Ruby on Rails a time-efficient choice.

Several statistics also claim the use of RoR overcomes the development duration of up to 25% to 40% compared to other frameworks.

Availability of Supporting Libraries & Tools

The presence of open-source libraries called ‘gem’ and outstanding tooling is another appealing benefit of using Ruby on Rails.

In this regard, development teams can simply visit the official website of Ruby Gems and download the desired open-source library. 

Moreover, you can quickly get any API or security service here. Test automation, convenient debugging, and excellent code quality make RoR a compelling choice for dev teams and businesses.

Great Compatibility with Client-Side Frameworks

Rails has great compatibility with leading client-side frameworks. RoR works excellently when you use React.js, Angular.js, and Vue.js for frontend development.

Similarly, linking different tools and libraries with Ruby on Rails is seamless. 

Easy to Learn

With uncomplicated syntax and open-source libraries, RoR is considered a straightforward programming language.

Especially if you are familiar with Python, it will be easy for you to learn Ruby on Rails. Indeed, RoR is analogous to the Python language. 

Industry Standards

Ruby on Rails endorses one of the best industry practices and standards. Likewise, it is an opinionated framework that follows the Don’t Repeat Yourself or DRY rule to prevent script duplications.

By the same token, this framework acts upon Model-View-Controller (MVC) pattern to promote quick development, easy modifications, rapid maintenance, and builds large-scale web applications. 

Community Support

Vibrant and active community support is another inspiring benefit of using Ruby on Rails. Developers not only quickly find applicable codes or gem libraries to support their projects, but it is also seamless to consult with seasoned RoR experts.

In this regard, you just need to join large RoR community forums like GoRails, Stack Overflow, GitHub, Ruby Forum, Ruby on Rails Discussions, and much more.

On the contrary, RoR also has some drawbacks that we are discussing below:

Slow Runtime

It becomes problematic to extend application resources because of the slow runtime of Ruby on Rails.

Especially, if you compare RoR with the popular runtime environment Node.js or framework Django, you will find the speed of RoR runtime passive. 

Inflexible

Similarly, there is less scope for creativity when development teams use Ruby on Rails. Although pre-built scripts and industry standards offer many benefits to RoR developers, but they are also drawbacks when it comes to modifying the script. 

Poor Documentation

The absence of appropriate documentation for Gem packages and resources is another drawback of using RoR.

Undoubtedly, the Rails community is very friendly to answer your questions but the shortfall of documentation is still infuriating.

High Cost of Inappropriate Decisions

RoR components are firmly connected with each other. So, selecting an inexperienced team and making a wrong decision regarding infrastructure or development could cost you very high compared to other frameworks.  

Factors to Consider When Hosting Ruby on Rails

Businesses and dev teams must consider the following factors when choosing RoR hosting:

Support for Advanced Versions

The first thing businesses or programming teams should check when choosing RoR hosting is the provider’s support for advanced versions and structure.

Furthermore, getting approval for the most recent Ruby on Rails variants is better. Secondly, this support should be available at a reasonable cost.

Regular Updates

Ruby on Rails frequently releases new variants in the market. Therefore, selecting a Ruby on Rails hosting provider that confers upgrades more often is crucial.

Also, avoiding hosting platforms that don’t participate in system or infrastructure updates is better.

Data Security

In the current world of technology, data or information security is everything. Businesses should always prefer RoR hosting providers that include regular backups, disaster recovery, and 128-bit encryption in their hosting plans. 

Scalability

While choosing a hosting service for Ruby on Rails projects, it is also crucial to know the scalability of a platform.

Indeed, it should be easy for companies and developers to quickly extend storage, networking, and further resources when their application grows. 

User-Friendly Control Panel

Another factor you should consider while choosing a hosting service for RoR is the interface of the control panel.

Surely, the dashboard of the hosting provider should be compatible with RubyGems and further libraries. In short, the interface of cPanel should be fully functional and user-friendly.

Ability to Deal with Databases

RoR hosting platforms should provide engines and servers to back all types of databases. Yes, hosting providers must support a large number of databases, including PostgreSQL, SQLite, and MySQL. 

Availability of Technical Assistance

Technical customer services are essential in the hosting world. You should always elect a hosting solution for Rails that gives quick technical assistance.

Nowadays, leading RoR hosting platforms to provide live chat services to answer users’ queries. 

Right Hosting Type

The selection of hosting type totally depends on the requirements of your project. Hereof, the use of shared hosting could be applicable to startup projects.

It is cost-friendly but offers only limited RAM and CPU resources. However, if you need dedicated resources, then you can utilize VPS hosting options. 

Platform as a Service (PaaS) and Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) are also considerable hosting solutions for businesses that want cloud-based options. 

Pricing

Whether you are a startup or an enterprise, you should also compare the pricing models of different RoR hosting providers.

Instead of making instant hosting payments, it is better to test a platform using free tier plans initially. Later, you can go with a pay-as-you-go or fixed pricing program. 

Best Ruby on Rails Hosting Providers You Need to Know 

Let’s learn about the best Ruby on Rails hosting providers here to know some top options:

1.     Back4app

Back4App is a great choice for hosting Ruby on Rails applications. Users only need to provide their code, and this platform handles customized deployment, building, and other operations automatically.

Back4App uses lightweight and fast containers. These containers require fewer resources than traditional virtual machines to manage and host applications.

Deploying applications with Back4App is easy. Businesses can scale their Ruby on Rails applications anytime without downtime. It is simple to increase resources with the Back4App Containers solution.

Want to host a Ruby on Rails app for free? Please see how on the tutorial Deploying a Ruby on Rails application.

2.     Heroku 

Heroku is a popular hosting choice for Ruby on Rails among entrepreneurs and some developer consider it the best hosting for Ruby on Rails.

It is specifically designed for Ruby and supports major languages like Node, Clojure, Java, Scala, Go, PHP, and Python. If you need to present a minimum viable product to investors, free plan of Heroku is sufficient. 

You can deploy your Rails app in under five minutes with Heroku.

• Supports modern open-source languages
• Smart containers with elastic runtime
• Easy horizontal and vertical scaling
• Reliable 24/7/365 application operations
• Access to top platform tools and services
• Built for continuous integration and delivery

3.     Engine Yard

Engine Yard specializes in managed hosting solutions for Ruby on Rails. It is a Platform as a Service provider.

It was created to offer user-friendly, flexible, and reliable hosting environments and some developers consider it the best Rails hosting platform.

Engine Yard provides tailored hosting for remote offices. It features strong support, automated management tools, and consistent performance.

Developers can focus on coding instead of handling infrastructure with fully managed services of Engine Yard. These services cover server setup, maintenance, and monitoring.

Engine Yard also provides strong security measures to protect your apps and data. These security measures include firewalls, encryption, and compliance with industry standards.

4.     DigitalOcean

DigitalOcean is a well-known cloud hosting provider that offers easy-to-use VPS hosting for Ruby on Rails applications.

Their VPS plans, called Droplets, are designed to make hosting simple and hassle-free.

DigitalOcean supports several programming languages, including Ruby, and provides pre-built development stacks to help you start with Rails quickly.

Their VPS plans come with features like powerful APIs, load balancers, and SSD storage to ensure your app runs smoothly and can grow as needed. 

5.     AWS

AWS is a top cloud computing platform which is offered by Amazon. It offers many services including VPS hosting.

It might seem overwhelming for beginners. However, AWS has many tools and features that make it a great option for hosting Ruby on Rails projects. This is especially truer for larger or more complex applications.

AWS has a strong global network to ensure your Rails app is always available and performs well.

Their EC2 service provides flexible and secure VPS options. It allows you to customize your server to fit your needs.

AWS also offers managed services which can make deploying and managing your projects easier.

6.     Google App Engine

Google App Engine is a PaaS solution that offers pay-as-you-go services to help you manage your costs.

Google Cloud App Engine (GAE) is designed for large-scale businesses, providing a smooth platform to host and run applications.

GAE supports multiple programming languages, has access control features, and offers persistent data storage and caching.

If you need help deploying Rails applications on Google Cloud, feel free to contact a Google Cloud Certified professional.

Google Cloud Platform offers some amazing features, including:

• Reliable NoSQL datastore
• Security scanner
• Traffic splitting
• Easy integration with other Google services
• In-memory data caching
• Application versioning
• Fully managed environment

7.     Linode

Linode is a top cloud hosting provider that offers fast and flexible VPS hosting. This makes it a great choice for Ruby on Rails projects. Its data centers are located around the world.

That is why Linode provides quick response times for your Rails app.

Their VPS plans give you full root access. So, you have complete control over your server. You can choose from various Linux distributions, like Debian, CentOS, and Ubuntu. All of this work well with Ruby on Rails. 

8.     Vultr

Vultr offers some of the lowest prices for entry-level cloud hosting. It is a great option if you need a flexible and adaptable hosting provider.

It also provides better free support than many other hosting services providers. 

Vultr offers some amazing benefits for hosting your Ruby on Rails applications. These benefits usually include:

• Great performance 
• Adaptability 
• Affordable pricing 
• Multiple cloud products 
• User-friendly interface. 

9.     Railsplayground 

Railsplayground is a hosting provider designed for developers. They focus on offering top-notch service to their customers. Railsplayground has been one of the first companies to specialize in Rails hosting.

It has been providing efficient Ruby on Rails hosting services since 2005. The company is popular for its variety of hosting packages and affordability. 

10.  A2 Hosting

A2 Hosting is a popular choice for hosting Ruby on Rails websites. It is offering VPS plans tailored for Rails applications.

They provide fast and reliable services to keep your site running smoothly.

A2 Hosting supports the latest Ruby and Rails versions and includes helpful tools like Rails templates, a pre-installed Version Manager, and RubyGems.

A major benefit is their Turbo Servers, which can load pages up to 20 times faster than standard hosting.

Final Words

That’s all for our ruby on rails hosting providers list. The ultimate choice of the best ruby on rails hosting provider usually depends upon your time, resource requirements, and budget.

You should consider your project requirements and resources you need before making any decision. This consideration will certainly help you make the right hosting choice for your ruby on rails projects.