Top 10 Backend Server Hosting Platforms
A backend plays the most crucial role in making an application function properly. Henceforth, it is necessary to focus on the backend part carefully.
Opting for a backend service can help relieve the developers’ shoulders’ pressure, leaving them more focused on frontend design and development.
Using managed cloud solutions, the server hosting part takes place automatically. It saves a lot of time, effort, and money.
Here, we shall be discussing the top 10 best backend server hosting platforms of 2023. Let’s have a quick overview of each of those:
Contents
- 1 The best ten backend server hosting platforms
- 2 Back4app
- 3 Heroku
- 4 Firebase
- 5 Cloudflare Workers
- 6 Digital Ocean
- 7 AWS
- 8 Linode
- 9 Google Cloud
- 10 Azure
- 11 Backendless
- 12 Conclusion
- 13 FAQ
- 14 What is a backend server?
- 15 What are the key features of a backend server?
- 16 What are the best backend server hosting companies?
The best ten backend server hosting platforms
Provider | Category | Core Features | Pricing |
Back4app | BaaS | 1. Scalable Databse 2. Rest and GraphQL APIs 3. Notifications | – Free Tier – Plans at $5/mo |
Heroku | PaaS | 1. Container based 2. Deploy 3. Scaling | – Plans at $5/mo |
Firebase | BaaS | 1. Hosting 2. Databases 3. Analytics | – Free Tier – Pay as you go |
Cloudflare Workers | FaaS | 1. Auto scaling 2. Edge Storage 3. Serverless | – Free Tier – Plans start at $5/month |
Digital Ocean | IaaS | 1. Virtual Machines 2. Load Balancers 3. Databases | Pricing starts at $5 per month |
AWS | IaaS | 1. Virtual Machines 2. Load Balancers 3. Databases | Pay as you |
Linode | IaaS | 1. Virtual Machines 2. Load Balancers 3. Databases | Pricing starts at $5 per month |
Google Cloud | IaaS | 1. Virtual Machines 2. Load Balancers 3. Databases | Pay as you |
Azure | IaaS | 1. Scalability 2. Multiple regions 3. Owned by Microsoft | Popular services are free for 12 months |
Backendless | BaaS | 1. Realtime Database 2. APIs 3. Visual Programming | Free Tier Pricing starts at $15/mo |
Want know more about each provider? Please keep reading to learn about the best server hosting providers.
Back4app
Back4App is based on Open Source technologies and and it’s a great free backend hosting option. Using Back4app, developers can develop highly scalable and extensible web and mobile applications within the shortest time frame.
Back4app comes with automated provisioning and scaling of apps. However, the most fantastic part is that it can help developers customize and optimize every application per their needs. Because of this feature, Back4app is gaining massive popularity among developers.
Another critical feature of Back4app is its support for spreadsheet-like data models. As a result, the developers find it much more convincing to sync, create, or even update the data in the database. There is also the provision to export or import the CSV/JSON files with a click.
In simpler words, managing and controlling data with Back4app is faster and a lot simpler. Back4app is one of the few backend solutions available to date that offers the option to integrate email and push notification facilities through a central notification queue.
Essential Pros
- Support for GraphQL
- Free backups
- Option to run the cloud-based codes
- Detailed and fast Backend as a Service (Open Source)
- Easy and simple Push Notification
- Option to import and export data
- Simple procedures to clone an app
- Presence of CLI tool
- Detailed documentation
- Live Chat support
Heroku
When we speak of Platform as a Service, Heroku is one of the most trusted options to consider. Developers use it for scaling, managing, and deploying modern-day applications. Heroku offers a flexible, easy, and elegant platform for deploying apps.
Using Heroku, developers can freely focus on the core product without worrying about hardware, infrastructure, or server maintenance. With Heroku, the productivity of developers gets enhanced rapidly.
Essential Pros
- Easy to deploy
- Simple and fast processing saves a lot of time
- Free for side projects
- The scaling process is simple
- Minimal skill sets required for developers
- Setup and installation is simple
- Add-ons available
- Perfect for startups
- Minimal learning curve
- Easy and simple integration
- Excellent User Interface
- Detailed documentation
- Postgres hosting
- Adding collaborators is simple and easy
- The rollback process is simple
- GitHub integration
- MySQL integration
Firebase
Firebase, an effective Backend-as-a-Service (BaaS), is used to develop next-gen apps on the Google Cloud Platform. Using Firebase, developers will enjoy the excellent performance when developing apps.
There will be no need to manage the servers; neither do you have to write any APIs. Firebase works as your Data Store, API, and server. You can easily modify the codes as per your needs.
Essential Pros
- Realtime Database
- JSON support
- Google support
- Integrated with Angular adaptor
- Real-time synchronization
- Rapid prototyping
- Highly secured
- Automatic scaling
- iOS adaptor
- Firebase hosting
- Easy and simple operation process
Cloudflare Workers
The concept of developing applications has changed drastically over the years, thanks to platforms like Cloudflare workers. Cloudflare workers can be best described as a kind of function deployment service.
It offers a program development and executive environment without needing a server. Developing and deploying modular and small cloud functions becomes easy with Cloudflare workers.
Essential Pros
- Easy to manage backend in real-time
- Simple and easy to setup
- Extremely responsive and fast-paced
Digital Ocean
Digital Ocean is a highly effective cloud hosting provider offering cloud computing services to different-sized business entities. It is done to scale down and deploy applications running simultaneously on other cloud services.
However, the deployment is done without hindering performance. The reason behind the popularity of the Digital Ocean is its aesthetic yet straightforward and functional interface, to make it easy and non-complicated for the users. The presence of one-click features makes things even simpler for developers.
Essential Pros
- SSDS support
- SSH access
- Ubuntu support
- IPv6 support
- Offers the option of Private networking
- Uncluttered and uncomplicated API
- One Click Applications
- Easy to manage control panel
- Fast-paced
- Affordable and easy to handle
- Perfect for beginners and those managing small projects
- Auto backup option
AWS
AWS, or Amazon Web Services, is a highly secure cloud services platform. It offers functionalities like database storage, power computing, content delivery, and many others to scale businesses and help them grow.
Using AWS, it becomes easy to run applications and web servers through the cloud to host dynamic websites. Security is a significant factor when it comes to accessing AWS. With AWS, your files are securely stored in the cloud. The CDN option can deliver dynamic and static files fast from anywhere.
Essential Pros
- Highly secured
- Perfectly adaptable
- Comprehensive documentation
- Improvised productivity factor
- Economical pricing structure
- Totally innovative solutions
Linode
Linode is another big name on the list of cloud hosting providers. It is powered by Linux and offers support for several types of applications. Although many find Linode, an option for experts, it comes with highly effective and active customer support.
Also, Linode is highly affordable, and the pricing structure makes it a popular choice for developers. The API of Linode is powered enough to access the products and servers while having the option to customize the coding part.
Essential Pros
- Managed DNS service
- Globally available servers
- Uncluttered User Interface
- CPU and Network graphs available
- Support for multiple IP addresses
- Fast and affordable
Google Cloud
Google Cloud is a platform that offers the option to deploy and operate applications through essential computing resources in the digital world.
Using Google Cloud, every individual or enterprise is allocated a separate space to develop and run the software. Additionally, Google Cloud uses the digital world to connect to a particular application or software user.
Essential Pros
- Premium IP address support
- Affordable
- The perfect marketplace for both advanced as well as startup users
- Live support
Azure
Azure is Microsoft’s cloud platform, which enables organizations to build, manage and deploy applications and services through a global network of data centers.
It offers an integrated set of cloud services including analytics, computing, storage and networking that can scale up or down depending on the requirements of the application or service being deployed. Azure also provides access to open source technologies, such as Linux and Node.js, for quickly creating high-performance applications and services.
By leveraging Azure’s global reach, organizations can deploy their applications or services in any part of the world with just a few clicks—all while taking advantage of the agility and cost savings that come along with cloud computing.
Essential Pros
- Owned by Microsoft
- Multiple datacenters worldwide
- Cost effective
Backendless
Backendless is another handy application development platform for server agencies and independent program developers.
Backendless provides the most compelling end-to-end solutions for web and mobile development projects. One of the highly effective MBaas solutions, Backendless, makes it a lot easier to handle backend development tasks.
The Backendless Pro version can make the developers run their services on their private servers. The platform also quickly provides services like data modeling, debugging, deployment management, source control, and mobile development. APIs have been generated automatically, making it easy for developers to handle the projects.
Essential Pros
- Affordable and best value for money
- Simple and uncluttered User Interface
- Well organized dashboard
Conclusion
This article compared the best ten server hosting platforms for your application. The list includes three categories of service providers, BaaS, PaaS, and IaaS players.
I hope it helped you to make a more assertive decision based on your project requirements.
FAQ
What is a backend server?
It’s a cloud computing service that handles server-side infrastructure.
What are the key features of a backend server?
– Processing power and memory
– Storage
– Network
– Data center structure
– Databases, cloud code, etc
What are the best backend server hosting companies?
– Back4App
– Heroku
– Firebase
– Cloudflare Workers
– Digital Ocean
– AWS
– Linode
– Google Cloud
– Azure
– Backendless