Suppose you are a professional web application developer seeking an easier and more effective means to build and deploy online applications. In this case, you will need a hosting provider that enables the open-source web application framework, Ruby on Rails (ROR). Ruby on Rails hosting is also suitable for startups that require an active web-based application or website accessing a database.
Our experts at HostAdvice research and test providers and plans, comparing their capabilities and ranking them according to their ratings and performance. With this in mind, this article will go over the best Ruby on Rails hosting providers of 2023 and the criteria you should use to make your final decision.
Key Points to Consider When Choosing Ruby on Rails Hosting Providers
- Ensure that the provider has adequate server resources (Disk space, CPU cores, RAM, bandwidth, server type e.t.c.) and excellent server performance (uptime and speed).
- Choose a web host with ironclad security features, regular backup services, and server monitoring.
- Confirm that the host offers 24/7/365 reliable customer support service and provides a user-friendly hosting environment.
- Check for developer-friendly features, Ruby on Rails framework version, convenient framework and software integration, and effective web development tools.
- Choose a web hosting provider with affordable plans, scalability options, and useful features.
The Best Ruby on Rails Hosting Services of 2023 (Bought and Tested)
Launched in 1995 and currently based in New York, USA, Kamatera is a globally renowned leader in cloud hosting. The company has been lauded for over 20 years for its futuristic infrastructure and exceptional cloud services. Yet, it earned a spot on our most decent Ruby on Rails hosting providers list due to its user-definable server resources and pricing plans. The provider also employs multiple data centers located in the Netherlands, Canada, Hong Kong, the United Kingdom, and Israel.
- Overall Score – 4.7
- Features – 4.8
- Support – 4.5
- User Friendly – 4.6
- Pricing – 4.8
- Reliability – 4.8
Features: An ideal Ruby on Rails hosting provider for developers who need a reliable and secure platform for their web applications. Kamatera’s infrastructure is built on highly-performing cloud servers with multiple layers of redundancy throughout the system. The provider offers Ruby on Rails developers powerful tools, including RubyGems support, customizable configurations, and automatic scaling capabilities.
Support: The customer service team at Kamatera provides 24/7 technical support via email, live chat, or phone call to help troubleshoot any issues you may have. It also offers helpful advice to optimize your Ruby on Rails hosting environment for optimal performance.
User Friendly: The platform is easy to use and navigate, with an intuitive control panel that makes configuring Ruby on Rails applications undemanding. You can easily deploy Ruby on Rails apps in minutes without prior technical experience. Additionally, RubyGems support is included so developers don’t need to worry about installing gems manually. Still, you may experience a few problems with some of its preconfigured servers.
Pricing: Kamatera’s innovative pricing structure gives you the freedom to tailor your server’s storage space, number of CPU cores, server type, RAM, and other resources to your specific needs and financial constraints. You can figure out how much money you will need to pay for your cloud server before you even launch it by using the host’s price calculator. In addition, you can also calculate the hourly rates.
- Type A – Availability– $52/month ($0.071/hour) – 40 GB SSD / 2 CPU Cores / 2 GB RAM / 50 Mbit/sec Internet Traffic / 1 Public IP / CloudLinux 8 – 64 – bit / 5 cPanel accounts
- Type B – General Purpose– $67/month ($0.092/hour) – 40 GB SSD / 2 CPU Cores / 2 GB RAM / 50 Mbit/sec Internet Traffic / 1 Public IP / CloudLinux 8 – 64 – bit / 5 cPanel accounts
- Type T – Burstable– $0.071/hour– 40 GB SSD / 2 CPU Cores / 2 GB RAM / 50 Mbit/sec Internet Traffic / 1 Public IP / CloudLinux 8 – 64 – bit / 5 cPanel accounts
- Type D– Dedicated– $67/month ($0.092/hour) – 40 GB SSD / 2 CPU Cores / 2 GB RAM / 50 Mbit/sec Internet Traffic / 1 Public IP / CloudLinux 8 – 64 – bit / 5 cPanel accounts
Reliability: The provider offers a 99.99% uptime guarantee and robust security features to protect user data. You can expect your Ruby on Rails applications to run optimally with minimal downtime, thanks to the company’s advanced technology and scalability options.
Developer Features –4.7/5: Kamatera supports the Ruby on Rails framework, features RubyGems, and enables the launching of Ruby apps. It also presents other developer features, such as PHP, MySQL, phpBB, RabbitMQ, phpMyAdmin, Kubernetes, Drupal, and Apache Tomcat.
Server Resources –4.8/5: Kamatera’s flexible resource management tools allows you to adjust your server’s configuration to your needs and budget. You can obtain up to 4000 GB of SSD disk space, 524 GB of RAM, and 104 CPU cores. In addition, you have your pick of four distinct varieties of central processing unit: Available, Burstable, Dedicated, and General Purpose.
Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Configurable server resources
- Developer-friendly
- Flexible pricing
- Wide range of web hosting solutions
- User-friendly Ruby on Rails hosting platform
- Easy-to-use control panel
- High level of security
- Multiple data centers
- Fast loading times
- Excellent customer support
Cons:
- Customizing server settings requires technical knowledge.
- The customer service may not be reliable sometimes.
Launched in 2003, A2 Hosting is a leading American web hosting platform that provides a wide range of web hosting services and solutions. Globally lauded for its commitment to ensuring eco-friendly hosting, lightning-fast website loading times, and rock-solid server uptime. Its easy framework integration, root access to admin functions, and adequate server resources place it on top of our most efficient Ruby on Rails hosting providers list. A2 Hosting is a good fit for both experienced and novice web application developers.
- Overall Score – 4.8
- Features – 4.8
- Support – 4.8
- User Friendly – 4.9
- Pricing – 4.7
- Reliability – 4.8
Features: This service provider comprises numerous cutting-edge hardware and software elements that facilitate rapid response times and dependability. It uses the LiteSpeed web server for ultra-fast page loads, efficient traffic management, and streamlined site administration. In addition, the web host has robust security mechanisms, such as brute force security, SSL certificates, and DDoS protection to secure your website.
Support: A customer-friendly provider always available to assist users via a variety of channels, including live chat, phone calls, emails, support tickets, and a thorough knowledge base.
User Friendly: A2 Hosting features the conventional cPanel control panel and user-friendly WebHost Manager. This makes the web hosting platform easy to use.
Pricing: A fairly priced hosting outlet with six Ruby on Rails hosting plans. You can sign up for the basic plan at a reasonable price, but it comes with limitations. Also, the renewal charges are relatively high. On the plus side, the web host offers a 30-day money-back guarantee and a 48 to 62 percent discount on your first subscription. Some of the RoR-enabled plans are cited below.
- Runway 1– $8.99/month – 150 GB SSD Storage / 2 TB Bandwidth / 1 GB RAM / 1 Core
- Runway 2– $14.99/month– 250 GB SSD Storage / 3 TB Bandwidth / 2 GB RAM / 2 Cores
- Runway 4– $19.99/month – 450 GB SSD Storage / 4 TB Bandwidth / 4 GB RAM / 4 Cores
- Supersonic 8– $59.99/month– 150 GB NVMe Storage / 2 TB Bandwidth / 8 GB RAM / 2 Cores
Reliability: A speedy and efficient web hosting provider with an excellent uptime of 99.99%.
Developer Features –5/5: A2 Hosting provides reliable, high-performance, and developer-friendly Ruby on Rails hosting with root access. In addition to Ruby, the provider supports JavaScript, CSS, and HTML, and offers Grails, Laravel, and Symfony solutions. Other developer features of A2 Hosting include A2 SiteBuilder, multiple PHP versions support, Ubuntu server, MySQL, Apache Tomcat, Python support, SSH access, MariaDB, PHPNG, and Nginx.
Server Resources –4.8/5: A2 Hosting Ruby on Rails hosting plans feature RAID-10 standard SSD or NVME-powered SSD storage disks. The disk space ranges from 150 GB to 450 GB, depending on the plan. Additionally, the web host provides you with 1-32 GB of RAM, 1-8 CPU cores, and 2-4 TB of bandwidth.
Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Speedy web servers
- High-performance Ruby on Rails hosting
- Root access
- Dependable uptime
- Solid security
- Environmentally friendly
- Developer-friendly features
- It supports multiple PHP versions
- Reliable customer support service
- User-friendly
- Scalable data centers
- 30-day money-back guarantee
- Free site migrations
Cons:
- Limitations on the basic plan
- Relatively high renewal rates
- No free domain
Cloudways was established in Malta in 2011 as an international managed cloud hosting platform. The provider is built on Google Cloud, Vultr, DigitalOcean, Linode, and Amazon Web Services (AWS), granting its users access to both managed and unmanaged options. Yet, it is particularly well-liked for its managed WordPress hosting solution. We added Cloudways to our list of the most excellent Ruby on Rails hosting platforms due to its simplified cloud-based environment, performance-enhancing caches, numerous features, and scalability.
- Overall Score – 4.8
- Features – 4.8
- Support – 4.7
- User Friendly – 4.5
- Pricing – 4.8
- Reliability – 4.9
Features: Cloudways provides specialized features, including auto-scaling, one-click backups and restores, real-time monitoring with alerts, an optimized PHP stack, dedicated firewalls, and more. These tools make the platform ideal for developers who desire flexible and scalable cloud hosting without the headache of managing their servers. Furthermore, it secures its hosting environment with Cloudflare Enterprise, WAF, firewalls, Let’s Encrypt SSL certificates, and other ironclad security features.
Support: The web host features a 24/7 support team that ensures that developers can get help whenever they need it, while its knowledge base provides detailed documentation for common tasks. You can reach the customer service team through email and live chat. However, there is no phone support. While basic support is free, upgrading to the next tiers (Advanced and Premium) may cost you.
User Friendly: With its easy-to-use control panel and server management features, Cloudways makes Ruby development convenient. The platform also allows users to easily deploy Ruby applications with just one click thanks to its “one-click install” feature. But if you’re used to the standard cPanel, you might be confused by its unique interface.
Pricing: Generally, Cloudways is a great choice for those looking for cloud-managed hosting services at an affordable price. It features a wide range of pricing packages and a ‘Pay as you Go’ scheme. Its most economical plans are listed below.
- $10/month – 25 GB Storage / 1 Core Processor / 1 GB RAM / 1 TB Bandwidth / DigitalOcean Data Center
- $12/month – 25 GB Storage / 1 Core Processor / 1 GB RAM / 1 TB Bandwidth / Linode Data Center
- $13/month – 32 GB Storage / 1 Core Processor / 1 GB RAM / 1 TB Bandwidth / Vultr Data Center
- $33.18/month – 20 GB Storage / 1 Core Processor / 1.70 GB RAM / 2 TB Bandwidth / Google Cloud Data Center
- $36.51/month – 20 GB Storage / 2 Core Processors / 2 GB RAM / 2 TB Bandwidth / AWS Data Center
Reliability: A timely, trustworthy, and scalable cloud-based Ruby on Rails hosting provider that enables smooth Ruby application development and deployment. Cloudways promises a 99.99% uptime.
Developer Features –4.8/5: Cloudways provides Ruby developers with an optimized Ruby stack that is pre-configured and fully integrated with the platform. Consequently, you can deploy Ruby applications quickly and easily without installing any dependencies or configuring the environment. Other developer features of the web host include PHP support, SFTP, application and server cloning, Git integration, and SSH access.
Server Resources –4.7/5: Cloudways offers dedicated server resources to Ruby developers for optimal performance. The provider allocates hardware resources based on the chosen plan and primary server. With some packages, you can get as much as 256 GB of SSD storage, 15 GB of RAM, 5 TB of data transfer, and 4 CPU cores.
Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Easy-to-use control panel
- Outstanding cloud-based Ruby on Rails hosting
- Speedy web servers
- Multiple data centers
- Robust performance with low latency
- Wide range of affordable pricing options
- Offers 24/7 customer support and an excellent uptime guarantee
- Fully-managed hosting solution
- Adequate security
- Reliable web development tools
Cons:
- Limited customization options
- Higher cost than its competitors, especially for larger businesses.
- No support for databases other than MySQL.
- A limited number of hosting environments
- It does not offer a money-back guarantee if you are unsatisfied with its services.
- Extra costs for advanced support
UltaHost is a contemporary web host that was launched in 2019. Still, it has quickly become well-known in the web hosting industry for operating its data centers. The elimination of third-parties guarantees increased productivity and safety of server resources and data. Similarly, the provider is famed for providing rapid solutions for mission-critical applications. UltaHost is one of the leading Ruby on Rails hosting providers in the industry, offering a wide range of features and dependable support.
- Overall Score – 4.7
- Features – 4.6
- Support – 4.7
- User Friendly – 4.7
- Pricing – 4.6
- Reliability – 4.7
Features: Amidst its many features, UltaHost is compatible with a wide range of plugins and presents several recently developed tools that can be used for free. The web host facilitates the management of your server, ensuring that it always has the latest operating system, security patches, and other features. It also provides free migration services, free account creation, dedicated IP addresses, and Let’s Encrypt SSL certificates.
Support: UltaHost employs a helpful and knowledgeable customer service team that ensures any issue or question you have is addressed quickly and efficiently. Technical support is available 24/7, and the team is well-versed in Ruby on Rails hosting and other web technologies. Additionally, the agents can be reached via live chat, email, phone, Skype, and support tickets. You can also access the extensive knowledge base and FAQ section.
User Friendly: In terms of ease of use, UltaHost makes it easy to set up your Ruby on Rails website. Its cPanel control panel is multifunctional and provides all the necessary tools for setting up and managing your account quickly and easily. Also, advanced features, such as SSL certificates and DNS management can easily be enabled from the control panel.
Pricing: The pricing plans offered by UltaHost are cost-effective. You can choose from various packages according to the size and needs of your website. Furthermore, you can upgrade your account at any time if the need arises. The provider also features a 30-day money-back guarantee. Its RoR-enabled VPS hosting plans are cited below.
- VPS Basic– $22.5/month– 30 GB NVMe SSD Storage / 1 GB RAM / 1 CPU Core
- VPS Business– $26.5/month– 50 GB NVMe SSD Storage / 2 GB RAM / 2 CPU Cores
- VPS Professional– $33.5/month– 75 GB NVMe SSD Storage / 4 GB RAM / 3 CPU Cores
- VPS Enterprise– $38.5/month– 100 GB NVMe SSD Storage / 6 GB RAM / 4 CPU Cores
Reliability: UltaHost provides fast and reliable hosting services and has an uptime of 99.9%.
Developer Features –4.7/5: UltaHost provides its users with several features that enable web application development, including Ruby on Rails framework, MySQL, JavaScript, CSS, HTML, and MariaDB.
Server Resources –4.6/5: UltaHost’s virtual private servers possess an NVMe disk space ranging from 30 to 100 GB, 1-6 GB of RAM, and 1-4 CPU cores. Furthermore, the provider employs Apache and Nginx web servers.
Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Feature-rich and developer-friendly Ruby on Rails hosting
- Self-sufficient tier-3 and tier-4 data centers
- Dedicated customer support from knowledgeable staff 24/7
- Regular security scans and backups
- Affordable plans with discounts available for longer commitments
- Fast and reliable servers
Cons:
- Limited disk space
- Relatively new Ruby on Rails hosting provider
With its headquarters in New Jersey, USA, InterServer was founded in 1999 as a private multinational web hosting provider. This service is renowned for its ample features and unlimited storage space and bandwidth. It uses only half of its server capacity and available resources, allowing your site to expand without slowing down. In addition, InterServer is one of the oldest Ruby on Rails providers in the industry. We like that the platform offers reliable, secure, and easy-to-use web hosting solutions at favorable prices.
- Overall Score – 4.6
- Features – 4.8
- Support – 4.4
- User Friendly – 4
- Pricing – 5
- Reliability – 4.7
Features: A decent Ruby on Rails hosting provider with adequate server resources and features. InterServer utilizes Cloudflare content delivery network (CDN) to reduce CPU and bandwidth usage and improve the page load time. Additionally, the provider features robust security components, including InterShield Security, SSL encryption, ModSecurity, and Imunify360. It also provides different cache configurations, such as Hardware, Software, Raid, and Packet.
Support: InterServer offers satisfactory email and ticket support. Despite the site’s claim that live chat support is available around the clock, customers may have trouble actually getting in touch with a representative. Browsing through its knowledge base may also be difficult.
User Friendly: An imperfect user interface is probably the most glaring problem with this web host. Again, creating a new account could also prove challenging for you. The good news is that you might become accustomed to the interface soon enough.
Pricing: InterServer offers one of the cheapest Ruby on Rails hosting. The provider’s RoR-enabled VPS plans offer “slices” of a VPS for sale at $6 per month, making them a cheap cloud option. The first tier features 30 GB of solid-state drive space, a single processor core, 2 GB of RAM, and 2 TB of bandwidth. You can add more VPS slices to your setup to increase your server resources and performance. If you purchase up to four slices, you will receive complimentary managed support.
Reliability: A reliable web hosting service, boasting a page load time of 1.94 seconds and 99.95% uptime on average. It usually performs best in North America and Western Europe.
Developer Features –4.7/5: In addition to Ruby on Rails support, InterServer features various web and app development tools including Laravel, phpMyAdmin, MyWebSQL, Bootstrap, and Symfony, SSH access, and Python support.
Server Resources –4.7/5: InterServer’s VPS plans offer up to 16 CPU cores, 32768 MB of RAM, 480GB of SSD disk space, and 32 TB of bandwidth.
Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Unlimited resources in its standard (shared) web hosting plan
- Relatively inexpensive plans
- Unlimited email accounts
- Feature-rich
- Ample web development tools
- Decent uptime
- Fast page load speed
- Ironclad security features
- Free website migrations and daily backups
Cons:
- Difficult knowledge base
- Unreliable live chat support
- Defective ease of use
Ranking comparison between the Top Providers
Best Ruby on Rails Hosting Services: Final Recommendations
Several top-tier hosting providers support the Ruby on Rails framework and provide a suite of tools tailored specifically for the needs of Ruby developers. Unfortunately, not all web hosts that advertise themselves as “Ruby on Rails hosting providers” are actually worth considering.
To find the best Ruby on Rails hosting services, you should examine the provider’s RoR framework version, additional support, control panel, customer service, security features, scalability, server resources, and server configuration.
Each service on our list excels in a distinct area of web hosting. Yet, a host must also boast great performance and ample web application development tools to be considered the “best” Ruby on Rails hosting platform.
Our experts found that A2 Hosting was the most promising among all the RoR-enabled web hosts that we analyzed. So, if you desire top-notch Ruby on Rails hosting, we advise you to go for A2 Hosting.
How Do We Rank and How You Should Choose Your Ruby on Rails Hosting Provider?
- Ruby on Rails version5%
- Intuitive control panel and ease of use5%
- Ruby on Rails version5%
- Intuitive control panel and ease of use5%
- Additional support and flexibility4%
- Server configuration6%
- Server resources8%
- Developer features8%
- Pricing3%
- User reviews30%
- Features4%
- Security4%
- Speed and performance6%
- Scalability options5%
- Customer support5%
- Variety of plans4%
- Other features3%
The most crucial parameters to consider when deciding on a Ruby on Rails hosting platform and their level of significance are discussed below.
Ruby on Rails Version (5%): Make sure that the host offers the latest version of Ruby on Rails. Not only is this good for security reasons, but also for taking advantage of the newest features and capabilities offered by Ruby on Rails. Additionally, many providers have different plans that may come bundled with certain versions of Ruby on Rails or allow you to select from multiple versions when signing up for service. The latest versions of Ruby on Rails as of November 2022 are 7.0.4, 6.1.7, and 6.0.6.
Intuitive Control Panel and Ease of Use (5%): A Ruby on Rails hosting provider should have an easy-to-use control panel, such as cPanel, that allows you to manage your Ruby on Rails application quickly and efficiently and analyze your pre-installed Ruby Gems. Many providers offer free trials of their control panels, so it is best to test out different providers before committing to a long-term plan.
Additional Support and Flexibility (4%): Consider what type of database support your provider offers. Ruby on Rails typically works best with MySQL or PostgreSQL databases. Most Ruby on Rails hosts offer support for both types of databases as well as a wide range of other options. Consequently, you will obtain flexibility for your hosted website.
Server Configuration (6%): Your Ruby on Rails provider should be able to provide you with access to configure and secure your server settings. This will ensure that your app is running at its best.
Server Resources (8%): Server resources are a crucial factor when selecting Ruby on Rails hosting platforms because they will determine the performance of your application. Ensure you evaluate the amount of memory, number of CPU cores, bandwidth, and disk space available before making a decision.
Developer Features (8%): Consider the web/app development tools and features it offers. Make sure your provider offers support for the features and packages you need to build your application, such as SSH and MySQL. Additionally, some providers will offer extra services like automated database backups or deployment scripts that can make development easier and more efficient.
Pricing (3%): It would be helpful to compare different plans side-by-side and determine which one best fits your budget and needs. Some providers may offer more features for a higher cost, so it is important to weigh the pros and cons of each option.
User Reviews (30%): User reviews are one of the best ways to help you make an informed decision when choosing Ruby on Rails hosting services. Hence, they played the most critical role (30%) in determining our chosen providers for this category. Read through customer feedback and see what they say about their experiences with different providers. This can give you insight into how reliable the provider is and how well they handle customer service issues if any arise.
Features (4%): You should choose a feature-rich Ruby on Rails hosting provider with abundant effective tools and software components.
Security (4%): Make sure the provider offers security features, such as SSL encryption, firewalls, malware scanning, and automated backups to enable your site to remain safe from malicious attacks or data loss.
Speed and Performance (6%): Reliable Ruby on Rails hosting should provide fast page loads, excellent uptime, and responsive access to your site no matter where your visitors are located. Look for providers that use high-performance servers with solid-state drives (SSDs) for optimal speed and performance. Similarly, make sure the provider has multiple data centers available so you can choose one that is closest to your target audience for faster loading times.
Scalability Options (5%): When it comes to scalability options, Ruby on Rails hosting needs to be able to handle sudden spikes in traffic or demands without crashing or slowing down your site. Check for potential providers that offer flexible plans with automatic scaling and upgrades for short-term usage. This way, there will be no need to worry about resource constraints if your Ruby on Rails website suddenly gets a huge influx of visitors.
Customer Support (5%): Customer support is also crucial when opting for a Ruby on Rails provider. Look for companies that offer 24/7 customer service with knowledgeable engineers who are familiar with Ruby on Rails websites and can help you troubleshoot any issues quickly and efficiently.
Variety of Plans (5%): You should go for a Ruby on Rails host that offers various plans, such as shared hosting, VPS hosting, dedicated servers, and cloud hosting solutions. Ruby on Rails hosting usually works better with VPS and dedicated servers than with shared hosting.
Other Features (3%): Other factors to consider when choosing a Ruby on Rails hosting platform include the provider’s awards and certifications, years spent in the hosting industry, environmental consciousness, special, add-ons, and freebies.
What Is Ruby on Rails Hosting and Who Is it For?
Ruby on Rails is a web development framework written in the Ruby programming language. It is designed to make web application development more efficient and straightforward.
Ruby on Rails is popular because it allows developers to create high-quality web applications with less code than other frameworks. It also comes with several tools to help streamline the development process. To use Ruby on Rails, you need a web server that can run Ruby code and a database server to store your data. This is where Ruby on Rails hosting comes in.
A web hosting service that supports Ruby on Rails will have the necessary software installed and configured to run your web application. It will also provide you with access to a database server so that you can store your data. In most cases, you will want to choose a hosting service that supports the latest version of Ruby on Rails. This will ensure you have access to all the latest features and security fixes.
Who Needs Ruby on Rails Hosting?
Ruby on Rails hosting is suitable for any website or web application written in Ruby, including everything from small personal websites to large-scale enterprise applications. Various eCommerce sites, entertainment sites, social platforms, hospitality sites, work marketplaces, and software development websites employ Ruby on Rails hosting. Some popular sites built on this web hosting model include Shopify, Netflix, Goodreads, Airbnb, Fiverr, and Github.