Selecting a Rails host [closed]

Answer 1

I prefer linode, aws or so.

• linode : is a standard linux server. you can login, install 3rd party dependencies and play around just like in your own server. Installing nginx/rails/ruby is the same way as what you did on your own pc/laptop/server.

• heroku : is a service. I have to learn lots of stuffs that are not valuable at all if one day you switch to another platform(e.g. linode) or you have your own real server, for example, check the logs, install databases, or install gems. I have printed out most of its documents and read them in 1/2 days, and then I realize that I can't use these knowledges in my working server( that my company offered to me)

• linode is cheap enough, $20 per month.

• heroku is not always free. and I don't think it's stable enough for demonstration purpose.(e.g. your free heroku app will fall in sleep in spare time, and will cost you several seconds to wake up. this SEVERAL seconds is long enough to make you lost your customers if they want FAST web app )

so, forget heroku, buy or setup your own VPS, use it for years, then you will be an linux expert.

Answer 2

Neither of your requirements are VPS-specific. I use shared hosting from Site5 and currently run two rails apps through the account, both with gems that are not installed on the server by default and sending email. Installing gems does not require root access.

If you want to use a VPS anyway, both Slicehost and Linode are often recommended for Rails apps. A few more are listed under Deploy on the Rails site. I would encourage you to do some research on your choice in either case. Good luck!

Answer 3

I use HawkHost for all my hosting needs, and I'm 90% sure they meet all your criteria. They provide web hosting and VPS services for very good prices, and their basic web host plan lets you have Rails applications running as well.

Answer 4

I'm used Joyent host- http://www.joyent.com. It's good Rails host.

Answer 5

Heroku is my host of choice. You can send messages using GMail SMTP as well as the commercial SMTP plugin.

I have also used Slicehost, Linode, Dreamhost and RailsMachine.

Slicehost/Linode are awesome if you can set up the box yourself.

Dreamhost is cheap-as and great for staging. Sites are ponderously slow at times though.

RailsMachine is second to none as a managed service. Highly recommended for the support and the well-tuned stack.

Answer 6

I hate Heroku, it gives you no control over services you want to use and it's massively over priced. Just try to make use of a gem or service they don't specifically support and you will quickly find the limitations and the horrendous pricing.