Good web host for Ruby on Rails?

September 9, 2005 8:12 PM

Can anyone recommend a good inexpensive web hosting company that would have Ruby on Rails installed or would be easy to install on (already has the latest version of Ruby and probably Gems)?

I'm aware of TextDrive already, which I would assume would have Rails installed since they're recommended on the Ruby on Rails site. I just wanted to see if anyone knew of any hosts they would recommend over them.

posted by shinji_ikari to computers & internet (15 comments total)

Just curious, what is textdrive lacking that you'd like to see?
posted by odinsdream at 8:16 PM on September 9, 2005

have been happy with dreamhost, and they started supporting ruby on rails a month or two ago.
posted by dorian at 8:30 PM on September 9, 2005

I've done the deep discount web host and had a bad experience, my recommendation is to go with TextDrive
posted by onalark at 8:31 PM on September 9, 2005

If you're interested, TextDrive is currently letting out a third round of limited (as in, could end any day now) lifetime hosting plans for $399. So, you pay that once, and you have hosting for as long as the company exists. Do the numbers, it's a pretty good deal.
posted by odinsdream at 8:38 PM on September 9, 2005

I've actually had surprisingly good support, uptime, and server speeds from Surpass Hosting, which offers a WebDev account with Ruby on Rails. (I don't have a WebDev account, just a regular one.)
posted by gramcracker at 10:54 PM on September 9, 2005

hcoop: the internet hosting cooperative
posted by bpt at 10:58 PM on September 9, 2005

You can also check the site5.com web hosting, it dose support Ruby on Rails.
posted by persia at 1:29 AM on September 10, 2005

I'm looking for something similar. DreamHost seems to be Ok. It's not extraordinarily great, but good enough for trying and it's so cheap (~$25 for full year with discount), that even if it'll turn out to be complete disaster, you can just move on to some more 'premium' hosting later.

Catches (for developer-type users) seem to be: people reporting MySql being slow; DreamHost limits CPU usage, disabling accounts, even some common applications (forums, blogs) can run into troubles where bottleneck is CPU time, not bandwidth. About reliability and support - you get what you pay for, but it's still fine.

I was also attracted to TextDrive, their community, features and reputation are excellent, but then I checked their Terms of Service and Acceptable Use Policy and I was very surprised, suddenly they don't look nearly as nice and friendly as their popular image. Explanation from their president was not completely kosher.
posted by b. at 1:36 AM on September 10, 2005

A Small Orange have the cheapest Ruby on Rails web hosting I've seen, and it all seems to work fine. TextDrive's prices are a joke.
posted by reklaw at 6:00 AM on September 10, 2005

Woah, thanks for that TextDrive link, odinsdream. That's an incredible deal for what you get. Now I just gotta find $400 in between my sofa cushions...
posted by Civil_Disobedient at 7:59 AM on September 10, 2005

b., it's interesting that you find the TOS and AUP unacceptable, or, more surprisingly, uncommon. Most hosts have very similar documents, and I don't see anything that looks particularly aggressive in either. In fact, the previous host I was with had most of the same language, but instead of the penalty being "$500 fine," it was "your account will be deleted without notice."
posted by odinsdream at 8:43 AM on September 10, 2005

b., you mention some kind of 'discount' in relation to Dreamhost; do you have any more details about that? I don't see anything on their site about that.

Thanks!
posted by lowlife at 9:50 AM on September 10, 2005

Dreamhost has (had?) their 777 deal, but it has apparently expired (google), and been replaced with the 88ISGREAT (google again) deal.
posted by misterbrandt at 9:59 AM on September 10, 2005

odinsdream, I would prefer to have my account deleted (though not without notice :), than to get fine worth of several years of service in question. For counterexample of decent hosting with more 'fair' TOS check here.

Though, I would be happy to be wrong, VC3 deal is sweet. It makes sense if 'lifetime' will be more than 3-5 years (snarkfilter: who dares to predict hosting deals in 5 years?).

On preview: lowlife, dreamhost has sort of own 'pyramid scheme' going on. When you sign for their service, at the very end you will get the option to insert 'code' to get discount. Amount of discount varies depending on the code, and different codes have different influences depending on the hosting plan.

'777' was their first promo code, started by DH themselves. Now they have 'word-of-mouth' marketing campaign, where everybody who is with them can sign for affiliate program and generate own codes setting their own discount rates, getting profit from people signing with this code. I believe it can go up to ~ $95 discount for year of hosting, less discount gives more profit to affiliate.

Besides this, they have also referal program with strong money incentives, so be careful about recommendations to DH, they may not be completely sincere.

For finding codes, check technorati or google.
posted by b. at 10:46 AM on September 10, 2005

It's not so much that TextDrive was lacking any features, I just wanted to get some other comparisons and recommendations. Their lifetime hosting plan does sound like an awesome deal but I'm not sure if I'm looking for something that long term right now. Well, that and that I don't have $400.

A Small Orange has some really great prices, but it didn't seem that they offered any kind of versioning software like Subversion/CVS. Also, it looks like they've temporarily disabled new account sign ups.

I think the webdev plans at Surpass Hosting are looking like the best combinations of features/price so far.
posted by shinji_ikari at 11:40 AM on September 10, 2005