Node.js is one of the most popular JavaScript runtime environments used by millions of developers worldwide. From its inception in 2009, it has grown in popularity, and now it is used by many businesses out there. The business and industry sectors mainly use Node.js. And why not? It can be used for both end-to-end application development and one aspect of an app. Let’s look at where Node.js is used. If you own a business that revolves around a rapid environment and wants to be productive, Node.js is an excellent choice. Node.js is highly scalable and is ideal for building modern applications. This also means that it scales well without investing too much in hardware. Not to mention, it also supports all-time favorite Node Package Manager(NPM). The package has a significant number of modules that let you build your application with ease. There are more hosting providers for WordPress or other PHP applications than Node.js. It’s always challenging is to find a reliable and secure platform. Technically, there are two most preferred ways to host Node.js application.
Managed – You focus on application code and infrastructure is maintained by a service provider. Cloud VM/VPS – you get the OS of your choice where you install, deploy, and manage everything on your own.
Which one to choose? Well, if you don’t want to get into system administration, then a managed platform would be a better choice. However, if you are ready to spend time in installation, administration and have the right skills, you can go rto Cloud VM. Let’s explore the platform…
AWS
The market-leading cloud platform is one of the best choices to host your modern applications. AWS got thousands of services to meet every requirement. You may choose to provision a VM (AWS EC2) and install Node.js and relevant software or go with Elastic Beanstalk. It supports the following language.
Node.js Python Ruby Go .Net Java and more…
The advantage of using Elastic Beanstalk is that you don’t have to worry about infrastructure. You can deploy your application with your favorite development release tools. Highlights
Load balancing and auto-scaling to scale your application to meet the demands Inbuilt monitoring Easy integration with other AWS services Pay as you go
Another option would be to go serverless with AWS Lambda. AWS offers a FREE tier, which would be good to start with.
Kamatera
Starting from $4 per month, you get 1GB RAM, 20GB SDD storage, and 5TB network traffic. Kamatera gives you the option to choose the Nodejs version and data center location. A great option if you are looking to host your Nodejs in the Middle East, China, Europe, or North America.
A2 Hosting
A2 Hosting, that’s right. You heard it right. A2 is not just famous for WordPress, but they offer Node.js solution too. A2 is a cost-effective solution. You can get it started from as low as $3.92 per month. Every plan comes with unlimited storage. However, scaling depends on the package you choose. If you are doing rapid development and deployment, then you may want to try out other providers. Give A2 Hosting a try as they come with an anytime money-back guarantee.
DigitalOcean
DigitalOcean lately has introduced the App Platform to build, deploy, and manage applications or API. It supports Node.js, Go, PHP, Django, Gatsy, Ruby on Rails, and more. DO take care of underline infrastructure, which means you need to focus on your core business – web application or API. You can connect the GitHub repo to deploy the code and also configure to auto-deploy on push updates. The following are some of the other features.
Protection from DDoS Seamless integration with Cloudflare CDN Automatic HTTPS Horizontal or vertical scaling Application metrics
You can get it started with the basic plan at $5/mo and scale as application demand grow. DigitalOcean gives $100 credit to you to give a try.
Fastcomet
Leverage FastCloud by Fastcomet to host your Nodejs applications. Servers are optimized for optimal performance, security and come with inbuilt monitoring. You can deploy your application near to the targetted users, worldwide. Fastcoment hosting is powered by cPanel, and some of the features it offered are:
Performance monitoring and optimization reports Malware scan Cloudflare CDN integration Node.js based WAF DDoS mitigation
Give it a try to see how it works for your application. If you don’t like it for any reason, get a money-back.
EvenNode
EvenNode specializes in Node.js hosting since 2014. Upload your Node.js application and it just runs. It’s as simple as that. You don’t need to manage any servers or VPS. EvenNode’s dashboard lets you select Node.js version, scale to multiple regions, or see real-time metrics from your application. Some of the features include the following.
Free MongoDB database with every application HTTPS certificate Real-time logs Data centers around the world Horizontal and vertical scaling
A great choice for developers who don’t want to manage their own servers. EvenNode provides a 30-day money-back guarantee with no questions asked.
HostPresto
UK-based hosting platform, a good choice if your audience is in Europe. HostPresto offers easy deployment, free backup, SSH access, and all other standard features. You get an option to choose the Nodejs version, database choice, SSH access, etc. Their servers are Nodejs optimized for optimal performance.
Google Cloud
Experience Google’s low latency network and host your application where Google products are. There are four available options for you.
App Engine – no need to manage the infrastructure as Google does for you. It’s a PaaS solution. Compute Engine – get a VM with the choice of your OS and install it the way you want. You manage the server and have full control. Kubernetes Engine – Run Node.js application in a container. Cloud Functions – A serverless solution where you create your function to execute on Google’s infrastructure. You pay for code runs.
Google offers $300 worth of credit to try their services. If you are looking to build enterprise-ready applications, then Google Cloud sounds perfect.
Heroku
Heroku is my personal favorite when it comes to app hosting. It’s developer-friendly. I have personally used it for hosting Ruby on Rails apps. That means it supports a wide range of environments and languages, including Node.js. Heroku is part of the Salesforce organization. They offer a FREE plan, which includes 512MB memory, one web, or worker to get you started. Highlights
It offers seamless 3rd party integration. You can deploy your app across multiple regions. The documentation is a bliss ideal for both novice and experienced developers. Comes with tons of plugins and services
Heroku is an excellent choice for beginners and experienced developers, thanks to its fantastic documentation. Already using Heroku and looking for an alternative? Continue reading the following…
Platform.sh
A fully managed, automated hosting platform. Platform.sh let you host node.js applications in a cluster for better availability & performance. The platform is Git-driven, and you can install the necessary components like Redis, MongoDB, Elasticsearch, etc. Platform.sh is an enterprise-ready, optimized for modern development frameworks. Support is 24/7.
NodeChef
A specialized in hosting modern web and mobile applications. By the name, you can say it supports only Node.js, but that’s not the case. NodeChef supports multiple application languages – Python, Go, PHP, Java, etc. NodeChef hosts your application inside a docker container and has an option to choose between SQL and NoSQL database. Some of the incomplete features are:
One-click deployment Real-time logs Scalable with one click Automatic SSL provisioning Caching Monitoring metrics Multiple data center locations
You can deploy using GitHub, Bitbucket, GitLab, CLI, or upload through their dashboard. Pricing starts at $9 per month, and billing is hourly.
Azure
A list won’t complete without including Microsoft Azure. One of the market leaders in the cloud computing platform got a data center in 54 regions. Similar to the other two leading GCP and AWS, you have multiple options.
Virtual Machines – Provision Linux or Windows server to do your environment setup. App Service – Fully managed a platform where you deploy your code, and the rest will be taken care of by Azure. Functions – serverless computing to scale and meet the demands.
You pay for what you use.
Conclusion
I hope that you find the ideal platform your Node.js hosting needs. Most of them provide a trial or free credit, so try them. Once your code is live, don’t forget to scan your Node.js application for a security vulnerability.
