While developers are embracing Node.js, most hosting companies need a bit more time to catch up. Quality Node.js hosting continues to be tough to find.

Many developers solve this by getting a blank VPS and setting everything up manually. Needless to say, building everything from scratch can be a hassle.

Luckily, a few companies handle Node exceptionally well. It just takes some research (and trial and error) to find them.

To save you the trouble, we reviewed the best Node.js hosting providers out there. Keep reading to find out which companies will make the best home for your Node apps.

Methodology

Not all hosting providers are created equal. It took extensive testing to make sure the providers in our reviews could handle Node.js properly. Here are the steps we took:

• Check out offer—Every provider is different, and they specialize in different areas. We checked what each provider offered to see if they were a worthy candidate.
• Check reputation—Bad news travels fast, especially on the web. A shady reputation is a sign of even more trouble down the road.
• Sign up—Digging right into each host’s technical capabilities, we created hosting accounts and deployed code of our own.
• Test features—Some providers say they support Node.js because of its popularity but do little to help developers actually deploy a node app. A provider needs to offer the features you actually need instead of cutting corners.
• Query the support—Getting support when you need it is one of the main benefits of buying a managed solution. We ensured the technical teams knew their way around Node.js and could run the platform accordingly.
• Go through legal documentation—Did you know 74% of users skip reading terms of service? As for the rest—well, most sort of skim it. We went through each provider’s legally binding texts to ensure they weren’t hiding anything you should know about.

All that info went into the reviews below. Keep reading to find out which are the top providers in Node.js hosting.

Shared Hosting

Shared hosting isn’t the typical environment for Node.js. Node developers appreciate flexibility, so most prefer getting VPS right away. Which is why you’ll see few shared providers even support Node.

Still, a few companies offer quite decent shared Node.js server hosting. The plans can be an inexpensive option for running lightweight apps or just testing.

Let’s dig right in and see what they’re all about.

1. FastComet

Overview

FastComet is an independent provider that loves all things technology. Its plans are geeky and packed with developer-friendly features.

As you can probably guess, this entails Node.js support. Let’s see what FastComet can do for Node enthusiasts.

Environment

Hosting accounts are highly isolated and have guaranteed resources. With the smallest, $2.95/month, plan, you can access 2 CPU cores and 2GB RAM, which is pretty generous for shared Node.js hosting.

The catch is you can’t use 2 cores for the entire day. FastComet limits average daily usage to 40% of the full capacity.

This might seem like a marketing gimmick—which, in part, it is—but the low price makes it an affordable way to handle unpredictable traffic. You can engage its full resources in short bursts to handle traffic spikes, as long as you stay under the 40% daily average.

A2 lifts this limit with the higher-tier plans, so you can run at full capacity 24/7.

Plus, having dedicated resources and being able to monitor and manage spending helps get the most out of your apps.

FastComet imposes other limits that can be frustrating to Node.js users. This can be especially true for the low database storage cap. The larger plans raise the quotas significantly. Still, you should assess the limits for each plan before picking one.

While the limits on the smallest Node.js hosting plan can be annoying, FastComet offers an excellent environment for developers.

Features

FastComet supports the latest version of Node.js 10, which is fine since this release is still active. You should plan for an upgrade to Node.js 12 soon, though.

The support can also assist you in installing any Node.js tools you might need. 

The provider supports languages like Python, PHP, and Perl, as well as a bunch of PHP frameworks, including Symfony, Phalcon, and Laravel.

The only supported database is MySQL, which is sort of unfortunate for Node hosting. Still, if your applications use it, FastComet is a solid choice.

You can schedule cronjobs, which is always useful for restarting terminated Node.js processes. The smallest plan allows one cronjob every half hour, which should be enough to start.

Git also comes preinstalled, which is useful for developers. In case you’re unfamiliar with the tool, Git tracks changes in files and is invaluable if you want to cooperate with other developers.

FastComet is all about aggressive speed optimization. While you may not use all its caching mechanisms when hosting Node.js apps, it’s still one of the fastest platforms.

You also get tight security features, a few freebies, daily backups, and excellent scaling possibilities.

FastComet is an excellent choice for Node.js, though it lacks a few of the popular database options.

Support

FastComet is another independent provider with a brilliant support team. The agents are friendly, eager to help, and knowledgeable—what more could you ask for?

You can also get help setting up your Node.js environment, which is a nice gesture.

The knowledgebase only has a few Node tutorials. If you need a reference point, you’ll have to find documentation elsewhere.

The awesome tech support only solidifies FastComet’s excellent Node.js web hosting offer.

Around the Web

FastComet gets a lot of praise for top-notch performance and powerful features.

Negative reviews are few and ones with substance even fewer.

Some users do complain about billing and sudden price increases. None of these are really FastComet’s fault, though. It’s either a price increase of a third-party service or a case, where the user just wasn’t aware the price goes up on renewal.

FastComet’s staff members do address each negative review, which is reassuring.

Pros:

• Lots of features for developers
• Affordable entry prices
• Great for unpredictable traffic
• Awesome support

Cons:

• Lacks a few popular features
• Starter plan can be limiting

Verdict

FastComet offers a bunch of appealing developer features. Although it’s not a silver bullet, it can give the right Node.js apps a running start and is one of the best Node.js hosting providers around.

2. NameCheap

Overview

NameCheap is mostly known as one of the top domain name registrars. However, it’s also one of the best hosting companies out there and is known for affordable services.

Its shared plans support Node.js, so I gave them a test run.

Environment

NameCheap’s website states you can install Node.js 6 through 9 via cPanel. In fact, you can install versions up to 12.9.0. This release only came out a few months ago—NameCheap takes care to keep its Node.js hosting technologies fresh.

The shared plans get you dedicated storage, which is handy. The accounts are well-isolated, so other users can’t interfere with your apps.

Going for the largest plan (which is still affordable, being priced at $8.88/month) gets you cloud storage data replication. This minimizes the risk of file loss. You also get features for boosting reliability and performance.

It’s worth pointing out NameCheap uses SSD-accelerated drives. While this type of storage is typically faster than traditional HDD, it’s slower than pure SSD.

The plans come with a bunch of security features, which is always a plus.

All in all, you can get a decent and secure Node.js platform with NameCheap.

Features

For starters, NameCheap is fairly up-to-date with the latest Node.js versions.

It is more of a provider for DIY users, so you don’t get that much help with Node itself. You’ll have to install most of the tools on your own.

The platform is developer-friendly, though. You get support for a bunch of programming languages like PHP, Python, Ruby, SSI, and Perl by default.

If you want to run an Apache server and execute Node.js scripts as a service, you can use features like the Apache Handlers Manager. NameCheap supports CGI, so doing this is effortless.

Unfortunately, you can’t get MEAN stack hosting, because NameCheap doesn’t support MongoDB. You can use PostgreSQL, which is a popular alternative, as well as relational databases like MariaDB.

You can also use various monitoring features that cover a range of metrics. This comes in handy for monitoring your Node.js apps and experimenting to achieve peak performance.

You can also set up cronjobs and easily schedule tasks. Few shared hosts allow this, but it’s crucial for Node.js, so it’s an advantage for NameCheap.

As for more mundane features, you get backups, a bunch of security measures, and a few cool freebies. NameCheap does its customers a solid and offers a PositiveSSL certificate free for the first year and 50% off for the second.

Keep in mind this is paid SSL with a warranty and professional support, so it’s one step above Let’s Encrypt. You can run Let’s Encrypt if you prefer keeping SSL free forever.

NameCheap’s Node.js server hosting is definitely designed for tech-savvy users and it offers impressive features.

Support

NameCheap’s support is sort of average.

You do get help eventually, but agents seem unenthusiastic and mostly do a sloppy job. Be prepared to repeat yourself a couple of times to get a straight answer.

The knowledge base has guides on a few useful topics, like how to deploy a Node.js application or how to install NameCheap’s SSL on it. The guides are enough to set up shop.

The overall support could be more efficient, though. 

Around the Web

NameCheap gets mixed reviews.

Users like the low prices and the variety of features.

On the other hand, most users complain about not receiving support with some issues. Indeed, NameCheap is more suitable for DIY users. To be fair, though, the provider explains this on the website.

Pros:

• Awesome features and freebies
• Developer-friendly
• Affordable as heck

Cons:

• Mediocre support
• No pure SSD storage

Verdict

NameCheap offers a robust Node.js shared hosting platform at more than a reasonable price. It’s a better fit if you know your way around Node.js.

3. A2 Hosting

Overview

A2 Hosting is a smaller provider promising peak performance and awesome technologies. To its credit, it delivers, and many users have taken notice. Few providers have a more loyal user base than A2 Hosting.

It also boasts the best Node.js hosting plans. I checked if they’re on par with the rest of its offer.

Environment

A2 runs some beastly servers, and all systems in its datacenters are highly redundant. Your data will be safe and always available.

The smallest plan gets you 1 CPU core, running at 2.1GHz, and 512MB RAM. This can go up to 2 cores and 2GB RAM as you upgrade, which is enough to get an app off the ground.

The second and third plans also allow you to double CPU and RAM availability for $1.11/month, which can help when your apps become more demanding.

A2 is one of the few hosts with an anytime money-back guarantee. You can request a refund whenever you want and get the remainder of your hosting fee. This really gives confidence A2 will maintain a quality service. 

A2 Hosting is vague about other resource caps, but you usually get enough for hosting Node.js applications. The largest shared plan even stores you on a server with fewer users, so you have more room to grow.

Features

A2 supports Node.js 10 and 11, which is fine.

Whether you can install Node depends on the server configuration. You should make it clear to the support that you want to run Node before purchasing a plan. Otherwise, you might have to create a support ticket and wait to be moved to a different server.

You get support for other technologies like PHP, Perl, and Python. You can also set up an Apache server, or run MariaDB, MySQL, or PostgreSQL. As with other shared hosts, MongoDB is unsupported.

A2 includes Git, CVS, and Mercurial. All three are version control systems that help developers cooperate.

While plan details don’t specify it, A2 also lets you set up cronjobs—an important feature with Node.js server hosting.

You also get useful general-use features. These include SSL, lots of security features, top-notch speed optimization, backups, and more. Keep in mind a lot of the advertised features, including server-rewind backups, are only available with higher-tier plans.

All in all, A2 has a respectable offer. Just make sure the plan you choose includes everything you need.

Support

I can’t praise A2’s support enough.

The agents are quick, thorough, and to the point. They’ll often dig right in and solve your problem on their own—you just have to sit back and relax.

The knowledge base has a few useful guides on getting started. You can also find tutorials on installing Yarn, which is a package manager, or Ember.js.

All in all, the support is commendable. 

Around the Web

A2 Hosting has more satisfied customers than probably any Node.js host. A multitude of reviews praise its speed, power, and excellent support.

A2 did receive a bunch of negative reviews in 2019. These are due to problems with Windows hosting, though. It doesn’t affect Linux plans.

Pros:

• Great developer features
• Scales well
• Prorated refunds
• Superb support

Cons:

• Some features only available in higher-tier plans
• Vague about some of the features

Verdict

A2 offers top-notch features for those starting with Node.js. You can get a decent platform with a few features you rarely find with shared hosts. It’s a top Node.js application hosting provider.

VPS Hosting

VPS is a popular option for running Node.js. Its unrestrictive nature is excellent for experimenting with different setups. Plus, you usually get a decent amount of server resources at an affordable price—and Node is all about cost reduction.

While many developers like to go for a blank VPS and set up everything themselves, a managed web host for Node.js can take a significant burden off you. Here are three providers that can do just that.

4. RoseHosting.com

Overview

RoseHosting has been around for a long time. In fact, it was the first ever company to offer Linux VPS hosting.

Today, the provider still likes to keep up with current technologies. That’s why it offers some exciting Node.js VPS plans.

Here’s how they perform.

Environment

All RoseHosting’s servers sport cutting-edge features. They are hooked up to a redundant 1Gigabit internal network, which is connected to the internet via multiple 10Gbps connections.

You can read more about the datacenter technologies on RoseHosting’s site, but suffice it to say they are impressive.

The smallest VPS plan gets you 1 CPU core, 1GB RAM, 30GB SSD storage, and 2TB bandwidth for $24.95/month. The plans start small, but this is enough to get started. Nine different VPS plans are in the mix, and the larger ones offer quite a bit of resources. You can get Node hosting for almost any sized app.

RoseHosting’s team fine-tunes each server. You can rest assured your app will run at top performance.

You can choose from various Linux distros. The standard offer includes several releases of Ubuntu, CentOS, Debian, and Elastix. Ubuntu is a popular choice here, but you have root access, so you can install any OS you want.

You also get a free dedicated IP address for your VPS, which is always a useful freebie.

RoseHosting charges $5/month for a control panel, which is the standard price. Just keep in mind the setup for some free third-party apps is paid and non-refundable. Meaning, if you pay $10 to set up a CDN and then ask for a full refund, $10 would be deducted from the total price.

On a related note, RoseHosting only has a 7-day money-back policy. Most hosts offer 30 days, so this is a bit short.

All things considered, you can get pretty cheap Node.js hosting in a solid environment.

Features

RoseHosting offers a wide variety of options when setting up your server.

Apart from Node.js, RoseHosting lets you run a bunch of related technologies like the Express.js, Sails.js, and Meteor frameworks. You can also get various server stacks, like LAMP, LEMP, and MEAN—you can finally get Node.js and MongoDB hosting.

If you need something not on RoseHosting’s list, the support can install it for you. This includes any npm packages.

RoseHosting can also set up PM2 if you want to run Node.js as a service.

If your application features Redis code, RoseHosting can set it up for you. It can also configure PM2 to use multiple workers and improve app performance that way.

RoseHosting also throws in free site migrations.

You can get managed weekly backups for free. It is a good idea to set up daily backups yourself, though.

Other features include Let’s Encrypt SSL, managed firewall, and a free CDN (with a $10 setup fee).

With an array of robust features and the possibility to run practically any technology, RoseHosting’s has one of the best Node hosting offers.

Support

All VPS plans come with fully managed support. The management includes hardware and network monitoring, DNS management, custom server and control panel optimization, IP address provisioning, and a bunch of other services.

The support team is also available for one hour each month to help you troubleshoot your actual code. This is a rare feature, even with managed hosting, and one that can be a great help to beginners.

RoseHosting’s team deserves every praise. Not only does it set up and optimize everything according to your specifications, but it is also available 24/7 to provide excellent support.

The knowledge base is sort of bare-bones, but you probably won’t even need it with one of the best support teams in Node.js hosting.

Around the Web

Unsurprisingly, RoseHosting gets excellent responses from its customers. Quite a few developers praise the effectiveness of the platform.

The negative reviews are few. It was a bit odd to see the PR team get a bit argumentative over a couple of them, though.

Still, this doesn’t really affect the hosting service. You can chalk it up to the advantages of not being a publicly traded company.

Pros:

• Decent features
• Fully customizable
• Highly scalable
• Excellent support

Cons:

• Short money-back guarantee
• Some features are non-refundable

Verdict

The word that best describes RoseHosting’s platform is “stellar.” You can get a Node VPS platform tailored to your specific app, provisioned by true professionals. Plus, the price is rather reasonable for the service you get.

RoseHosting is an excellent choice for most Node.js developers. 

5. MilesWeb

Overview

MilesWeb started in India but now has a global reach. With datacenters on four continents, combined with the infrastructure of several public cloud providers, it serves tens of thousands of customers.

One of its many services is Node.js web hosting, so let’s dig right in and see what it’s about.

Environment

MilesWeb has some powerful servers with fully redundant datacenter systems.

The smallest plan gets you 2CPU cores, 2GB RAM, and 50GB SSD storage. The plans go up to 12 cores, 24GB RAM, and 300GB storage, which leaves you more than enough room to grow.

One issue is that you only get 200GB bandwidth with the smallest plan, and the largest plan gets you just 700GB. This is not ideal since you usually need higher bandwidth with Node.js. If you need more, you can get an addon, or go for MilesWeb’s cloud hosting, which is also decent.

You can choose from a bunch of versions of Ubuntu, Debian, CentOS, Suse, and Fedora—all popular options for Node.js web hosting. MilesWeb allows full root access, so you can install any other distribution.

You can also choose between cPanel/WHM and Plesk. MilesWeb is a bit vague about this, but the control panel license is paid monthly.

The license is more expensive than usual. The price is especially high if you need multiple cPanel accounts. MilesWeb boasts about having the best VPS price, but that’s debatable when you take the licensing fee into account.

The environment is overall decent, but MilesWeb has a few things to improve.

Features

Support can install most third-party software for you. You get root access, so you can also install any technology yourself.

Some features can be included in the standard Node.js VPS setup, though. This covers Node.js, obviously, as well as Python, PHP, Perl, Ruby on Rails, Apache, Nginx, Litespeed, xCache, Varnish, MongoDB, MariaDB, and a bunch more.

All in all, you can get many development technologies without going through the trouble of installing them manually.

You can also set up cronjobs, or monitor apps through the dashboard—useful for developers as well.

The tech support will continually optimize your overall environment as well as databases. This way, you can be sure everything is in tip-top shape.

You also get a bunch of general features, like security, speed optimization, and emailing tools.

All in all, MilesWeb’s Node.js applications hosting is powerful and flexible. You can set up anything you need to run a decent Node.js site. 

Support

The support gets a lot of praise, but the level of service depends on what you need.

Tech support, which is arguably more important, can get you amazing help from some real pros. Plus, VPS management includes a bunch of services, like optimizing the servers, installing third-party tools, security optimization, malware removal, migrations, performance fixes, and much more.

If you have an issue with billing, though, it’s a different story. Billing support can be quite curt with the customers. A few users even provided evidence of the support sending them multiple links to the Terms of Service without any additional clarification.

The effect of fantastic tech support in a Node.js host should not be understated. Still, the way MilesWeb’s team handles billing leaves a bad taste.

Around the Web

MilesWeb gets predominantly positive reviews. The provider has a lot of satisfied users praising its services.

There’s little in terms of Negative reviews, save for one user mentioning conflicting info on the website and in the ToS.

The info was regarding billing, and the apparent issue seems to have been sorted out. However, MilesWeb has, in the meantime, made the money-back policy not applicable to VPS plans. You essentially can’t get refunds.

Despite the overwhelmingly positive reviews, the lack of refunds is something to keep in mind.

Pros:

• Decent environment
• Flexible and powerful
• Helpful tech support
• Affordable plans

Cons:

• Pricy control panel license
• Low bandwidth caps
• No refunds with VPS hosting

Verdict

MilesWeb is a decent Node.js server host with a few issues to work out. It’s the right choice if you want to get into VPS right away but are on a tight budget.

6. InterServer

Overview

Technical users love InterServer. The company looks to build cutting-edge datacenters and offer all the latest technologies.

Understandably, its VPS plans support Node.js.

Environment

InterServer lets you customize VPS resources through a server slice system.

One slice includes 1CPU core, 2GB RAM, 30GB SSD, and 1TB Bandwidth and costs $6/month. You can pick anywhere from 1 to 16 slices to form your VPS, and you can easily add slices after the fact.

The system makes InterServer pretty affordable if you want a smaller Node-compatible VPS. As most hosts lower the price the more resources you get, this model is pricy if you need a massive powerhouse of a server.

Another catch is that you need to get 4 or more slices to get managed support. This is wise for beginners as support will fix anything that breaks, and four slices still get you a bunch of resources for a low price.

You can choose between CentOS, Ubuntu, and Debian, which are standard operating systems.

Keep in mind InterServer only has datacenters in the US. If you want to target audiences in Europe, Asia, or Australia, you should look into more geographically diverse providers like MilesWeb.

All in all, the infrastructure is respectable, and you can get cheap Node.js hosting for a small to medium-sized web application.

Features

InterServer handles technologies with Webuzo. The tool lets you deploy various technologies like scripts or CMSs with one click.

You can install full server stacks—LAMP, LEMP, LLMP, or MEAN—or individual technologies. These include languages like PHP, Java, Ruby, Perl, etc. You can also deploy databases like PostgreSQL, MongoDB, MariaDB, Redis, and MySQL.

Webuzo supports hundreds of popular technologies. You can check the full list on InterServer’s site, but it probably includes the ones you need.

Unfortunately, InterServer’s team can’t install custom technologies for you. If something you need is missing from the list of available tools, you need to set it up yourself.

Other features include a backup solution, security, Raid-10 redundant storage, and more.

The platform is ideal for users, experienced in hosting Node. Complete beginners might struggle with doing most of the work themselves, though.

Support

InterServer’s praises its personal service. Heck, one of the company founders even runs the support team personally.

The quality of the service is exceptional. You can get help quickly at all times of day (and night).

That said, the jurisdiction of the support is limited. Unlike the other providers so far, InterServer doesn’t do installation services. Managed support troubleshoots and repairs any broken features, but that’s it.

The knowledge base has a few handy guides on how to host a Node.js website, but the tutorials are limited to basic operations.

In essence, you get decent support, but InterServer is more suitable for experienced users.

Around the Web

InterServer mostly receives positive reactions from its clients.

Users love the reliability, speed, and utility of the platform.

Most negative reviews don’t apply to VPS hosting. Just keep in mind that InterServer is more affordable, but provides less support than most managed VPS providers. If you can handle most of the work yourself, this is the Node.js server host for you.

Pros:

• Broad choice of available technologies
• Great scaling
• Affordable for starting out
• Top-notch support

Cons:

• Going for ten or more server slices can be pricy
• More suitable for DIYers
• No servers outside the US

Verdict

InterServer provides a robust and affordable platform for the US market. It can do wonders for your Node.js apps, if you can handle yourself in a VPS environment.

Cloud Hosting

As cloud platforms are gaining traction, many developers have found them to be perfect for Node.js hosting. After all, easy scaling and unmatched flexibility are any developer’s dream.

You can find plenty of cloud hosting providers that specialize in Node.js. Here are a few of the top choices out there.

7. Cloudways

Overview

Cloudways is one of the more popular cloud hosting providers. It is most often associated with its managed WordPress and Magento services.

While it doesn’t advertise this on the homepage, Cloudways also lets you deploy Node.js.

Here’s what this provider does differently.

Environment

Cloudways’ works on top of AWS, Google Cloud, Vultr, Linode, and DigitalOcean. All five are excellent cloud computing providers, and AWS and DigitalOcean are particularly popular for Node.js application hosting.

Although Cloudways essentially offers cloud management, it doesn’t allow root access. You can tweak some server settings through the dashboard. However, if you need to open a particular port (which is sometimes necessary with Node.js), you have to ask the support to do it. This can be a bit annoying for more technical users.

Instead of charging a flat amount, Cloudways has a pay-as-you-go pricing model. You can scale resources up and down as needed and only pay for what you spend. The rates depend on the cloud computing provider, though.

For instance, going for DigitalOcean would cost $10/month or $0.0139/hour for 1 CPU core, 1GB RAM, 25GB SSD storage, and 1TB bandwidth. Getting similar resources with AWS would be around $36/month.

Cloudways also offers a trial. You can try hosting a Node.js app for free and see if the provider works for you.

The standard price is around twice what you would pay getting resources directly from the IaaS provider. This pricing model makes Cloudways really affordable for smaller or medium-sized apps while being kind of expensive for enterprise-grade projects.

All in all, the infrastructure is powerful, and the pricing is fair, unless you need a massive server cluster.

Features

Cloudways designed its platform for the average Joe. You can sit back and relax while its team handles most of the server management.

The platform already supports a bunch of technologies like PHP, Redis, MariaDB, and the obvious Node.js. You can ask for a custom setup when you sign up, though—you can run pretty much anything needed to deploy your Node.js app to the server effectively.

All plans come with a staging area. You can clone your app in one click and test changes. It’s easy to implement them to the live version once you’re ready.

Cloudways also throws in a cronjob manager, which is always a handy addition.

You can also get application monitoring, speed optimization, free SSL, firewall, backups, and more. Cloudways offers a few useful monitoring apps that help you check app performance and eliminate any bottlenecks. The support helps with all sorts of troubleshooting, which is excellent for beginners.

Cloudways offers awesome features, especially if you want a powerful Node.js platform without bothering with server management.

Support

Cloudways’ website lists all things support can help you with. It’s reassuring to see a provider publish an actual list of duties instead of surprising you down the road.

Some services are locked behind paid support tiers. That said, free support does cover the key things like scaling, backups, application installation and cloning, etc.

Meanwhile, paid support can take care of anything short of auditing your code. This makes Cloudways fantastic if you just want to deploy a Node app and forget about everything to do with the actual platform.

As for the actual support you’ll receive—it’s excellent. Most complicated issues have to go through email ticketing, but tech support tends to resolve everything swiftly.

In short, Cloudways has fantastic support, but you should check if you need any services under the paid tiers.

Around the Web

Many customers praise the straightforwardness of Cloudways. The easy-to-use management area coupled with hands-on support certainly leaves an impression.

One issue that has been around for a while has to do with signing up. Apparently, the signup system prevents some users from creating an account.

If this happens to you, you can contact the support and have it create your account manually. Cloudways offers a free trial so signing up is risk-free. You don’t have to provide credit card info before you know it’s the right Node.js host for you.

Pros:

• Broad choice of cloud computing platforms
• Excellent developer-friendly features
• Helpful support
• Pay-as-you-go pricing

Cons:

• Expensive for larger endeavors
• No root access
• Some support tiers are paid

Verdict

Cloudways takes Node.js to the cloud and makes it accessible to everyone. If you’re new to cloud hosting and are on a relatively tight budget, it can be an awesome asset.

8. Mediatemple.net

Overview

Media Temple specializes in powerful, higher-end hosting. The provider handles over 1.5 million websites across a variety of services.

Its offer includes hosting targeted at developers, businesses, and agencies. Of course, you can get Node.js cloud hosting as well.

Environment

Media Temple uses AWS’s public cloud infrastructure. AWS is definitely the top cloud computing provider, so the apps get hosted on an insanely reliable platform.

There are no preset plans. AWS’s platform is insanely flexible and scalable, though, so you can get as much—or as little—resources as you need. Of course, you have full freedom in scaling resources up or down, though the technical staff usually handles that.

The actual server setup also depends on what you need. You have to discuss the environment with Media Temple’s team, but they can build almost anything for you and will advise you on the best option.

One thing to consider is that Media Temple tailors each solution to the user. Instead of getting instant deployment, you’ll have to wait up to two weeks to get your solution. The wait tends to be worth it, though.

The price also depends on the exact solution, so you need to request a quote. The service is fairly high-end, though, so Media Temple is more expensive than other providers in these Node.js reviews.

Features

Media Temple custom-tailors each solution to the customer. This means you can get almost any technology, without extra fluff to raise the overhead.

The cloud service includes designing and building the platform, deploying apps, monitoring and management, and frequent architecture fine-tuning. In essence, Media Temple does everything shy of writing the Node.js code for you.

Some of the more common features include software and database monitoring, migrations, SSL, CDN, security, speed optimization tools, and more. Keep in mind that migrations aren’t free for all websites, so you need to check with the support if you’d have to pay for one.

Media Temple also focuses on helping you spread the word about your brand. It can help you with things like marketing campaigns and optimize your environment to handle the expected traffic. It’s fantastic if you want to attract many visitors quickly.

The provider also encourages resellers and agencies and strives to make the service more accessible to them. If you’re a professional developer and want to provide Node.js web hosting to go with your apps, Media Temple is an excellent choice. 

All in all, if you want your code hosted on a platform tailored to it, or to get it noticed faster, Media Temple is the top provider.

Support

Media Temple’s support is nothing short of brilliant. You get 24/7 help from cloud veterans.

The company also assigns you a “Personal Success Manager.” 

This is an individual tasked with tracking your brand and helping promote it. They will also keep track of your goals. This way, they can advise the rest of the team on any technical changes that would help you realize your plans.

You can also get cloud training sessions. This makes Media Temple ideal if you ‘re interested in hosting Node.js applications in the public cloud but lack experience.

All in all, the company handles support splendidly.

Around the Web

As with most high-end services, there’s little information in terms of user reviews.

Most clients using cloud plans are satisfied with the service. These are mostly agencies who had success growing their business.

A few reviews mention Media Temple getting acquired by GoDaddy. Admittedly, GoDaddy does have a few problems. That said, Media Temple operates independently from its parent company, and the acquisition hasn’t affected its service.

Pros:

• Awesome tailored solutions
• Powerful infrastructure
• Top-notch support
• Assistance with learning and brand promotion

Cons:

• Can be pricy
• Free migrations don’t apply to all websites

Verdict

Media Temple’s custom-built solutions are an excellent choice for all kinds of developers. The provider is also awesome if you want to resell Node.js server hosting or if you’re just new to the public cloud. It’s an overall excellent provider, although a tad pricy if you’re just starting out.

9. Platform.sh

Overview

Platform.sh is a PaaS provider that works with developers and organizations. Its client list is extensive and includes establishments like the British Council.

It is regarded as one of the best Node.js PaaS providers. Here’s why.

Environment

Platform.sh is partnered with AWS, Google Cloud, Microsoft Azure, and Orange and uses their infrastructures. Needless to say, it’s already shaping up to be an impressive offer.

You can deploy apps in several regions, like the US, Canada, Ireland, Germany, France, and Australia. The service is built for handling lots of websites easily, so you can run everything from one place.

It offers a few preset plans. The smallest one starts at $50/month and offers 0.8GB RAM, 1 CPU core, and four environments. You get one available production environment and three staging ones, with 5GB of storage each.

This plan provides a small start for hosting Node.js apps. Platform.sh’s plans can scale up fairly high. You can get up to 192 CPUs and 768GB RAM per cluster, which is massive. You can also easily add more environments or customize other resources.

Platform.sh offers is a one-month free trial with no credit card required. You can test the waters without risk.

One thing to point out is that Platform.sh has a 99.5% uptime guarantee with standard plans, which is silly. Most providers promise 99.9%, especially if they’re partnered with a robust public cloud provider. None of the customers have complained about downtime, but a Node PaaS provider should offer more.

It’s safe to say the environment is robust enough to handle almost anything you can throw at it, though the uptime guarantee is iffy.

Features

The platform is designed to handle all types of apps. You can instantly deploy monolithic apps, microservices, stateful or stateless apps, etc.

Accordingly, it supports numerous technologies by default. Aside from Node.js, you can run Ruby, PHP, Python, Java, Golang, etc. You can also set up a bunch of frameworks, as well as databases like PostgreSQL, MongoDB, InfluxDB, MySQL, and plenty of other tools.

Platform.sh also strives to help multiple developers cooperate. Apart from the Git integration, you can instantly copy your Node.js apps into multiple staging environments. This way, developers can test different changes without interfering with each other.

Each environment is secured with SSL encryption and features powerful access control. This way, no one unauthorized can access your data.

You can easily deploy changes to your production environment once you’re ready.

The technical team handles updates, security, backups, and database management.

Platform.sh is an excellent choice for developers. The features are especially useful if you want an entire team (or teams) to easily cooperate on projects. All in all, it’s one of the best Node hosting providers out there.

Support

Support is available 24/7.

Technical support is excellent, but Platform.sh is for more experienced users. The technical team will make sure everything is working correctly. You’ll have to refer to the documentation if you need help using the platform, though.

Luckily, the knowledge base has quite a few guides on getting around the platform. You can find all the necessary info there.

Around the Web

Platform.sh gets positive reactions from developers. Most say the project configuration takes a bit of getting used to, but the overall hosting service is excellent.

A few users did complain the support doesn’t help with all issues. It’s true, since Platform.sh targets experienced developers and organizations. If you need a provider that offers extra help along the way, you should look into one of the previous Node.js web hosting providers.

Pros:

• Partnered with multiple cloud computing providers
• Excellent features for developers
• Easy deployment
• Free trial

Cons:

• Limited support jurisdiction
• Not designed for complete beginners

Verdict

Platform.sh provides an excellent… well, platform, for developers that want to easily deploy apps, test new code, or run multiple technologies. It’s a fantastic choice for technical users or organizations with IT teams.

10. What Is Node.js

Node.js is a runtime environment for JavaScript. If you’ve tried hosting Node.js apps, you probably know most of this. However, beginners are usually a bit confused as to what Node actually does and how it differs from other backend technologies.

Let’s start with JavaScript and see how Node factors in.

In the Beginning, There Was JavaScript

If you’re unfamiliar with it, JavaScript is a programming language typically used to add functions to a web page. It’s omnipresent on the web, and pretty much necessary to build web pages. All pages on WebsiteHostingReview.org use it, and you’d be hard-pressed to find any website that doesn’t.

However, JavaScript can’t really do much on its own. I could send you a full script, but computers aren’t equipped to run it by default.

To actually make JavaScript work, you need a browser. Each browser has a runtime engine that lets it execute JS code and present you with a nice, functional web page.

And delivering JavaScript to the client’s browser was the only way you could execute it till 2009. It was exclusively a frontend language.

How Node.js Changed Things

Enter Node.js.

Node is something like an adapted version of Google Chrome’s V8 engine. You can install on a server and execute JavaScript in the backend. If you deploy a Node.js app to a server, you’re actually writing a website backend with JavaScript.

Most people might wonder why you’d introduce a new way of writing backend code. After all, many programming languages already perform the same functions. Moreover, some, like Java or PHP, had massive libraries and were tried and tested before Node.js showed up.

You can read about this in more detail in the next section, but Node.js basically helps the backend get out of its own way when retrieving or writing data. Other languages typically waste some server resources performing I/O operations, while JavaScript doesn’t have that problem.

The end goal is to create a much leaner and faster backend, which means you spend less money on hosting—and who doesn’t want that?

So, let’s cover when you should go for Node.js hosting.

What Node.js Is (and Isn’t) Good for

Using Node.js to write I/O-heavy apps is a logical choice. It is blazing-fast here, and many companies have easily halved resource consumption just by going from Java or other languages to Node.js.

Node.js is also awesome for building real-time applications. Almost everyone is familiar with messenger apps, which are the perfect example. These feature frequent data transfer between multiple devices, but there’s little data processing involved. The server mostly deals with receiving and sending data.

Another function where Node.js excels is streaming. Most people think about video or audio streaming, but it can really be any type of data.

Building any sort of dashboard for real-time system monitoring is also a breeze with Node.js. It’s just another example of an app that’s heavy on the I/O and easy on the CPU.

There are plenty more reasons to host Node apps, but you’re most likely to run into or use the ones above.

Of course, Node.js isn’t a perfect solution. There are situations where it’s better to use another language.

A thing to understand about Node is that it’s meant to help in cases where heavy I/O is bottlenecking the CPU. If you want to run a CPU-intensive app, you’re missing out on the advantages of Node. What’s more, this can actually reverse the whole thing, and your CPU can become the bottleneck for the entire system.

That’s really the gist of it. If you are running something CPU-heavy, like an image editing app, Node.js can do more harm than good. In such cases, it’s better to go with a multi-threaded system.

Otherwise, Node.js server hosting can be a gamechanger for your apps.

If you’d like to know more about the nitty-gritty of how Node.js works, read on.

11. How Node.js Works

If you have some experience with Node.js, you’re most likely familiar with the single-threaded event loop and how it works. It can be a bit confusing for most users, though, even those with JavaScript experience.

Let’s start with the traditional model and then explain how hosting Node.js apps changes things. Most web applications feature a multi-threaded request-response architecture, so it’s the standard out there.

Traditionally, a client makes a request to the server. The server then spawns a thread and reserves server resources to process the request as well as the response. The resources remain reserved until the response is processed.

A common problem here is that the CPU can do its part really quickly. However, it takes the API much longer to write or read data from the server memory. So, the CPU and RAM allocated to the thread are just sitting there until they can process the response to the client.

Think about it this way. Imagine you’re running a coffee shop. Any time a customer comes in, a waiter takes their order, waits for the barista to make the coffee, then takes it to the customer. Pretty simple.

But let’s say multiple customers come in at the same time. Either they would have to wait an inordinate amount of time, or you’d hire multiple waiters (spawn multiple threads). Still, this doesn’t solve the problem of having a bunch of idle waiters while coffee is being made.

Why wouldn’t a waiter go around taking orders until the coffee for the first customer is ready? You could have one waiter serving dozens of customers at a time.

As you can probably guess, this is where running (and hosting) Node.js applications changes. Instead of having multiple threads waiting for the API, all CPU and RAM are fully available to a single tread.

It all goes toward processing requests and responses. If the API needs time to, let’s say, retrieve something from the database, the processor schedules a callback and continues processing other requests. Once the data is ready, the application can go back and process the response.

This way, you can have thousands of requests processed on a single thread. Since you’re using full CPU and RAM capacity without wasting any of it, you can process requests much faster. 

Now, this is a gross oversimplification. There are lots of technical details that allow Node.js to work like that. Still, this is the gist of how it works differently from other backend technologies.

12. What to Consider when Looking for a Node.js host?

A few factors go into consideration when picking the best Node.js hosting provider. 

Will Node.js Hosting Work for Your Application?

Node.js is an excellent tool and is a godsend for many websites. Still, it’s no panacea for all web hosting ills. While it improves some apps, it can break others.

You can see from the previous section why Node.js works well for data-heavy apps.

When visitors make requests that require I/O operations, it tends to slow down traditional apps. Node.js can process thousands of requests without reserving gigabytes of RAM until server-side web API comes through. In other words, it’s perfect if heavy I/O is bottlenecking your processor.

It’s less than perfect if you want to build a CPU-heavy app.

If you have to do heavy processing for numerous clients on only one thread, your CPU actually becomes the bottleneck. Sure, the first few clients in the queue will get their responses quickly enough. The rest will have to wait a long time, though, and that’s something you can’t have on the web.

Multi-threaded apps handle heavy processing much better.

In short, whether you need web hosting for Node.js or another technology depends on the web application you want to build

Will Node.js Work for You as a Developer?

Many developers are attracted to Node.js because it uses JavaScript code.

You can’t really blame them. JavaScript is probably the most popular programming language. Also, building an entire application is a single language is undeniably attractive. You don’t have to know multiple languages, cooperation between developers is easier, everything integrates well—the benefits go on and on.

However, a common pitfall is assuming writing JavaScript for the frontend and the backend is the same.

Yes, it’s easier to learn Node.js if you’ve used JavaScript before. That said, there are a lot of peculiarities about writing JavaScript for the backend, like creating custom events. Plus, it takes time to get the hang of all the tools in the Node Package Manager.

This is not meant to discourage you. It’s just important to know there’s more to it than finding the right Node.js server host, even if you’re proficient in JavaScript.

Still, you’ll probably find it a lot easier to learn Node than other languages. Being familiar with the key concepts of backend web development is also a great help.

Of course, this doesn’t apply if you’ll have the website built for you. In such cases, you should definitely consult your developer and see if Node.js the best solution.

So, if you have the time to commit to Node.js, let’s get into actually picking the provider.

Shared, VPS, or Cloud?

Many Node.js devs start with a blank, unmanaged Node VPS and build everything from the ground up. 

This can be pretty daunting if you’re starting out. A managed solution can reduce your workload, as well as be something to fall back to if you find yourself in a pinch.

While a few solid shared hosting options exist, these are generally limited for running Node.js.

One reason is that shared hosting usually entails somewhat limited resources.

A more significant factor is that shared hosting can be restrictive when it comes to supported technologies. Any change to the server affects all shared users, so hosts have to be selective about what they allow. For instance, it’s pretty much impossible to run MongoDB with shared hosting, even though it’s a popular database program for Node.js users.

Still, if you can find the right fit, shared plans can be an inexpensive way to get started or just do some testing.

Node.js VPS hosting plans are usually much more suitable. These servers are usually fully customizable, so you can run whatever technologies you need. Additionally, they offer more resources, while staying relatively inexpensive. In essence, VPS is a perfect midrange option for Node.js.

Many Node.js developers have taken a liking to the cloud, and cloud hosts have responded. Dozens of cloud hosting providers offer a multitude of Node.js-optimized platforms.

Fully customizable, cloud solutions add unmatched reliability and durability. Plus, these solutions are insanely scalable, ensuring you don’t waste resources, which is what Node.js is all about. If you want a powerful platform for a powerful app, Node.js cloud hosting can provide.

Other Factors

Once you pick the type of hosting, here are a few things you’ll want in a hosting provider:

• Reliability—Even a minute of downtime can be harmful. Look for hosts that provide an uptime guarantee and have the infrastructure to follow through.
• High performance—Speed is one of the main advantages of Node.js. A slow provider simply negates this.
• Security—This one’s self-explanatory. Having tight security is essential if you care about the future of your products.
• Powerful features—Some platforms are more robust than others. Node users will typically want a Node hosting provider with an array of features that make web development easier.
• Affordability—Reducing hosting expenses is another advantage of Node.js. Going with a reasonably priced provider is a no-brainer, as long as you’re still getting everything you need.
• Efficient tech support—Getting proper assistance is always important. Expert support can be a great asset in a pinch.
• Transparency—This one’s a bit harder to quantify. If you find out a provider is hiding some shady policies, there’re probably even more things it’s sweeping under the rug.
• Good reputation—This ties in with the previous point. A spotless reputation is difficult to maintain, and you can be sure a company that has one will provide an excellent service.

I’ll be the first to say it, finding a host with all those qualities can take some work. If you need a place to start, you can check out the Node.js reviews above. They include shared, VPS, and cloud hosts meeting those standards.

13. FAQ

Q: Is Node.js a backend technology?

A: Node.js is a runtime environment.

Think of it this way—you can have a webpage with JavaScript code on your computer, or on a server, or wherever. Still, it doesn’t do anything by itself. You need to open it in a browser to make it work as intended.

Node.js works similarly to a browser’s runtime engine. It lets you deploy JavaScript code outside the browser, which has various advantages.

To answer your question—yes, if you host Node, you’ll most likely use it for server-side scripting. However, it has other applications. Hell, you can even use Node.js to program a robot.

Q: Is Node.js better than Java?

A: You’ll rarely see one-size-fits-all solutions in tech. The best technology is usually the one that solves a particular problem, and that’s the case with Node JS and Java.

Both have a lot of different uses—Java especially. I’ll just assume you want to know about using them in the server backend.

The functionality and ease of use of both solutions could be debated. The most significant factor, though, is whether you want to code a CPU or I/O-intensive app.

So, if you want to build something requiring a lot of processing power, Java will typically handle it a lot better. Node.js has some features to help it here, but running CPU-heavy apps is not its forte.

In turn, I/O intensive apps are much easier to pull off with Node.js. It just makes everything faster and can dramatically reduce resource spending.

The best backend for you depends on what kinds of apps you intend to run.

Q: Does AWS Support Node JS?

A: In essence, yes. You can deploy a Node app in several ways. For instance, you can set up a classic EC2 instance, or you can go the serverless route with AWS Lambda.

The deal with AWS, though, is it only provides the infrastructure. You have to manage the rest. It’s tough to handle if you have no experience with the cloud.

An alternative is to find a provider that offers AWS management. This is slightly more expensive than getting resources directly from AWS, but it saves you a bit of effort.

If you’re interested, Platform.sh provides excellent Node.js PaaS solutions built on AWS. You can check out its review above.

Q: What is the difference between Node.js and React.js?

A: The difference is pretty significant, although the names suggest otherwise.

Node.js is a runtime environment for JavaScript. In essence, it lets you code a server backend using JavaScript, which was traditionally a frontend language. You can check out some cool uses for it above.

React.js, on the other hand, is a frontend JavaScript framework. It is used to create user interfaces for single-page applications (i.e., web pages that can dynamically change as a client interacts with them). An example of a function built with React is an emoji search feature.

In short, Node.js lets you code the backend in JavaScript. You need to find a Node.js platform that supports all the technologies you need, though.

React.js, on the other hand, simplifies frontend JavaScript development. It’s also something you can easily enable on your Node.js server.

Q: Where can I host Node.js?

A: That really depends on the app you want to build.

Despite few shared hosts supporting Node.js, there are several good picks if you need a low-end solution. Shared hosting is never fully flexible about the technologies you can use, though, so you need to review the plans beforehand.

VPS is the right starting point for most Node.js developers. It gives you full freedom and usually lots of power while staying affordable.

Cloud hosting has really come into its own over the last few years. If you need a powerful solution, not only can you get a lot of assistance, but also save quite a bit of money.

We’ve selected the best of the best above. Check out the reviews and see which Node.js hosting company works for you. 

The post These Are the 9 Ultimate Node.js Hosting Providers—Comprehensive Reviews appeared first on Website Hosting Review.