Building and hosting web applications with the MEAN (MongoDB, Express, Angular, Node.js) technology stack has become extremely popular given the flexibility, scalability and high performance it provides. However, finding a MEAN-optimized hosting platform that meets your infrastructure needs can still be challenging.
In this comprehensive guide, we evaluate the top 5 MEAN hosting providers across key criteria like performance, scalability, ease of use and pricing models to help you determine the best fit for hosting your MEAN apps.
Overview of MEAN Stack
Before diving into the hosting discussion, let‘s briefly understand what MEAN entails:
MongoDB – A popular NoSQL database that stores data in flexible JSON-like documents
Express – A minimalist web application framework for Node.js that simplifies development
Angular – A TypeScript-based front-end framework for building scalable single-page web applications
Node.js – An asynchronous event-driven JavaScript runtime environment that executes JavaScript code outside a browser
The MEAN stack combines these technologies to provide an end-to-end JavaScript-based solution for rapidly building dynamic web apps. Developers can use one language (JavaScript) across front-end, backend, database which drastically simplifies and speeds up web development.
Some popular sites leveraging MEAN stack include:
- Netflix – media streaming platform
- Uber – ride sharing app
- Adguard – ad blocking service
- Coursera – global eLearning platform
Now let‘s evaluate top MEAN hosting providers for deploying your apps.
#1: Atlas by MongoDB
As MongoDB is an integral part of the MEAN architecture, Atlas is purpose-built for hosting and managing MongoDB databases together with other MEAN components.
Here are some key features that make Atlas a top contender:
- Auto-scales MongoDB clusters to meet application demands
- Delivers high availability with multi-region clusters
- Enhances performance via global data distribution
- Provides native security, access control and data encryption
- Delivers enterprise-grade MongoDB while fully handling upgrades, scaling, backups etc.
- Integrates well Across AWS, Google Cloud, Azure data centers
- Free tier available for testing, production plans start at $0.09/hour
Atlas streamlines MEAN stack hosting by providing fully managed MongoDB alongside monitoring, security, and automation capabilities scaled for the cloud. Their expertise in MongoDB administration makes it a go-to for production MEAN workloads.
Key Pros
- All-in-one MEAN hosting solution
- Enterprise-grade MongoDB database management
- Built-in auto scaling, security, and data distribution
Cons
- Can get more expensive for larger workloads vs DIY infrastructure
Best For
Atlas is ideal for developers seeking a fully integrated hosting environment purpose-built for the MEAN stack. The automated provisioning and native MEAN capabilities make it perfect for teams looking to minimize server admin overhead.
#2 DigitalOcean App Platform
DigitalOcean App Platform simplifies deploying and scaling web apps without managing underlying infrastructure.
It provides preconfigured LEMP stack out of the box while effortlessly integrating other components like MongoDB, Redis etc. needed for MEAN.
Here are the notable features provided:
- 1-click MEAN app deployment with Node.js and MongoDB
- Built-in load balancing, health monitoring, error tracking
- Auto scaling of containers based on traffic spikes
- CDN for faster content delivery
- IP whitelisting, custom firewall rules
- Integrates CI/CD tools like GitHub, Docker Hub etc.
- Starting at $0.047/hour per container
It takes care of infrastructure maintenance like OS updates, security patching, monitoring so developers can solely focus on the application code.
Key Pros
- Fully managed hosting platform
- Auto-scales containerized apps
- DevOps capabilities for modern web apps
Cons
- Less flexibility vs setting up own servers
- Must rebuild app if customizing base Docker image
Best For
DigitalOcean App Platform empowers developers to launch MEAN apps without complexities of orchestrating servers, scaling, patching, etc. It’s geared for Lean teams looking for speed and simplicity when hosting modern JavaScript web apps.
#3: Heroku
Heroku is a renowned platform focused on enhancing developer productivity. It streamlines deploying, running and scaling MEAN apps without worrying about infrastructure.
Here are some standout features:
- Polyglot – supports Ruby, Java, Python, PHP, Javascript etc.
- Add-ons marketplace for MongoDB, Redis, Kafka and 100+ more services
- CLI and Git-based deployment for faster coding
- Auto scaling of dynos to meet traffic demands
- Smooth AWS, GitHub, Salesforce integration
- Plans start free for testing, paid plans at $25/month
Heroku simplifies MEAN app deployment, while effortlessly integrating other add-ons like databases, monitoring tools, CDN etc. It’s ecosystem of third-party add-ons makes it extensible for diverse needs.
Key Pros
- Rapid deployment workflow
- Seamless third-party add-ons integration
- Proven scalability for large workloads
Cons
- Can get more complex with larger apps
- Add-ons can spike costs compared to standalone tools
Best For
Heroku shines where developer productivity is paramount. The convenience of deployment and hosting makes it suitable for lean dev teams looking to launch and iterate on MEAN apps rapidly.
#4: AWS Elastic Beanstalk
AWS Elastic Beanstalk simplifies deploying and scaling web apps and services on AWS infrastructure.
It provisions underlying compute, storage, networking needed to run MEAN while handling capacity provisioning, load balancing, auto scaling and application health monitoring.
Some key aspects:
- Quickly deploy Node.js apps with MongoDB backend
- Scale up/down capacity based on custom CloudWatch metrics
- Blue/green deployments to minimize app downtime
- Granular access controls via IAM roles
- CLI & APIs provided for automation
- Broad AWS ecosystem integration
- Pay only for the AWS resources consumed
Elastic Beanstalk reduces the DevOps overhead of assessing, deploying, and tuning infrastructure for MEAN applications. The ability to leverage other AWS managed services is also a significant advantage.
Key Pros
- Rapid deployment on proven AWS infrastructure
- Deep integration with other AWS services
- Fine-grained access control capabilities
Cons
- Higher complexity for larger deployments
- Not ideal for non AWS-based apps
Best For
Elastic Beanstalk suits developers already leveraging AWS and wanting simplified MEAN deployment without sacrificing access to other AWS products like RDS, S3 etc.
#5: Google App Engine
Google App Engine offers fully managed application hosting on Google Cloud infrastructure.
It scales Node.js apps automatically while handling patching, updates, monitoring which accelerates development.
Some highlighting capabilities:
- Managed VMs for hosting Node.js apps on Google Compute Engine
- NoOps administration and infrastructure management
- Auto scaling modules based on traffic demands
- Integrated Cloud Firestore or MongoDB database options
- Granular role-based access control
- Global scaling and distribution via 160+ edge locations
- Free tier for testing, flexible paid plans
App Engine removes infrastructure management burdens and delivers enterprise-grade performance, security and scalability out of the box.
Key Pros
- Smooth integration with Google Cloud Platform
- Rapid deployment workflow
- Enterprise-grade infrastructure and support
Cons
- Steeper learning curve than other PaaS
- Most beneficial only on Google Cloud
Best For
App Engine works best for teams leveraging Google Cloud Platform who want simplified MEAN deployment together with other GCP services like BigQuery, VPCs, Pub/Sub etc.
Evaluating Across Providers
| Atlas | DigitalOcean | Heroku | AWS Elastic Beanstalk | Google App Engine | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Infrastructure | Fully Managed | Fully Managed | Fully Managed | Partially Managed | Fully Managed |
| Auto Scaling | Yes | Yes | Yes | Custom via CLI/API | Yes |
| Security | Enterprise-grade | Configurable via firewall | Third-party add-ons | IAM, Security Groups | Role-based Access Controls |
| MongoDB Integration | Seamless | Self-installed | Add-on | Self-installed | Add-on |
| Learning Curve | Low | Moderate | Low | Moderate | High |
| Support Options | 24/7 Support | 24/7 Support + Community forums | 24/7 Support + Active community | Business & Enterprise Support Plans | 24/7 for paying accounts |
| Starting Price | Free Tier Available | $0.047/hour | Free plan available | Pay only for AWS resources used | Free Tier Available |
Best Practices for MEAN Hosting & Deployment
Once you’ve zeroed in on a hosting provider, here are some tips forsecure and optimized app deployment:
- Use private GitHub repos – Don‘t expose database credentials and API keys in public repositories
- Enable 2FA everywhere – Add two factor authentication across hosting provider, databases, email etc.
- Monitor app performance – Track metrics like response time, error rates to catch problems
- Add caching – Use Redis/Memcached to reduce database load
- Use a CDN – Improve content delivery speed by serving static assets via CDN
- Setup SSL – Enforce secure HTTPS connectivity to protect data
- Restrict database access – Only allow app servers to directly access DB, not public internet
The above tips will help boost security, performance and availability of MEAN apps irrespective of hosting provider.
Conclusion – Find the Best Fit for Your Needs
Hosting and managing all components of MEAN stack can be complex to undertake on your own. The platforms discussed above can greatly simplify deployment by delivering MEAN infrastructure, automation and administration out of the box.
However, evaluate each based on your unique requirements around performance, scalability, pricing, developer productivity etc. before zeroing in. For smaller apps, Heroku provides the best convenience while Atlas is purpose-built if you just need managed MongoDB. Larger enterprises might benefit more from Elastic Beanstalk or App Engine‘s enterprise-grade capabilities and support.
I hope this guide gives you clarity for making the hosting decision most suited to your MEAN application and team. Feel free to reach out in comments below if you need any additional details as you embark on building your next web app on MEAN!
