Experiences on free and low-cost hosting for play framework applications?

Question

I'd like to know your experience finding a host for play applications on free or low-cost servers

So far now I found the following options:

• Playapps (discontinued)

  A cloud hosting solution by zenexity, the company behind play framework
  module: http://www.playframework.org/modules/playapps-1.4/home
  princing: http://www.playapps.net/pricing

• Google Application Engine

  module: http://www.playframework.org/modules/gae-1.4/home
  cons: can't use mysql, should not use JPA
  Instead of JPA it is advised to use siena
  http://www.playframework.org/modules/siena-2.0.0/home

  nice example: http://viralpatel.net/blogs/2011/01/first-play-framework-gae-siena-application-tutorial-example.html

• Cloudbees

  module: http://www.playframework.org/modules/cloudbees
  floss: http://www.cloudbees.com/foss/
  tutorial: http://wiki.cloudbees.com/bin/view/RUN/Playframework

• dotCloud

  module: http://www.playframework.org/modules/cloudbees
  princing: https://www.dotcloud.com/pricing/
  (there's a free plan with 10MB db)

• AWS - Amazon Web Services

  pricing: http://aws.amazon.com/en/ec2/#pricing
  pricing: http://aws.amazon.com/en/elasticbeanstalk/#pricing
  samples:
  http://www.ibm.com/developerworks/java/library/j-javadev2-19/index.html
  http://www.ibm.com/developerworks/java/library/j-javadev2-16/index.html

• Heroku for play!

  princing: http://blog.heroku.com/archives/2011/8/29/play/
  (seems like you get 1 web dyno + 5mb postresql dabate for free)
  sample: http://devcenter.heroku.com/articles/play

Do you have any experience with one of these?

Any other option you know?

Answer 1

I had a bad experience with GAE, as you are forced to work with their API for many things, some components don't work as GAE blacklists some package they require, etc. Also, moving from GAE to another platform can be painful.

Amazon can get expensive depending on the resources you use. I don't know about the others.

The standard option would be Playapps.net, the basic plan is cheap and it provides everything you might need.

Another alternative is to pick a cheap Linode and set it up yourself. It's a bit more expensive and more work, but better value for the bucks.