ranx.cloud vs Elestio
Last checked · Managed open-source apps, each on its own VM at a cloud you pick
Elestio and ranx.cloud are both managed: neither asks you to install or patch the app yourself. Elestio puts each service on a dedicated VM at a cloud provider you choose, with root SSH access and a very large catalog, and its 2 vCPU / 4 GB Hetzner VM costs less than our Pro plan. ranx.cloud is narrower: a handful of agent apps on Google Cloud, signed in with your ranx.cloud account instead of an app password, on a flat monthly subscription. If you want a choice of cloud, root access or the lowest price for the size, Elestio fits better.
Side by side
Price row: Elestio's dedicated 2 vCPU / 4 GB Hetzner VM against our Pro plan, the smallest with 2 vCPU, 4 GiB and backups. Numbers in brackets point to the sources below.
| Topic | ranx.cloud | Elestio |
|---|---|---|
| Who runs the server and app | Managed. We install, configure and run the app with health checks, memory sized for it, and harden its container where the app allows (non-root, seccomp, read-only root). There is no server or OS for you to look after, and no root or SSH access. details | Managed. Elestio states it handles installation, configuration, security, backups, monitoring, and software and OS updates. Root SSH access to the VM is included.[1][2] |
| Getting started | Pick an app, a name and a plan in the browser. The instance starts in a couple of minutes. details | Pick an app, then a cloud provider and size, in Elestio's dashboard.[1][2] |
| HTTPS and address | Included: your own subdomain, name.ranx.cloud, over HTTPS. Custom domains are not offered. details | Automatic TLS certificates (Let's Encrypt, auto-renewed). Custom domains are supported.[1][2] |
| Signing in to the app | Your ranx.cloud account (email or Google) sits in front of the app. No separate app password; OpenClaw's device pairing and n8n's owner login are handled for you. details | The app's own login. Elestio generates the app's password for you.[3] |
| Backups | Pro and Power: daily, the last 7 kept, restore from the dashboard. Hobby and Starter have none. Backups are not off-site. details | Daily automated backups, encrypted and off-site, with one-click restore.[2] |
| Encryption keys | Per-instance Cloud KMS key. The instance's disk and backups are encrypted with a key of its own, destroyed when you delete the instance. details | Lists encryption as part of the managed service, encrypted backups and encrypted private networking. Per-customer or customer-managed disk keys are not mentioned.[1][2] |
| Isolation | Its own container, Kubernetes namespace and disk. A network policy lets only our gateway reach it, and the pod holds no Kubernetes credentials. details | A dedicated VM per service, not a shared one.[1][2] |
| Infrastructure | Google Cloud, on Google Kubernetes Engine (GKE). details | Your choice of cloud: Hetzner, DigitalOcean, AWS Lightsail, Linode, Vultr, Scaleway, Azure, OVHcloud and others, or your own VM.[1] |
| Price for a comparable plan | Pro: $29 a month, billed monthly. 2 shared vCPU · 4 GiB memory · 25 GiB disk. details | $17 a month for a dedicated 2 vCPU, 4 GB RAM, 40 GB SSD VM on Hetzner, as listed. Billed hourly from prepaid credit; a powered-off service is still billed until deleted. OpenClaw is listed from $16 a month.[2][4][1] |
| Trial | 7 days free on every plan. A card is required at checkout. details | A free 3-day trial.[2] |
Where Elestio is the better fit
- A 2 vCPU / 4 GB VM on Hetzner is listed at $17 a month, less than our Pro plan at a similar size.[2]
- Each service gets a dedicated VM, with full root SSH access.[2][1]
- You choose the cloud provider (Hetzner, DigitalOcean, AWS Lightsail, Vultr, Linode, Scaleway, Azure, OVHcloud and others) or bring your own VM.[1]
- Backups are sent off-site; ours stay with the instance.[2][1]
- Custom domains, and a far larger catalog of open-source apps.[1][3]
What ranx.cloud does differently
- Nothing to set up or patch. The app arrives configured for production: health checks, memory sized for it and a hardened container where the app allows. See the apps.
- One login. You sign in to every instance with your ranx.cloud account, Google sign-in included, with no separate app password to keep.
- A key per instance. Per-instance Cloud KMS key. The instance's disk and backups are encrypted with a key of its own, destroyed when you delete the instance. How we protect data.
- Isolated by default. Its own container, Kubernetes namespace and disk. A network policy lets only our gateway reach it, and the pod holds no Kubernetes credentials.
- Flat monthly price per instance. Pro is $29 a month after the free trial, with no limit on workflow executions or agent runs; you pay your LLM provider separately. See pricing.
Sources
- Elestio, OpenClaw, elest.io/open-source/openclaw, checked .
- Elestio, Managed Hetzner, landing.elest.io/managed-hetzner, checked .
- Elestio, n8n managed service features, elest.io/open-source/n8n/resources/managed-service-features, checked .
- Elestio docs, How does Elestio's pricing work, docs.elest.io/books/frequently-asked-questions/page/how-does-elestios-pricing-work, checked .