Your agent wrote the app and it runs on localhost. Nobody else can open it yet. You have three real options: a front-end host, a managed app platform, or a server of your own. Which one fits depends on what the app is, not on which name you have heard most.

This guide is for people who built something with Claude Code, Cursor or a similar tool and have never set up a server.

Pick by what the app is

Static or front-end only

If the app is HTML, CSS and JavaScript with no backend of its own, a static host is enough. Most have a free tier. You do not need a server and you do not need CloudPloy.

Full-stack: a backend, a database, a background job

Once the app has an API, a database or a worker that must stay running, you need somewhere that runs a process all day. That is a managed app platform or your own server.

WordPress and Laravel

Both need PHP, a database and a web server set up the right way. Pick a host that has a preset for them, so you are not configuring that by hand.

The three ways to host it

A front-end host

Good for static sites and front-end frameworks. You push code and get a URL. Check what happens to the bill when traffic grows, and whether your backend can run there at all.

A managed app platform

It runs your backend and database for you. Pricing is usually metered: you pay for what the app uses on top of a plan fee. That is simple at the start. Read the pricing page before launch, because your bill then follows your traffic.

Your own server

A server in your own AWS account, or a VPS from any provider. You pay the provider for the machine and nothing changes when traffic grows until you need a bigger one. Your code, data and secrets sit on a machine you control.

The cost is setup: someone has to install the runtime, build the app, set up HTTPS and deploy new versions without downtime. That used to mean learning DevOps. Now your agent can do it through a deploy tool.

What usually breaks on the first deploy

Apps written by an agent tend to fail in the same few places:

  • Hardcoded localhost URLs. The front end still calls http://localhost:3000. Move the URL into an environment variable.
  • Missing environment variables. Keys in your local .env file are not on the server. Set each one there. Never commit them to the repo.
  • A database file on a disk that gets wiped. SQLite works on your laptop. On some platforms the disk resets on every deploy. Use a real database or a persistent disk.
  • CORS errors. The front end and the API now live on different addresses. Allow the real domain.
  • No HTTPS. Browsers block a lot on plain HTTP. Make sure the host issues a certificate.

Ask your agent to check all five before you deploy. It is good at this when asked.

Let your agent do the deploy

CloudPloy is a deploy tool your agent can use directly. It connects over MCP, the same way agents connect to other tools.

1. Connect the MCP server

In Claude Code:

claude mcp add --transport http cloudploy https://brain.cloudploy.com/mcp

Your browser opens and you sign in. Cursor, ChatGPT and other MCP clients add the same address. See the MCP docs.

2. Add a server

Connect your AWS account or a server you already run over SSH.

3. Ask for the deploy

Tell the agent which repo and which server. CloudPloy builds the app with Nixpacks (Node, Python, Go, Rust, Ruby, Java, PHP and static sites), issues an SSL certificate and switches to the new version with no downtime. The full walkthrough is in How to deploy from Claude Code.

What it costs

CloudPloy has a free plan for one small server and one app. Paid plans are flat: $9.99, $19 or $39 a month, set by how many servers and team seats you need. See pricing. The server itself is billed by your cloud provider at its normal rate.

When CloudPloy is the wrong choice

  • Your app is a static site. Use a static host.
  • You do not want a server at all, not even one that someone else sets up. Use a managed platform and watch the bill.
  • You want to run and modify the deploy platform yourself. Use an open-source tool such as Coolify. We compare the two in CloudPloy vs Coolify.

FAQ

Can I host a vibe-coded app on my own server?

Yes. Any app that runs on your laptop can run on a server, as long as its runtime, environment variables and database are set up there.

Do I need to know DevOps to deploy an app Claude Code wrote?

No. You need a server and a deploy tool the agent can call. You should still understand what the five checks above mean.

Is a front-end host enough for a full-stack app?

Only if every backend piece fits that host’s model. A worker that runs all day or a database usually needs a second service or a server.

Does this work with Cursor and ChatGPT?

Yes. Any MCP client can connect to the same address.

Connect your agent to CloudPloy