7 Best Subversion (SVN) Hosting Services (Feb. 2024)

Apache Subversion has been around since 2000 and still thrives in certain environments, even with the emergence of newer version control systems, such as Git. Unlike Git, and many other VCSes, the catch with this open-source version control tool is that you must have internet access and work directly with the server.

Your choice of server and the hosting service will also influence SVN’s performance. That’s our focus today — choosing the best Subversion hosting services. Here are my top picks.

Kamatera is a reliable cloud hosting provider and a go-to SVN host for many web developers and system administrators. This host offers enterprise-grade hosting infrastructure at affordable pricing, which is rare in the web hosting realm.

The unlimited scaling makes Kamatera the perfect choice for large projects (or those expected to grow over time). Since you have so much room to play with in terms of storage, bandwidth, and even memory, you won’t have to worry about switching hosts a few months into your project.

IONOS is the hosting you need if you’re looking for a powerful environment at a reasonable price. This cloud hosting provider supports a wide range of applications and software, including SVN.

Even better, IONOS helps you set up the perfect hosting environment to run SVN, that is, if you don’t know where to start. You can set the processing power (CPU), memory, and the amount of storage you’ll need to run Subversion on the server. Speaking of affordability, IONOS allows you to choose a flexible billing system, from hourly to monthly, with no extra charges.

No one loves working with a slow server. No matter how efficient SVN is, you need a server that makes your work even easier. That’s where A2 Hosting, the self-proclaimed “king of speed,” comes in.

This Subversion server host offers speeds of up to 20 times faster than its competitors, comes with Subversion pre-installed, and also hosts tons of other developer-friendly features. As a result, the plug-and-play solution allows you to head straight into working on your SVN project right after choosing your preferred hosting plan and signing up.

Hostinger supports Subversion, but it doesn’t come pre-installed. You’ll need to sign up for a hosting package and then manually install this software with a few clicks of a button.

The seamless installation process aside, this host has a reputation for being affordable and highly dependable. On top of that, it’s also one of the most generous web hosts I’ve seen. It offers unlimited free SSL certificates to protect your SVN files, unlimited bandwidth (perfect for a sizable project), a free domain, and more.

InterServer is a powerful and beginner-friendly host, the ideal choice for anyone getting started with SVN. Here, you’ll find unlimited support via phone, live chat, or ticket system, speed-optimized servers, and an easy-to-use control panel.

This host offers a 99.9% uptime guarantee, exactly what your SVN project needs to stay up there in the cloud uninterrupted. Also, since this platform supports more than 400 different cloud applications and software, you won’t have to worry about compatibility issues when working on your project.

Assembla claims to host more SVN repositories than any other company. As you ponder on that bold claim, wait till you find out that the company also claims to have more on-staff expertise than your favorite web host.

A quick look at Assembla’s features will leave you convinced that this host is not all bark with no bite. For context, it offers a powerful ecosystem of SVN applications, allowing you to conduct comprehensive code review, search repositories, and look up version files on mobile, web application, or desktop from any location. Add that to the 99.99% uptime guarantee and top-notch security for mission-critical code, and all these bold claims will begin to make sense.

Perforce offers SVN hosting through Helix TeamHub, an intuitive, user-friendly, and artifact repository management platform. This platform also offers built-in support for Git, Maven, Mercurial, and more.

In addition, Perforce backs up files on a daily basis and offers a 99.99% uptime guarantee. That’s not all — you’ll get free SVN hosting for up to five users and one gigabyte of data, suitable for setting up a testing environment.

Subversion hosting, or simply SVN hosting, is a service that provides online storage and management for version control of files, particularly useful in software development. With this type of hosting, multiple SVN users can collaborate on the same files, track changes over time, and revert to previous file versions if need be.

This service works best for teams working on complex projects, where tracking every change and maintaining file system integrity is important. Take, for example, a mobile application. Since such an application usually has many different features, from user authentication and live chat to the payment gateway, SVN makes collaboration between application developers easier.

It also helps them track changes by showing who did what and when they did it. The end result is an efficient work environment and a more defined approach to building complex projects.

Yes, some web hosts, like Perforce, offer free Subversion hosting. However, keep in mind that you’ll likely have some restrictions when you choose the free version.

For instance, Perforce’s free plan only works for five users and offers up to one gigabyte worth of storage space. That’s not enough for a large team or SVN repository. When it comes to hosting a project for a client or for work, it’s worth it to pay a few extra dollars each month for a quality hosting plan.

Free hosting is best for test projects and students, where limited customization and features aren’t a deal breaker.

Subversion isn’t dead, as some developers would want you to believe. Yes, it’s been around for quite a while, and many other newer version control systems, most notably Git, have entered the scene.

That said, it’s still relevant in certain scenarios, largely due to its linear approach to version control, which is particularly advantageous in certain project environments. Enterprises with large binary files or those needing a centralized version control system repository can benefit from using SVN because, unlike Git, the former allows you to check out a part of the Subversion repository rather than the entire history.

This alone can be beneficial for large-scale projects with massive amounts of data. It also reduces the local overhead on each developer’s machine.

In addition, SVN is way simpler and more straightforward than Git. And in industries where regulatory compliance and detailed change tracking are essential, its centralized version control structure makes it easier to track changes.

Hosting an SVN server isn’t difficult when you sign up for a host that comes with it pre-installed. We recommend this option because it will save you time and the hassle of installing it yourself. A2 Hosting, for example, pre-installs subversion on its servers, so you can hit the ground running.

Other hosts, like Hostinger, may require manual installation through the terminal or an SVN GUI (Graphical User Interface), such as SmartSVN. Using a GUI is more user-friendly because it only requires clicking and dragging elements to install SVN.

However, you can also install SVN through the terminal. This process isn’t usually difficult, but you do need some technical knowledge to execute the right terminal commands.

To begin SVN installation in the terminal, run the command:

sudo apt-get install subversion -y

You can check to make sure it worked by typing:

svn –version

If your installation is successful, the terminal will return your SVN version.

Before we look at the best SVN server for Windows, keep in mind that the right choice depends on your specific needs, such as the size of your team, the complexity of your projects, and your preferences for additional features like integration with other tools.

That said, VisualSVN Server is easy to install and use, making it a great choice for SVN beginners. It offers a user-friendly management console and integrates seamlessly with Windows environments.

Other worthy contenders include Apache SVN, CollabNet, and Assembla.

Subversion is still relevant today despite the rise of other version control systems. But what some people don’t realize is that a good web host can help unlock the true potential of this open-source project management tool, or any other version control system for that matter.

It’s like having macaroni without cheese or rims without tires. One is pretty much useless without the other. These partnerships help bring the best out of each other, and that’s what you get when you combine SVN with a great host.

Now that you know where to start in your search for the best SVN host, you can now make the final commitment by signing up for a hosting package that fits your budget and preferences.