# Where to host a vibe-coded app so it stays private > Source: > Published: 2026-09-09 12:00:00+00:00 [Blog](https://oncroft.net/blog/) · September 10, 2026 · Rich Chetwynd # Where to host a vibe-coded app so it stays private You built an internal app with Cursor or Claude. Public hosts put a URL on the internet. Here is what private hosting actually means, and when Croft fits. ## Quick answer If the app is for your team, not the public internet, do not put it on a public deploy host and hope a password field is enough. You want a **private server**, **company login in front of every app**, and **access you grant by person**. That is what Croft is for. ## What people mean by “host a vibe-coded app” Vibe coding is building software by chatting with an AI assistant. Cursor, Claude, ChatGPT, and Grok can all produce a working app in an afternoon. The hard part is the next step: where does it live? Most guides answer that with a public platform or a DIY VPS: - **Public hosts** (Vercel, Replit, Lovable-style deploy) give you a live URL anyone can open unless you build and maintain login yourself. - **A raw VPS** (nginx, Docker, Let’s Encrypt) keeps the box yours, but you own auth, backups, SSL renewals, and every next app. Neither matches the job most small businesses have: a roster, a stocktake, or a quotes tool for *their people*. ## Private hosting vs a public URL | Need | Public host | DIY VPS | Croft | |---|---|---|---| | Live URL for your team | Yes, if you add auth | Yes, if you wire auth | Yes, login is the platform | | Company login / SSO | You build it | You build it | Built in | | Who can open which app | You build it | You build it | You grant per app | | Database and backups | Extra services | You run them | Included | | AI can deploy updates | Sometimes | Manual or DIY | Cursor / Claude over MCP | ## When a public host is the wrong answer Use a public host when the product is meant for customers on the open internet. Do **not** use one when: - The data is staff schedules, margins, customer notes, or inventory - Users should sign in as themselves, not share one password - Someone leaving the company must lose access the same day - You do not want every new AI-built app to reinvent login Those are internal apps. They need a gate in front of the code, not a login page the model might forget. ## What private hosting for vibe coding should include 1. **Login before the app runs.** The app should not contain a fragile auth page. The host checks identity first. 2. **One place to invite people.** Add staff once; they reach every app you allow. 3. **A real database on your server.** The roster lives in the app, not in a chat transcript. 4. **Deploy from the assistant you already use.** Point Cursor or Claude at the host over MCP and keep iterating. 5. **Rollback.** A bad AI change should be one click to undo. ## How Croft does that Croft is opinionated hosting for vibe-coded internal apps. You get a private server with your name on it. Every app sits behind company login. Connectors hold API keys so secrets stay out of the code. Point [Cursor](https://oncroft.net/connect/cursor/), [Claude](https://oncroft.net/connect/claude/), or [ChatGPT](https://oncroft.net/connect/chatgpt/) at your croft, or use [Croft Build](https://oncroft.net/build/) if you do not want to connect an assistant yet. If you already built something in Cursor, start here: [Host a Cursor app behind company login](https://oncroft.net/host-cursor-app/). ## FAQ ### Can I just put a password on a Vercel app? You can, but you are still responsible for building and maintaining that auth, and a public host is designed for public traffic. For team tools, platform-level login is safer than hoping each AI-built app gets auth right. ### Is a VPS private enough? A VPS can be private, but privacy is not the same as access control. Without SSO, invite lists, and per-app grants, you still have a box anyone with the URL or a leaked key can reach. Croft is for people who do not want that project. ### Who is this for? The person who knows the work - roster, stocktake, quotes - and can now build the app with AI. Not an IT buyer assembling an internal developer platform, and not a founder shipping a public SaaS. ### How much does Croft cost? Solo from $24/month on annual billing, Team $99/month on annual. 7-day free trial, no card to start. ## Stake out your croft. Your team's first app could be live before lunch. [Get your croft](https://app.oncroft.net/signup) 7 days free, no card to start. From $24/month - cancel anytime and take everything with you.