12 Leading Companies That Use Ruby on Rails in 2024

Ruby on Rails, often called Rails, was created in 2004 by David Heinemeier Hansson during his work on Basecamp, a project management tool developed by 37signals (now Basecamp). Hansson primarily aimed to streamline the cumbersome and slow web application development process. Having studied business rather than computer science. Hansson simply wanted a more accessible, efficient tool to work with.

He designed Rails with sensible defaults and conventions to reduce the number of decisions developers had to make. By automating repetitive tasks and minimizing boilerplate code, Rails allowed developers to concentrate on writing the unique aspects of their application, significantly boosting productivity.

Rails was built on Ruby, a general-purpose programming language Hansson was deeply fond of. Rails leverages Ruby’s object-oriented nature, expressive syntax, and developer-friendly principles, making it a powerful tool for building web applications, where all code is ultimately Ruby code.

The peak of Ruby on Rails' popularity appears to have been in the mid to late 2000s, shortly after its release in 2004. In 2025, it won the 'Programming Language of the Year' award from Tiobe, but

A few years after its initial release, other competing technologies emerged, gradually declining Rails' relative popularity. Yet, even though it is out of the limelight, RoR still has maintained a stable user base, ranking in the 2024 Stack Overflow Developer Survey. Rails has evolved to remain relevant in modern tech stacks, leading to continued Ruby on Rails adoption in 2024 among both startups and large organizations.

Despite being nearly two decades old, Ruby on Rails holds a firm place in web development, especially for businesses that value speed, simplicity, and reliability. By understanding the framework’s strengths, you’ll see why Ruby on Rails remains a popular and trusted framework for building web applications in 2024.

Boosting Developer Productivity

Framework's "convention over configuration" philosophy reduces decision fatigue for Ruby on Rails developers, allowing them to focus on business logic. Meanwhile, built-in tools accelerate development by automating repetitive tasks. Additionally, Ruby's expressive and concise nature enables developers to write clean, readable code quickly.

Supporting Community and Ecosystem

Rails benefits from a vibrant and supportive community. A vast collection of open-source gems covering a wide range of functionalities is available, and regular updates and maintenance ensure the framework stays current with modern web development practices. Thanks to regular updates and strong documentation, Ruby on Rails usage in 2024 remains high among companies looking for stable, well-documented frameworks.

Driving Simplicity and Convention

The framework's design principles contribute to its ongoing popularity. Rails follows the "Don't Repeat Yourself" (DRY) principle, promoting code reusability and maintainability. The MVC (Model-View-Controller) architecture provides a clear structure for organizing code. Sensible defaults and conventions allow developers to build applications quickly without extensive configuration.

Improving Scalability

Rails has addressed previous scalability concerns. Advancements in Ruby's performance, such as the introduction of JIT (Just-In-Time) compilation, have improved overall speed. The framework now supports features like API-only applications, making it suitable for microservices architectures, and integration with modern front-end frameworks allows for more flexible and scalable application structures. 

Enhancing Security and Reliability

Rails prioritizes security and reliability. Built-in security features protect against common web vulnerabilities like SQL injection and cross-site scripting (XSS), and regular security updates, along with a proactive approach to addressing vulnerabilities, maintain the framework's reputation for reliability. This reliability has made Rails a go-to choice for companies that use Ruby on Rails to handle sensitive data, from fintech startups to healthcare platforms.

In 2024, Ruby on Rails is still a go-to framework across many industries, thanks to its speed, security, and scalability—qualities modern businesses need to stay competitive. Take e-commerce, for instance: platforms like Shopify use Rails to manage high transaction volumes and create flexible, scalable storefronts that can grow with demand. Fintech companies also trust Rails for its robust security features and modular structure, which help them meet tough standards for data protection and regulatory compliance.

In the SaaS world, Rails’ quick development cycles give both startups and established companies an edge, making it easy to roll out user-friendly applications that customers can rely on. Rails shines in the CMS space for content-heavy websites, supporting fast content delivery, easy customization, and impressive scalability—essential qualities for media-rich sites. Finally, in Healthcare, Rails supports secure, compliant application development, facilitating platforms that handle sensitive data, streamline patient management, and enhance telehealth experiences. 

These industries exemplify Rails' adaptability and enduring utility in building reliable, feature-rich applications across diverse business needs.

Ruby on Rails is still going strong in 2024, remaining a go-to framework for companies that need fast, reliable, and scalable solutions. Even with plenty of newer frameworks out there, many top brands continue to bet on Rails, drawn by its mature ecosystem, solid security features, and the support of a lively community. Rails has repeatedly shown that it can handle a wide range of demands—from global e-commerce platforms to social networks and collaborative tools—making it possible for teams to build high-traffic, adaptable applications and roll out updates quickly.

In this chapter, we’ll take a closer look at some of the diverse companies that have made Ruby on Rails their foundation and see how this versatile framework has helped drive their success. Here’s a look at top companies using Ruby on Rails and how they’re leveraging its capabilities:

Shopify is a leading e-commerce platform and one of the most popular Ruby on Rails apps that empowers businesses to create and manage online stores across various sales channels. Founded in 2006, it serves nearly 1 million merchants in approximately 175 countries and provides essential tools for order processing, inventory management, and customer engagement.

Shopify's core platform is built on Ruby on Rails, enabling the company to handle massive traffic and process up to 80,000 requests per second. The framework supports horizontal scaling by splitting their database into subsets for distinct groups of shops. Shopify also contributes to the Rails community, maintaining a custom Rails engine (shopify_app gem) for app development.

By leveraging Ruby on Rails, Shopify has created a flexible, scalable e-commerce solution that continues to evolve in response to the dynamic needs of online retailers. As one of the big companies using Ruby on Rails, Shopify’s success demonstrates the framework’s ability to power high-traffic e-commerce platforms.

GitHub, the world’s largest code hosting platform and now owned by Microsoft, relies heavily on Rails for its backend infrastructure, managing millions of repositories and users.

As one of the Ruby on Rails tech stack companies, GitHub has scaled Rails to handle complex data operations and a large user base. Rails’ efficiency enables GitHub to seamlessly handle complex version control systems, collaborative features, and large-scale data operations, supporting the global developer community. 

The framework’s 'convention over configuration' principle allows GitHub’s developers to build and iterate quickly, while its flexibility has supported the platform’s growth from a startup to a major enterprise. Although GitHub has incorporated other technologies over time, Rails remains a solid part of its tech stack.

Airbnb, one of the world's leading online marketplaces for lodging and travel experiences, chose Ruby on Rails as a core part of its technology stack for several compelling reasons. Ruby on Rails allowed Airbnb to quickly build and iterate on its platform during its early startup phase, allowing Airbnb to bring its product to market faster.

Also, despite the challenges of handling massive scale, Airbnb has successfully leveraged Rails to process up to 80,000 requests per second and serve nearly 1,000,000 businesses across 175 countries. The company has implemented custom solutions to address Rails' limitations, particularly in payment systems, where they've developed methods to enhance data integrity and system reliability. Airbnb remains one of the top companies using Ruby on Rails, using it to manage its vast database of listings and support secure payments.

Twitch's architecture is no longer solely Rails-based; the platform has transitioned from a Rails monolith to a microservices architecture using Go. However, it still relies on Ruby on Rails development services in certain areas due to the scalability and performance required to support its massive user base and high traffic demands.

With over 2.2 million monthly streamers and an average of 54 million monthly users, Twitch requires a robust backend capable of processing up to 80,000 requests per second. Rails and Twitch’s custom optimizations and microservices architecture enable the platform to maintain high performance under heavy loads.

Additionally, Ruby on Rails offers Twitch the flexibility and rapid development capabilities essential for a fast-evolving platform. While Twitch has moved from a monolithic architecture to a microservices approach, Rails remains a core component of its infrastructure. The framework enables Twitch's development team to quickly iterate on features, experiment with new functionalities, and maintain a clean, manageable codebase.

Hulu, a major player in the video streaming industry, has historically relied on Ruby on Rails for its backend development since its inception. The framework was chosen for its ability to handle high user traffic, manage extensive media libraries, and provide the scalability needed for a rapidly growing streaming service. 

Rails played a crucial role in Hulu's backend infrastructure, helping to manage user accounts, content delivery, and streaming logistics efficiently. Ruby on Rails in enterprise companies like Hulu proves that Rails is well-suited for media-heavy platforms needing reliable backend infrastructure.

Basecamp, a project management and team communication tool, is intrinsically linked to Ruby on Rails. The same team developed the framework, and the entire platform, including its project boards, to-do lists, messaging systems, file storage, and scheduling tools, is built using Rails. 

As Basecamp has grown from 45 accounts in 2004 to over 3 million, Rails has proven its ability to scale effectively. The framework's built-in caching mechanisms and database optimization features have been crucial in handling Basecamp's increasing user base and data volume. 

Basecamp also utilizes Rails for its robust API development, security features, and testing frameworks. The platform's heavy reliance on Rails for performance optimization, mobile app backend, and custom feature development showcases its flexibility and power in building intuitive, feature-rich applications that can grow with its user base.

Kickstarter, a leading global crowdfunding platform for creative projects, has relied on Ruby on Rails since its inception in 2009. The framework's rapid development capabilities allowed Kickstarter to quickly build and launch its platform, which spans various categories such as technology, arts, and games. Rails' architecture and extensive library of gems facilitated fast iteration cycles, enabling the team to introduce new features and respond promptly to user feedback. This agility was crucial for Kickstarter as it sought to establish itself in a growing market.

As Kickstarter grew, Ruby on Rails proved capable of handling the platform's increasing complexity and scale. The framework's flexibility allowed for the implementation of various funding models, managing project listings, user interactions, and payment processing efficiently. Rails' strong integration capabilities with payment gateways ensured secure financial transactions for millions of backers.

Dribbble, a popular community platform for designers, leverages Rails to manage its extensive user base, handle image uploads, and facilitate social interactions between designers. Ruby on Rails' efficiency in rapid development and its ability to handle high-traffic websites make it an ideal choice for Dribbble's needs, allowing the platform to manage its large community designers and their portfolios efficiently.

The framework's Model-View-Controller (MVC) architecture helps Dribbble organize its codebase effectively, separating concerns and making it easier to maintain and scale the platform. While Dribbble also utilizes other technologies, Ruby on Rails remains the backbone of its server-side operations.

Fiverr relies on Rails to support its vast marketplace for freelance services, making it one of the big companies using Ruby on Rails to handle complex search algorithms, secure payment processing, and real-time communication between users. Fiverr's use of Ruby on Rails has been instrumental in managing its vast database of over 6 million freelance gigs across more than 500 categories, facilitating millions of user transactions, and supporting real-time communication between buyers and sellers.

Ruby on Rails' robustness and flexibility have allowed Fiverr to implement and maintain complex features crucial to its business model. These include sophisticated search algorithms that help users find relevant services quickly, secure payment processing systems to handle transactions across multiple currencies, and real-time messaging capabilities that enable smooth communication between clients and freelancers.

Ruby on Rails' ability to scale horizontally allows Zendesk to distribute its workload across multiple servers, ensuring smooth performance even during peak usage times. This scalability, combined with Rails' efficient data handling capabilities, enables Zendesk to provide real-time analytics to businesses, a critical feature for monitoring customer support performance and making data-driven decisions.

As one of the popular Ruby on Rails apps, Cookpad uses Rails to handle large volumes of user-generated content, making it an excellent example of Ruby on Rails usage in 2024 for content-driven platforms. Cookpad has also benefited from Rails' extensive ecosystem of gems and plugins. For instance, they've utilized gems like Devise for user authentication and Paperclip for file attachments, which has helped streamline development processes.

Couchsurfing, a global platform that connects travelers with local hosts for free accommodation and cultural exchange, has made Ruby on Rails a core part of its technology stack. This choice has been essential in managing Couchsurfing’s complex ecosystem of user profiles, messaging systems, and accommodation listings. As of 2018, Couchsurfing reported 15 million members and 400,000 active hosts, demonstrating the scalability Ruby on Rails provides for a large and diverse user base.

Ruby on Rails’ robust security features are crucial in maintaining trust and safety within the Couchsurfing community. The framework’s built-in protections against common web vulnerabilities, such as cross-site scripting (XSS) and SQL injection, help safeguard user data and interactions—essential for a platform where users share personal information and coordinate meetups with new people. Additionally, Rails’ authentication and authorization capabilities allow Couchsurfing to implement secure user verification processes, fostering trust between hosts and travelers.

Ruby on Rails is continually evolving to meet the demands of future web development, and it’s proving to be just as relevant in today’s tech stacks as it was when it first came on the scene. Ruby on Rails development companies are benefiting from ongoing improvements in Rails. With new performance improvements—like better Just-In-Time (JIT) compilation in Ruby—Rails apps are running faster and more efficiently than ever, making them quicker and more responsive for users. 

Rails also works well with modern front-end tools. It now integrates smoothly with popular JavaScript frameworks like React and Vue, allowing companies that use Ruby on Rails to build modern, interactive front-ends.

Rails has also made strides in scalability and cloud integration. With support for microservices and cloud-native architectures, it’s ready to handle heavy traffic and complex applications, positioning it as a solid choice for ambitious projects that need to grow. Altogether, these improvements show that Ruby on Rails isn’t just keeping up—it’s setting the stage for building secure, scalable applications for years to come.

While the peak of Ruby on Rails’ popularity may have passed, and it may no longer be considered the most 'trendy' framework, there’s no reason to overlook its enduring value. In 2024, Rails remains a reliable and capable choice for web development, backed by continuous performance improvements that make it faster and more efficient than ever. Its compatibility with modern tools and front-end technologies allows development teams to seamlessly integrate Rails with newer solutions, ensuring that Rails-based applications keep pace with contemporary standards.

Whether it’s startups using Ruby on Rails or Ruby on Rails in enterprises, this framework proves time and again that it can meet diverse business needs. Companies stick with Rails because of its stability, strong community, and robust ecosystem. Rails may not be flashy, but its combination of productivity, flexibility, and scalability keeps it a practical choice for businesses that value reliability and long-term support.