1. GitHub Pages
- Best for: Static websites (HTML, CSS, JavaScript)
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Details:
- Hosting Type: GitHub Pages hosts static websites, meaning websites that do not need a back-end server to generate content dynamically. Great for portfolio sites, blogs, and documentation pages.
- Custom Domains: You can link your own domain name (e.g., mysite.com) and use it for free.
- Version Control: Integrated with GitHub, making it easy for developers to track changes to their code and collaborate on projects.
- Static Site Generators: Supports Jekyll, a static site generator, making it easier to create and maintain blogs or project pages.
- Limitations: Only supports static content. No support for databases, server-side languages (like PHP), or other dynamic content.
- URL: GitHub Pages
2. Netlify
- Best for: JAMstack websites and static websites
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Details:
- JAMstack: It’s ideal for JAMstack applications (JavaScript, APIs, Markup). This means it works best when your front-end is separate from your back-end.
- Global CDN: Provides a content delivery network (CDN), which distributes your content across multiple servers worldwide for fast loading times.
- Git Integration: Automates the deployment process directly from Git repositories (GitHub, GitLab, Bitbucket).
- Features: Supports serverless functions, form handling, identity services, and custom domains with free SSL certificates.
- Limitations: Limited build minutes (300 minutes/month) and bandwidth (100GB/month) on the free tier.
- URL: Netlify
3. Vercel
- Best for: Static sites, Next.js and React applications
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Details:
- Focus on Developers: Vercel specializes in building and deploying front-end applications, especially Next.js, the popular React framework.
- Edge Network: Offers global edge deployment, meaning your content is cached on servers across the globe for fast delivery.
- Git Integration: Just like Netlify, it integrates with GitHub, GitLab, and Bitbucket for automatic deployment.
- Serverless: Supports serverless functions, allowing you to run backend code without needing to manage servers.
- Limitations: Free tier includes limited deployment frequency and build duration. Suitable for small projects.
- URL: Vercel
4. Firebase Hosting
- Best for: Web apps, Progressive Web Apps (PWAs), static and dynamic content
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Details:
- App Hosting: Firebase Hosting is ideal for single-page applications (SPAs), PWAs, or sites with both static and dynamic content.
- Integration with Firebase: Seamlessly integrates with other Firebase services like Firestore (for databases), Firebase Authentication, and Firebase Functions (serverless functions).
- Global CDN: Firebase uses a global CDN for fast and reliable content delivery.
- Automatic SSL: Provides free SSL certificates, securing your site without extra configuration.
- Limitations: The free tier has limited hosting bandwidth and database access. Heavy apps may require upgrading to paid plans.
- URL: Firebase Hosting
5. InfinityFree
- Best for: PHP websites with MySQL databases
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Details:
- Free Hosting: InfinityFree offers unlimited storage and bandwidth, which makes it stand out. However, these are subject to fair usage policies.
- Support for PHP & MySQL: It supports dynamic websites, including those using PHP and MySQL databases, unlike most other free hosts that only support static sites.
- Custom Domains & SSL: You can connect your custom domain for free, and they offer free SSL certificates.
- Limitations: Although the hosting is free, there are ads, and they may throttle performance based on high traffic or usage spikes.
- URL: InfinityFree
6. Cloudflare Pages
- Best for: Static websites, JAMstack
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Details:
- Built on JAMstack: Ideal for developers building static websites using JAMstack architecture (separating front-end and back-end development).
- Global CDN: As part of Cloudflare’s extensive network, it delivers website content from servers closest to users, ensuring low latency and fast loading times.
- Git Integration: Easily deploy websites with integration from Git repositories like GitHub.
- Automatic SSL: Secure your website with free SSL certificates.
- Limitations: Only supports static sites and doesn’t have native server-side rendering capabilities.
- URL: Cloudflare Pages
7. 000WebHost
- Best for: Small PHP-based websites
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Details:
- Basic Free Hosting: 000WebHost offers 1GB of storage and 10GB of bandwidth, making it a reasonable choice for small, low-traffic websites.
- PHP & MySQL: Supports PHP and MySQL, allowing you to host dynamic websites with databases.
- Custom Domain: You can use your custom domain for free.
- Limitations: There are ads for free users, and there are limited features like storage, bandwidth, and performance compared to paid hosting.
- URL: 000WebHost
8. Surge
- Best for: Front-end web apps (HTML, CSS, JavaScript)
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Details:
- Simple Command-Line Tool: Surge allows developers to quickly deploy static sites via a simple command-line interface.
- Free Deployments: Free tier allows you to deploy an unlimited number of static sites.
- Custom Domains: You can use custom domains for free.
- Limitations: Only supports static websites. No support for back-end functionality or dynamic content.
- URL: Surge
9. Render
- Best for: Full-stack web apps, static sites, and APIs
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Details:
- Supports Dynamic Content: Render can host not only static websites but also full-stack web apps with support for back-end languages like Node.js.
- Free Tier: Includes 100GB bandwidth/month and a free static site, making it ideal for small projects.
- Git Integration: Automatically deploys apps from your Git repositories.
- SSL Support: Free SSL certificates and custom domains are available.
- Limitations: Limited bandwidth and build time for free tier; paid plans may be needed for more resources.
- URL: Render
10. ByetHost
- Best for: Full-featured web hosting (PHP, MySQL)
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Details:
- cPanel Access: ByetHost provides free cPanel access for managing your websites, databases, and files.
- PHP & MySQL: Full support for dynamic content using PHP and MySQL, making it ideal for blogs, forums, and content management systems.
- Unlimited Bandwidth: Offers unlimited bandwidth with certain limitations and fair usage policies.
- Limitations: Free tier comes with ads, and performance may be throttled based on usage or traffic.
- URL: ByetHost
These platforms offer a wide range of features, from static site hosting to full-stack development support, allowing developers to choose the one that best suits their project needs.
Top comments (11)
Great list of free hosting options for a range of projects! For those interested in a balance between flexibility and scalability without the typical restrictions of free hosting, it’s worth noting that platforms like Cloudways provide an affordable alternative with more robust infrastructure. While not free, Cloudways offers managed hosting on cloud providers like AWS and Google Cloud, which supports both static and dynamic sites with full control over resources, security, and performance. For larger projects or businesses looking to scale up, it’s an option to consider as they grow from these free solutions. Thanks for sharing these insights!
Thank you so much for the kind words and for sharing that recommendation! 🙌 Cloudways is definitely a great option for those ready to scale beyond free hosting, offering more control and performance on top-tier cloud platforms. 🌐🚀 It’s a fantastic bridge for projects moving towards larger, more robust infrastructure. Appreciate you adding value to the discussion! 😊
Surge mentioned 🔥🔥🔥
Netlify and Onrender (i use mostly onrender)
Great options! If I could mention: AWS Amplify is very nearly free. Static files can be hosted for ~50 cents a month and can be set to auto deploy for any number of git branches.
Thank you for your suggestion! I'll make sure to mention it in any upcoming posts related to hosting.
Nice Post! I would also recommend shiper.app which is a new CI/CD solution do deploy your stuff on. And has also nicely integrated databases!
Thank you! I appreciate the recommendation of shiper.app. It sounds like a great solution for CI/CD and database integration. I’ll make sure to include it in a future post related to this topic!
Merci beaucoup pour cet article car c'est tellement important pour tout développeur. Je vous suis énormément reconnaissant ! Bonne suite de programme !
You're very welcome! I'm glad you found the article helpful. Wishing you the best in your development journey as well!
GitHub best