If you're exploring the world of web development, chances are you've created your own sites that you want to put out there for the world to see.
Hosting your own website for free has gotten easier than ever before. As a developer, you have several options depending on the customization needs and other requirements of your site. Static sites are the simplest to host for free, but a few hosting providers work with dynamic sites as well.
Most hosting services provide free SSL certificates to secure your site and allow you to connect a custom domain. They'll usually provide a free subdomain for you to use, but you'll still have to pay for a domain name if you don't want your site on a subdomain.
Static Website Hosting Services
If you're looking to host a static site, there are many options available to you. Static sites are websites that are built using only HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, delivering the same fixed content to all visitors.
Surge.sh — a simple cloud platform for deploying static websites
Github Pages — host static websites directly from your GitHub repository for free
GitLab Pages — host static websites for free directly from your GitLab repository
Server-Side (SSR) Hosting for JavaScript
Dynamic websites adjust their content based on user interaction, time, or other factors. Web applications, e-commerce stores, or news websites with frequently updated content tend to be dynamic sites. If you're serving dynamic content on your website, the following places offer free cloud hosting for server-side rendering:
Vercel — a cloud platform for developers to build, deploy, and scale modern web applications with a focus on performance and ease of use
Cloudflare Pages — a developer-friendly platform to build, deploy, and collaborate on lightning-fast websites
Firebase Hosting — a secure and scalable platform for deploying web content, including static sites, dynamic content served through Cloud Functions, and microservices
Netlify — seamless deployment, serverless functions, and global hosting for static sites and web applications
Glitch.me — a free, browser-based development environment for building and collaborating on web projects, often used for quick prototypes or learning to code
Other Free Website Hosting Options
The following options provide even more flexibility over the tools you want to use to host code, and aren't limited to just JavaScript. Not all of their free plans are suitable for production hosting, but they're a great place to start experimenting.
Render.com — a pay-as-you-go cloud platform for deploying web applications of all kinds
Repl.it — a cloud-based platform for coding in various languages, allowing for experimentation and collaboration
Free PHP & MySQL Hosting
One of the first websites I ever hosted used InfinityFree. It's a free hosting service for traditional PHP & MySQL sites, whether you're using a framework like Laravel or a website builder like Wordpress. It comes with a control panel and other hosting features.
Conclusion
With so many great options available, the perfect free hosting platform depends on your specific needs and skillset. Are there any free or cheap hosting plans you use that I haven't included here? Let me know in the comments below!
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