TL;DR: I tested 8 free website hosting platforms in 2026. For static sites: GitHub Pages, Netlify, Vercel, and Cloudflare Pages all work great. For dynamic sites (Flask, Express, Django): SnapDeploy, Render, and Railway are the real options. Most "free tiers" have catches — here's what actually works.
There are dozens of ways to deploy a website for free in 2026. The problem isn't a lack of options — it's figuring out which one actually fits what you're building.
A portfolio site has completely different needs from a Node.js API or a Python web app with a database. Pick the wrong platform and you'll hit cold starts killing UX, bandwidth caps throttling traffic, or discover that "free" means "free for 14 days."
Static vs Dynamic: Which Do You Need?
Static sites are pre-built HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. No server needed. Think portfolios, Hugo/Jekyll blogs, docs sites, SPAs that pull data from external APIs.
Dynamic sites need a server process running. Anything with server-side rendering, auth, database queries, file uploads, or WebSockets. Django, Express, Spring Boot, Rails, Laravel — all dynamic.
Some projects blur the line. A Next.js app can be statically exported or server-rendered. Know where yours falls before comparing free tiers.
Best Free Options for Static Websites
Static hosting is a solved problem. Every major option gives you enough to run a production site for free.
GitHub Pages
The original free hosting for developers. Serves static files directly from a GitHub repo. Free custom domain with HTTPS, automatic Jekyll builds, reliable CDN delivery. Limitations: public repos only on free tier, no server-side logic, soft 100GB/month bandwidth cap.
Netlify
Git-based deploys, branch previews, instant rollbacks. Free tier: 100GB bandwidth/month, 300 build minutes, 125,000 serverless function invocations. Great developer experience.
Vercel
Optimized for Next.js but works with any static framework. 100GB bandwidth/month, unlimited personal deploys, edge functions, automatic preview deployments for every PR.
Cloudflare Pages
The standout: unlimited bandwidth. While everyone else caps at 100GB, Cloudflare Pages has no limit. 500 builds/month, tight integration with Workers for edge compute. Best pick if you expect traffic spikes.
Best Free Options for Dynamic Websites
Running a server costs real money, so free tiers come with tighter constraints.
SnapDeploy
Docker-native container platform. Free tier: up to 4 containers, 512MB RAM, 0.25 vCPU each — free forever with no time limits. No credit card required. Supports Node.js, Python, Java, Go, PHP, Ruby, .NET.
Honest trade-offs:
Free containers auto-sleep after 15 minutes of inactivity (auto-wake ~60s). No free database (paid add-on). Custom domains require Always-On ($12/mo per container).
Deploy via Docker image, GitHub repo, uploaded artifact, or pre-built template. If it runs in a Docker container, SnapDeploy can host it.
Render
750 free hours/month — enough to keep one service running full-time. Auto-detection for common frameworks plus Docker. Free PostgreSQL for 90 days. Cold starts: 30-50 seconds after 15 minutes of inactivity.
Railway
One-time $5 trial credit + $1/month ongoing. Docker or Nixpacks auto-detection. Great DX but the $5 can disappear in a week or two. More of a trial than a sustainable free tier.
Koyeb
1 free service, 0.1 vCPU, 512MB RAM, scale-to-zero. The 0.1 vCPU is minimal — works for lightweight APIs but struggles under load.
Free Tier Comparison Table
| Platform | Type | Free Tier | Dynamic Sites | Custom Domains | Database | Cold Starts | Credit Card |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GitHub Pages | Static | Unlimited (100GB BW) | No | Yes (free) | No | N/A | No |
| Netlify | Static + Functions | 100GB BW | Serverless | Yes (free) | No | Functions only | No |
| Vercel | Static + Functions | 100GB BW | Serverless | Yes (free) | No | Functions only | No |
| Cloudflare Pages | Static + Workers | Unlimited BW | Workers | Yes (free) | D1 available | N/A | No |
| SnapDeploy | Container PaaS | Free forever (auto-sleep) | Yes | Always-On ($12/mo+) | Paid add-on | Auto-wake (~60s) | No |
| Render | Container PaaS | 750 hrs/mo | Yes | Yes (free) | 90-day PostgreSQL | 30-50s | No |
| Railway | Container PaaS | $5 + $1/mo credit | Yes | Paid plans | In credit | Varies | No (trial) |
| Koyeb | Container PaaS | 1 svc, 0.1 vCPU | Yes | Yes (free) | 5hr PostgreSQL | Scale-to-zero | No |
How SnapDeploy Compares
SnapDeploy vs Netlify and Vercel
Not apples-to-apples. Netlify and Vercel are optimized for static sites and serverless. SnapDeploy runs full Docker containers. If you need a long-running server, WebSocket connection, background worker, or anything that doesn't fit serverless — SnapDeploy is the relevant option.
SnapDeploy vs Render
Both run containers. Render: 750 renewable hours/month, 30-50s cold starts. SnapDeploy: free forever, no time limits, auto-wake ~60s. Render includes a 90-day free PostgreSQL database that SnapDeploy doesn't offer.
SnapDeploy vs GitHub Pages
Completely different use cases. GitHub Pages = static files. SnapDeploy = containerized applications. Portfolio? GitHub Pages. Flask API? SnapDeploy.
Deploy Your Site on SnapDeploy
Option A: Static Site with Nginx Template
- Create a free account. No credit card.
- Click "Create New Container."
- Choose "Template" → select the Nginx template.
- Give your container a name and deploy.
- Upload your static files or connect a repo with your HTML/CSS/JS.
Option B: Docker Image
- Sign up → "Create New Container."
- Choose "Docker Image."
- Enter your public Docker image name.
- Configure environment variables.
- Set the exposed port to match your app.
- Deploy.
Which Platform Should You Choose?
- Static site? GitHub Pages for simplicity, Netlify for DX, Vercel for Next.js, Cloudflare Pages for bandwidth.
- Containerized app? SnapDeploy for free containers with no time limits. Best for validation, demos, and side projects.
- Need a database? Render's 90-day free PostgreSQL.
- Best DX? Railway — but limited free credits.
- Ultra-lightweight API? Koyeb with scale-to-zero.
There is no single best free hosting. The best platform matches your project's requirements and your tolerance for trade-offs.
Originally published at snapdeploy.dev/blog
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