You have built a great marketing site using one of the many static site generators, like Jekyll, Eleventy or Astro, for your SaaS. Awesome. But it isn't real, unless you put it out there for the world to see.
There are many options available for hosting a static website, and the best choice will depend on your specific needs and budget. Here are a few providers that offer hosting for static websites, along with some pros and cons for each. For example, not all provide Git integration out-of-the-box. Which means extra work from your side to get that buttery-smooth publishing (push-to-deploy) workflow (that also makes Spinal so magical to use).
Netlify (Spinal's 2023 recommendation)
Netlify is a popular choice for hosting static websites, with a range of pricing plans to suit different needs. It offers fast, reliable hosting, as well as features like automatic SSL certificates and custom domains. It also has a generous free tier that includes up to 100GB of bandwidth and 1,000 build minutes per month. However, it can be more expensive than some other options for high-traffic websites.
✓ Git integration
✓ Free plan
Vercel (Spinal's 2023 runner-up)
Vercel is a hosting and deployment platform specifically designed for static and Jamstack (JavaScript, APIs, and Markup) applications. It offers fast, reliable hosting, as well as features like custom domains and automatic SSL certificates. It also has a generous free tier that includes up to 100GB of bandwidth and 2,000 build minutes per month. But Vervel too, may not be the most cost-effective option for high-traffic websites.
✓ Git integration
✓ Free plan
GitHub Pages
GitHub Pages is a free hosting service provided by GitHub that allows you to host a static website directly from a GitHub repository. It's easy to use, and there are no additional fees or hosting costs. As it does not offer advanced features like custom domains or SSL certificates, and it's not suitable for websites with high traffic.
✓ Git integration (built-in, duh!)
✓ Free plan
Render
Render is a hosting platform specifically designed for static and Jamstack applications. It offers fast, reliable hosting, as well as features like automatic SSL certificates and custom domains. It also has a range of pricing plans to suit different needs, including a free tier. However, it may not be the most cost-effective option for high-traffic websites.
✓ Git integration
✓ Free plan
Cloudflare
Cloudflare is a cloud-based service that provides security and performance optimization for websites. It can be used to host static websites, and it offers features like custom domains, SSL certificates, and a global content delivery network. It also has a range of pricing plans to suit different needs, with a free tier that includes up to 100GB of bandwidth per month. Also Cloudflare may not be the most cost-effective option for high-traffic websites.
x Git integration
✓ Free plan
Surge
Surge is a hosting platform specifically designed for static websites. It offers fast, reliable hosting, as well as features like custom domains and automatic SSL certificates. It has a simple pricing model, with a single paid plan that includes unlimited bandwidth and a custom domain. It also has a free tier that can get you pretty far.
✓ Git integration (via Git Hooks)
✓ Free plan
DigitalOcean Spaces
DigitalOcean Spaces is a low-cost, easy-to-use option for hosting a static website. It offers features like custom domains and SSL certificates, and it's highly scalable and reliable. However, it may not be the best choice for high-traffic websites, as it can be more expensive than some other options.
x Git integration
x No free plan
AWS S3
Amazon S3 (Simple Storage Service) is an object storage service that can be used to host static websites. It's highly scalable and reliable, but it can be, too, more expensive than other options, especially for websites with high traffic. It's also not the easiest service to use, as it requires some technical knowledge to set up and manage.
x Git integration
x No free plan
Azure Storage
Microsoft Azure Storage is another option for hosting a static website, with a range of pricing plans to suit different needs. It offers features like custom domains and SSL certificates, and it's highly scalable and reliable. Also Azure Storage can be more expensive than some other options, especially for high-traffic websites.
x Git integration
x No free plan
Google Cloud Storage
Google Cloud Storage is a flexible, scalable, and cost-effective option for hosting a static website. It offers features like custom domains and SSL certificates, and it's easy to use. However, it can be more expensive than some other options for high-traffic websites.
x Git integration
x No free plan
Other lesser-known options
Here are a few additional options that might be worth considering:
Hostinger is a web hosting provider that offers a range of hosting options, including static website hosting. It has a range of pricing plans to suit different needs, with a free tier that includes up to 10GB of storage and 100GB of bandwidth per month.
A2 Hosting is a web hosting provider that offers static website hosting as well as other hosting options. It has a range of pricing plans to suit different needs, and it offers features like custom domains and SSL certificates.
SiteGround is a web hosting provider that offers a range of hosting options, including static website hosting. It has a range of pricing plans to suit different needs, and it offers features like custom domains and SSL certificates.
How about managing your own server?
Setting up your own server to host a static website can be a complex and time-consuming process. It involves selecting and purchasing a server, installing an operating system, configuring the server, setting up a continous deploy system, and managing and maintaining the server. This can be difficult and requires technical expertise, as well as ongoing maintenance and management. Using one of the providers listed above can be a more practical option, as they take care of these tasks. So you can focus on building your static marketing site.
Overall, the best choice for hosting your static website will depend on your specific needs and budget. Most offer really generous free plans, but can get pretty expensive if you get, let's say, the (orange) hug of death.
Consider the features that are important to you, as well as the cost and scalability of the hosting provider, to make the best decision for your website.
Are there any options missing or is something wrong? Let me know.
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