Developer Guide
9 Platforms to Deploy Your Website or App for Free
You built a project. Now let the world see it, without spending a penny.
Building a project is only half the journey. The other half is deploying it: putting it online so recruiters, friends and clients can open it with a simple link. The good news is that you don't need to pay for hosting to get started. Here are nine free platforms and what each one does best.
Frontend & Static Sites
1Vercel
ReactNext.jsAuto-deploy- Very easy to deploy
- Connect GitHub and every push deploys automatically
- Great for React and Next.js projects
2Netlify
Git deploysFree HTTPSCustom domain- Very easy to deploy
- Connect GitHub and deploy automatically
- Free HTTPS and simple custom domain setup
3GitHub Pages
PortfolioCompletely free- Completely free
- Easy to connect with your GitHub projects
- Perfect for portfolio websites
Backend & Full-Stack Apps
4Render
Node.jsPythonAPIs- A platform to host backend and full-stack apps
- Good for Node.js apps, Python apps and APIs
5Railway
BackendDatabases- Best for backend apps and databases
- Easy deployment
- Free usage credits for beginners
6Firebase
ReactAngularVue- Best for web apps built with React, Angular or Vue
- Global CDN and fast deployment
- Easy CLI commands
More Free Options
7Cloudflare Pages
Static sitesJAMstack- Best for static websites and JAMstack apps
- Fast CDN
- GitHub integration
8Surge.sh
One commandStatic- Best for simple static websites and frontend projects
- Deploy with one command: just run
surgein your project folder
9InfinityFree
PHPMySQL- Best for PHP websites and MySQL projects
- Free hosting with storage and bandwidth limits
Quick Comparison
| Platform | Best for |
|---|---|
| Vercel | React / Next.js |
| Netlify | Static & React sites |
| GitHub Pages | Portfolios |
| Render | Node, Python, APIs |
| Railway | Backends & databases |
| Firebase | React / Angular / Vue |
| Cloudflare Pages | Static & JAMstack |
| Surge.sh | One-command static deploys |
| InfinityFree | PHP & MySQL |
Heads up: free plans have limits (bandwidth, build minutes, sleeping apps, or credits that run out), and terms change often. Check each platform's pricing page before launching anything important. Vercel's free plan is also meant for personal, non-commercial use.
Bonus: Practice Before You Deploy
Which platform will you try first? 🚀
Tell me in the comments, and save this post for your next project!