Heroku’s Free Tier is about to be retired, and developers are looking for alternatives to host Node.js apps. There are many free hosting services you can use for your projects.

This article will examine some of the best free Node hosting platforms, such as Glitch, Render, Railway, AWS, etc. We will guide you through the deployment of a Node.js application to each platform, as well as discuss their benefits and limitations.

After reading this article, it will be easier for you to decide which Node.js hosting service is best for your Node.js project.

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1. Render

Render’s free tier makes it easy to deploy a Node.js application. Render makes static deployments easy, whether you are working with React or Vue apps or Angular applications, or if you need to deploy a Node.js web service. Follow these simple steps to get started:

1. Use your GitHub account to log in to Render.com.
2. Click on “New > Web Service”
3. Connect your Render account to the GitHub repository that you just created.
4. Give your project a title, accept the defaults, and select the free tier. Then click “Deploy”.
5. Wait for the deployment process to be completed. This may take some minutes. You can find the URL in the upper-left corner of the screen once it’s finished.

Render offers many other services, including a streamlined deployment. These can be invaluable when you are building and developing your application. This includes databases and cronjobs, which are scripts scheduled to run at a specific time.

2. Fly.io

Fly.io specializes in the deployment of Docker containers and has made it much easier over the past few years. Follow these steps to deploy your application using Fly.io:

1. Fly.io allows you to sign up using your GitHub account.
2. FlyCtl is the command-line tool for Fly.io.
3. FlyCtl will ask you for your payment details, but you won’t get charged as long as you’re still on the free tier.
4. Flyctl Launch is the command to run from your terminal.
5. Wait until the deployment is complete. It may take a while.
6. You’ll see the URL of your application and the status of the deployment on the Fly.io dashboard.

If you ever need to update an app in the future, just run the command “flyctl deploy” from the directory that contains your application. Fly.io is aware of which deployments to update because it has created a file called ‘fly. toml,’ which contains all deployment settings. This speeds up updating.

3. Rail

The railway is a good alternative to Render. Railway allows you to deploy your application while taking advantage of multiple databases including Postgres MySQL and MongoDB. The deployment process of a Node.js app on Railway is very similar to Render.

1. Login to Railway with your GitHub account.
2. Create a new Project and choose ‘Deployment from GitHub’.
3. Click on ‘Deploy now’ after selecting your repository.

There is an extra step to deploy your Nodejs app to Railway. By default, your Railway project will not have a domain name that can be accessed by the public. Click on the “Settings” tab, then click “Generate Domain”. This will create a unique URL you can share to show off your project. You’re now up and running.

4. Glitch

A glitch is a great option if you are looking for a Node.js hosting solution for your Node.js application. A glitch is a great option for prototyping or fun apps, but it does have some limitations. For example, projects will go to sleep after five minutes of inactivity. The disk space limit is 200MB and the requests per hour cap is 4000.

You must log in to Glitch with either Facebook or Github to use the free plan. Apps can be created anonymously, but they expire after five days.

Here is the process to deploy your Node.js application to Glitch.

1. Create a Glitch Project and import your code.
2. Open the package.json file and make sure all dependencies have been included.
3. Create a file called server.js.’ Add code to your project.
4. Start your project with Glitch.

Glitch is an innovative hosting platform that allows you to get started quickly with minimal setup, has a built-in text editor and supports instant deployment. Glitch is a great platform for small projects or personal use.

5. Azure

Microsoft’s Azure free plan gives you access to many Azure services. It is a great option for anyone who wants to test out Azure before paying any money. You get USD 200 in credit that you can use within the first 30-day period. This includes access to two categories of services: popular ones that are free for a year, and over 55 others that are always free.

You can use the Azure free plan to learn more about Azure and its capabilities, without having to commit any money. After you have used all your credits, you may upgrade your subscription to continue using paid services.

Follow these steps to access the Azure portal:

1. Go to https://portal.azure.com/ in your web browser.
2. You can skip Step 5 if you already have an Azure Account. If you do not have a Microsoft Azure Account, then skip to Step 5.
3. Click on “Create One!” to begin the signup process if you do not have a Microsoft Azure Account.
4. Create a new account by following the prompts.
5. After signing in, you can begin exploring and using Azure Services.

6. Platform. sh

Platform. sh provides a platform-as-a-service (PaaS) solution for Node.js applications, eliminating the need for developers to manage their infrastructure. Platform. sh partners with cloud providers like AWS, Google Cloud Platform and Microsoft Azure to make it easy for Node.js apps to be run on their cloud infrastructure.

Platform. sh offers several plans including an entry-level plan that includes a 30-day free trial without requiring a credit card. Platform. sh no longer advertises the prices of their main plans, so users interested in finding out more will have to contact them directly. Users can upgrade to a paid subscription after the free trial and continue to use Platform. sh.

7. Amazon Web Services AWS

AWS’s many integrated services make it a popular platform for hosting Node.js apps. Elastic Beanstalk is a great service, to begin with. It simplifies deployment, management and scaling for Node.js applications on Amazon Web Services. AWS will take care of the provisioning and deployment. You only need to upload your code. Elastic Beanstalk is free. You pay only for the AWS Services you use.

Lambda is another interesting option, as it offers a serverless approach to hosting. You can get started by checking out the Project Guide to Deploy Node.js App. This guide will give you an overview of the basics, and help you get your app up and running. AWS offers a free version of many services. This makes it a great option for developers looking to test out their applications.

8. Google Cloud Platform (GCP)

Google Cloud Platform (GCP), a range of services and products, can host Node.js apps. Google App Engine lets you concentrate on writing code, without having to worry about the infrastructure.

GCP offers a free tier that includes a 12-month trial and $300 in credit for all GCP services. This credit can be used to host your Node.js app on GCP or try out other services. You’ll be charged only for the resources that you used after the trial period ends. If you need to upgrade, you can do so.

What is the best Node.js host for you?

Consider the following scenarios when choosing a Node.js host. You can choose major cloud infrastructures such as AWS and Google Cloud Platform if you are technically savvy.

These services simplify the management of your app by eliminating tedious infrastructure tasks. DigitalOcean and Platform. sh also offer good services. Glitch offers a free Node.js plan for projects that are not critical.

The conclusion of the article is:

It would be a wise decision to choose a Node JS hosting plan that is free at the beginning. You can experiment with different hosting plans and choose the one that suits your needs.

Above, we have listed for you the best Node hosting services that are free. Now you only have to select a hosting service and host your application using the steps that we’ve shared.

Enjoy your Coding!