Finding free hosting for Node.js applications can be super tricky. Most free services throw up a bunch of limits that just won’t fly for anything other than a simple hobby site. But a few decent free (and ultra-affordable) Node.js hosts stand out by giving developers a fighting chance to host their apps on a budget.
In this guide, we’ll compare some of the best free and cheap Node.js hosting providers to help you find the right no-cost or low-cost option to host your apps as of February 2024.
What The Heck Is Node.js Hosting?
Before we dig into the options, let’s chat for a second about what Node.js hosting actually entails.
In essence, Node.js is a popular JavaScript runtime environment that allows devs to use JS for server-side scripting. So you can leverage the speed and async advantages of JavaScript to build fast, real-time web apps and sites using Node on the back-end.
For a hosting provider to properly support Node.js apps, they need to have:
- Node.js runtime available on their web servers
- Command line access to install NPM packages
- Speedy server resources to handle the demands of real-time apps
Many basic shared web hosts just don’t meet those baseline requirements. So most folks look to VPS or dedicated server plans from specialized Node.js hosts instead.
Some hallmarks of quality Node.js hosting:
✅ Breezy Node.js installation
✅ Developer-ready Linux environments
✅ SSH access for configuring NPM
✅ Fast network and servers
This allows devs to easily deploy Node apps without restrictive hosting limitations getting in the way at every turn.
Now let’s look at some decent free and cheap Node hosting options…
Top “Almost Free” Node.js Hosts
While the word “free” hosts sounds appealing, truly free Node.js hosting is difficult to find and extremely limited in most cases.
Instead, I recommend checking out hosts in the almost free range – with intro deals starting at $1 to $5 per month.
1. InterServer – $6/mo ($0.01 First Month)
My top budget pick for Node.js hosting is InterServer. Their hosting plans start at just $6/month. But you can grab your first month for only a penny using the code HOSTINGADV!
Some of the key features:
- Fast VPS and cloud hosting options
- Intuitive control panel dashboard
- 1-click Node.js install
- 30GB SSD storage
- 2GB RAM (upgradable)
- Multiple global data center options
- Easy vertical scaling
With fantastic uptime and responsive support, InterServer makes lean Node hosting simple even on a micro budget.
>> Grab InterServer for just $0.01 first month!
2. Hostinger – $1.99/mo
Hostinger is an extremely affordable all-in-one host for sites, stores, emails, cloud apps, and more. Their beefy VPS plans also provide easy Node.js support now.
The $1.99/month tier gets you:
- 2 CPU cores
- 2GB RAM
- 20GB SSD storage
- 1,000GB bandwidth
- Hostinger control panel
- Node.js pre-installed
- Free domain name
It’s practically unheard of to find a deal this cheap. You can test drive their VPS risk-free too with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Overall, Hostinger hits the sweet spot if you demand cut-rate but full-featured Node.js hosting.
>> Snag Hostinger VPS hosting for $1.99
3. HostGator – $2.75/mo (60% Off)
Another affordable option is HostGator’s Cloud Hosting. Their entry-level plan includes:
- 1 CPU core
- 1GB RAM
- 30GB storage
- Unmetered bandwidth
- cPanel dashboard
- Easy Node.js setup
- SSL certificate
- Dedicated IP
Pricing starts at $2.75/month if you take 60% off via this exclusive link.
For a fully-managed host, HostGator Cloud is a great beginner choice with strong uptime and good support options.
>> Get HostGator Cloud for $2.75/mo
Best Completely Free Node.js Hosts
If your budget is extra tight, a few services offer free Node.js hosting with decent included resources.
Just keep in mind you get what you pay for – free hosts often have waitlists, strict limits, lackluster support, and spotty uptime.
1. Microsoft Azure
Azure is Microsoft’s popular cloud platform. They offer a generous free tier with $200 of credits for 30 days.
You can use this to run Windows or Linux VMs for hosting Node.js applications. They also provide additional free resources for data, networking, storage, and more.
The highlights:
- $200 free credits
- 750 hours Windows/Linux VM
- 5GB Cosmos DB storage
- 10GB file storage
- Limited support
Overall, Azure has outstanding infrastructure and services for the price. Just beware that costs can quickly add up after the trial.
2. Heroku
Heroku is a leading platform designed for hosting cloud-based apps and sites.
They offer a free plan for always-on Node.js hosting with:
- 512MB RAM
- 1 CPU share
- 10K rows of data
- 4 hours downtime/month
- Git-based deployment
- Add-on marketplace
- US or Europe regions
For low-traffic projects, this free tier is hard to beat. However, there are no upgrades available – you would need to switch plans as site usage grows.
Still, Heroku is a top contender among free Node options.
Other Low-Cost Node.js Hosts
Here are a few other affordable Node.js hosting providers I recommend checking out:
- A2 Hosting – High-speed hosting from $2.99/mo with easy Node support.
- InMotion Hosting – Managed VPS plans from $27.99/mo with Node pre-installed.
- GreenGeeks – Eco-friendly hosting with WordPress-optimized plans plus Node support for $3.95/mo.
Key Takeaways
- For Node.js hosting under $10/month, InterServer is my top recommendation with incredibly fast servers and knowledgeable support.
- Hostinger and HostGator also provide very affordable managed VPS and cloud hosting suitable for Node.
- Microsoft Azure and Heroku offer the most generous free tiers for Node.js.
- Consider upgrade options as free/low-cost hosts often have strict limits.
- Look for “Developer Friendly” or “Node.js Optimized” hosts rather than basic shared hosting.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the advantages of VPS hosting from VpsWala?
VpsWala is a popular choice for Node.js hosting thanks to several great benefits:
- Blazing fast SSD storage for max website load speed
- Quick deployments of custom web apps using NodeJS
- Developer-friendly environment on Linux/KVM
- Free 40 GB SSD LVM storage
- Fully managed hosting services
- Top notch support with Proactive Monitoring
With VpsWala, you can get a high-power, developer-optimized VPS perfectly suited for Node.js for an affordable price. The Node scripts and fast resources give you scalable performance for real-time web apps.
Shared hosting generally isn’t sufficient here – but with your own virtual private server from VpsWala, you get the dedicated resources and flexibility serious Node developers demand.
What are the downsides of free Node.js hosting?
The main downsides of relying on free Node.js hosting include:
- Strict resource limits on traffic, bandwidth, database storage, etc.
- Limited customer support and attention
- More frequent downtime and reliability issues
- Few options for upgrading or scaling
- Lack of SSH access for configuring NPM packages
- No customization of server OS or software
Many free hosts utilize shared servers and group resources to cut costs. This leads to crowded, inconsistent performance – the opposite of what you want for real-time JavaScript apps.
Paid Node.js hosting generally offers far better reliability along with more control and room to scale. The small monthly fees provide the dedicated infrastructure needed for production Node websites and web services.
How difficult is it to get started with Node.js hosting?
The good news is that most developer-friendly hosts make it pretty easy to get started with Node.js. Here is a quick overview:
Step 1: Sign up for a managed VPS or cloud hosting plan optimized for Node.js. Good options include VpsWala, HostGator, A2 Hosting, and more.
Step 2: Many hosts provide 1-click installations of Node.js via their control panel. If not, you can manually install it through SSH in just a minute or two.
Step 3: Configure NPM to install any packages, frameworks, and libraries your Node.js application requires. You have full sudo access to install custom software on your VPS.
Step 4: Use Git or FTP to deploy your Node.js application files onto your hosting account.
Step 5: In some cases, you may need to open certain ports or configure a reverse proxy for running the Node process smoothly. But your hosting provider should offer documentation on best practices.
The benefit of choosing a specialized Node.js host is that their servers are pre-optimized for these kinds of JavaScript-based, event-driven applications. This takes care of the heavy lifting and DevOps requirements out of the box.
From there, the deployment and management process closely resembles a typical shared web host, but with far more horsepower and flexibility. So while the technology behind Node.js is complex, a good hosting provider makes it simple and painless to launch your scripts.
