In Part 1, we covered free hosting options for front-end applications. But what about your back-end, database, and storage? A full-stack project often requires authentication, APIs, data storage, and media hosting — and yes, you can get all of this for free too!
In this guide, we'll explore some of the best free-tier back-end hosting, database, and storage solutions to help you deploy your applications without breaking the bank.
Let's dive in!
Backend
Hosting a back-end service is a complicated task and can get messy, however if you know how to do it well, it definitely makes you stand out. I was famous for hosting back-end services at my university especially because I could do it for free and I knew about common errors, one might face like CORS policy.
Render: This was my go to tool for hosting most of my college projects, It could handle node.js, spring boot projects, pretty much anything with the power of docker, It has 512MB RAM and 0.1 CPU. It has Free 750 Instance hour, Bandwidth of 100 GB, 500 Pipeline Minutes, It does have Free postgres DB but do not use it as has 30 Day limit period.
Render also has some downsides but in my opinion pros outweighed the cons. so let's talk about them.
Pros:
- Seamless deployment directly from GitHub repositories with CI/CD integration and Docker Files.
- Supports web services, static sites, and background workers.
- Number of apps are limited by hours and not projects.
Cons:
- Free-tier apps sleep after 15 minutes of inactivity, causing cold start delays.
- Free DB gets deleted after 30 days and CPU is not enough for heavy applications.
KoyebAnother really good service while trying to host via docker files. They have a good Hobby plan which comes with 512MB memory, 0.1 vCPU, 2000MB Disk and can be deployed in Europe or US. The free database Service includes 50 hours of usage every month and can be deployed in Europe, US, or Asia but here's the catch it only allows one Web Service and Database for free. Pros:
- Supports multiple languages, Docker deployments and background workers.
- Free-tier apps never sleep.
- 1 Free database
Cons:
- Only allows 1 service and 1 Database.
- Resource limits in free tier might not suit heavy workloads.
Back4App is a docker container based hosting platform. It is relatively unstable however it does get the job done. For the free tier it has 0.25 vCPU, 256 MB RAM, 100 GB Bandwidth and 600 hours of Uptime.
Pros:
- Community Support: Access to a community of developers for support and collaboration.
- Upto 5 apps are allowed.
Cons:
- Resource Constraints: The free tier's limited compute and memory resources may not suffice for high-demand applications.
- Usage Limits: Monthly caps on requests and data transfer could be restrictive for larger projects.
- Apps Sleep after 30 minutes of inactivity, causing cold start delays.
KintoHub offers a platform to deploy applications with a free tier that includes 3 vCPUs and 250MB of memory per application, up to a total of 1GB storage, allowing for the deployment of up to three applications.
Pros:
- Generous Resource Allocation: Provides ample resources for small to medium applications.
- Multiple Application Support: Allows hosting of up to three applications simultaneously.
Cons:
- Limited Storage: Total storage is capped at 1GB across all applications.
- Inactive Development: As of recent updates, KintoHub's development and support may have slowed down.
AlwaysData offers free hosting with access via SSH, providing full control over your applications.
Pros:
- Full Control: SSH access allows for extensive customization and management.
- Supports Multiple Languages and Databases: Flexibility in choosing your tech stack.
Cons:
- Steeper Learning Curve: Requires familiarity with server management and command-line operations.
- Resource Limitations: Free tier may have constraints on resources like RAM and storage.
- Relatively New Platform: May lack extensive community support and documentation and knowledge about quality of service.
Database
if you want to persist user data and you will need a database. Even for persisting a simple to-do app's data across multiple sessions and devices you would need a database, so let's see what we have for free.
Neon.tech offers a multi-cloud, fully managed PostgreSQL service with a generous free tier.
Pros:
- Scalable PostgreSQL: Easily scale your database as your application grows.
- Multi-Cloud Support: Deploy across various cloud providers for redundancy and performance.
Cons:
- Limited to PostgreSQL: Not suitable if your application requires a different database system.
- Potential Latency: Depending on your location, there might be latency issues.
Xata provides a serverless PostgreSQL database with a free tier offering up to 15GB of storage.
Pros:
- Generous Storage: 15GB is ample for many small to medium applications.
- Serverless Architecture: Automatic scaling without the need for manual intervention.
Cons:
- Relatively New Platform: May lack extensive community support and documentation.
- Limited to PostgreSQL: Not ideal for applications requiring other database types.
- Uses a SQL over HTTP protocol which means it may not support all operations.
MongoDB offers a free shared cluster with access to the Search Index and a NoSQL database.
Pros:
- Huge Community: Pretty much everyone knows about MongoDB and it has various libraries and SDK support.
- Global Distribution: Deploy your database in various regions worldwide.
Cons:
- Shared Resources: Free tier runs on shared infrastructure, which may affect performance.
- Limited Storage and Connections: Suitable for development and small applications but may not suffice for production workloads.
- Cluster does sleep after a long period of inactivity.
CockroachDB offers a free cloud-hosted, distributed SQL serverless database.
Pros:
- Distributed Architecture: Ensures high availability and resilience.
- Scalable: Automatically scales with your application's needs.
Cons:
- Complexity: Distributed systems can be more complex to manage and understand.
- Limited Ecosystem: Smaller community compared to more established databases.
Airtable is a cloud-based relational database that combines the features of a database with a user-friendly interface, making it easy for visualization and collaboration.
Pros:
- User-Friendly Interface: Intuitive design makes database management accessible.
- Collaboration Features: Real-time collaboration and sharing capabilities.
Cons:
- Limited Customization: May not offer the same level of control as traditional databases.
- Pricing Tiers: Advanced features require a paid subscription.
Storage
If you want to store user's data be it their profile picture or audio files or PDFs or any other images, or even if you want to store your own websites assets and use a CDN then you will a file storage.
Cloudinary is a comprehensive media management platform that offers a free plan suitable for developers and small projects.
Pros:
- Generous Free Tier: The free plan includes 25 monthly credits, which encompass various features such as image and video transformations, storage, and bandwidth.
- Robust Media Processing: Supports a wide range of media manipulations, including resizing, cropping, and format conversion.
- Global CDN Delivery: Ensures fast and reliable media delivery through a content delivery network.
Cons:
- Usage Limits: The free plan has a limit of 25 credits per month, which may be insufficient for high-traffic applications.
- File Size Restrictions: On the free plan, the maximum upload size is 10 MB for images and 100 MB for videos.
UploadThing is a modern file storage solution designed to meet the diverse needs of developers and businesses. It offers a straightforward and cost-effective option for handling file uploads. It has a 2GB storage and unlimited bandwidth.
Pros:
- Unlimited Transfers: No restrictions on the number of uploads or downloads, facilitating seamless data handling.
- Developer-Friendly Integration: Designed with developers in mind, ensuring easy and efficient integration into applications with support of multiple languages and frameworks.
Cons:
- Storage Limitations: It may be insufficient for larger projects requiring extensive storage.
- Relatively New Service: As a newer platform, it may lack the extensive features and stability of more established services.
EdgeStore is a Fast CDN storage solution designed for seamless integration and efficient file handling for Next.js. It has 1 GB storage, 1 project, Up to 1 GB of bandwidth per month and Up to 1 GB of uploads per month.
Pros:
- All your files are served from the edge for a great performance anywhere in the world.
Cons:
- Only 1 GB storage and 1 GB of bandwidth.
- Only Supports Next.js for now.
When selecting a solution, consider the specific needs of your project, such as the types of media you'll handle, expected traffic and required integrations. It's essential to review the latest information on each platform's website, as offerings and limitations can change over time.
By leveraging these free-tier services for back-end hosting, databases and storage, you can effectively deploy and manage full-stack applications without incurring significant costs. Always monitor your usage to ensure it stays within the free tier limits and upgrade plans as your project's requirements grow. Do remember nothing is truly free and anything can shut down at any given moment.
Happy Hosting!🚀