Hosting Your First Website: Free Options and How They Work

Building a website is one thing — putting it on the internet for people to actually visit is another. The good news: hosting a website for free has never been easier. Several excellent platforms will host your project at no cost, no credit card required.

Static Sites vs Dynamic Apps

First, understand what you’re hosting:

• Static site — HTML, CSS, JavaScript files. No server-side code. Blogs, portfolios, documentation. Vercel, Netlify, and GitHub Pages are perfect.
• Dynamic app — has a backend (Flask, FastAPI, Node.js). Needs a server to run. Railway, Render, and Fly.io offer free tiers.

GitHub Pages — Simplest Option for Static Sites

If your code is on GitHub and your site is pure HTML/CSS/JS:

1. Push your code to a GitHub repository
2. Go to Settings → Pages
3. Select your branch (main) and folder (/root or /docs)
4. Your site is live at username.github.io/repo-name

No configuration needed. Perfect for portfolio sites and documentation.

Vercel — Best for Modern Frontend Frameworks

Vercel is the platform built by the creators of Next.js. It handles Astro, Next.js, React, and any static site automatically:

# Install Vercel CLI
npm install -g vercel

# Deploy from your project folder
vercel

Vercel detects your framework, builds it, and gives you a live URL in under a minute. It also gives you preview deployments for every pull request — very professional workflow.

Netlify — Flexible and Beginner-Friendly

Netlify is similar to Vercel but with a more approachable UI:

1. Connect your GitHub repository on netlify.com
2. Set your build command (npm run build) and publish directory (dist)
3. Every push to main auto-deploys

Both Vercel and Netlify give you a free SSL certificate, a CDN, and a custom subdomain (like mysite.vercel.app).

Adding a Custom Domain

All three platforms support custom domains for free. Buy a domain from Namecheap or Porkbun (~$10/year), then point the DNS to your hosting platform’s servers. Your site moves from mysite.vercel.app to kaiko.dev.

Conclusion

Hosting a website is free and straightforward in 2024. Start with GitHub Pages for a static portfolio, move to Vercel or Netlify when you need build pipelines, and add a custom domain when you’re ready to look professional. No excuses — your project deserves to be live.

Read next: Git Basics: The Commands You Need on Day One

External resource: Vercel Documentation