17 Best FREE Web Hosting Services
Last updated on January 19, 2025 by RGB Web Tech
Is free website hosting any good? Well, “free” is always good but not always worth it in the long run. Let me explain:
In short, if you want to run a test website, you’re not expecting to get much from it, and you don’t want to invest any money into it at all, then free website hosting might indeed work for you!
In 95% of other cases, you’re going to be better off with a cheap website hosting plan like Bluehot, Hostinger etc. no more expensive than $2.75 or even $1.99 per month (small businesses or online stores often choose something in this price range).
If you’re in a hurry, here’s a summary of our findings based on the analysis below:
Free website hosting is okay for a hobby project or a proof-of-concept type of project. It’s okay if you want to run a site for a short while, get your data and then shut it off.
For any sort of serious website building project or a site that’s meant to stay online for a long while, you’re better off with an affordable web hosting plan or even a pick from the very best web hosting services out there.
For example, Bluehost is our recommended self-hosted website server. If you check them out through our link, you’ll unlock a special discounted price of $2.75 / mo vs the $3.75 standard entry-level price. You also get a free domain name bundled in.
Alternatively, you might opt for an all-in-one solution. For example, Wix is a good choice for a quick start, covering both hosting and website builder in one place. Although there is a free plan, you can try any premium plan offering 14 days of money-back.
Want to get the full story? We compared 17 best free website hosting options to help you make your decision.
The limitations of free website hosting
In life, you tend to get what you pay for, and web hosting is no exception. If you choose the free hosting route, be prepared for some common issues that come along with it.
Even the best free hosting tends to be fairly unstable, which can result in downtime. Also, providers typically place restrictions on storage space and bandwidth, limiting your site’s growth and traffic capacity. Your personal website or business website may also have slow performance.
That said, there are times you may want to consider free hosting. For a personal project, it may be all you need. The same is true if you’re practicing your web design and web development skills and just want a space to try out new ideas.
Perhaps you’re setting up an area to test new plugins or themes. In that case, the limitations of free hosting shouldn’t be a barrier to what you want to accomplish. Of course, if you simply need a staging site, you may want to use a local development tool, such as Local, and not worry about hosting at all.
However, if you need a live site and don’t want to deal with the drawbacks of free web hosting, there are some affordable alternatives to consider. A cheap host can help you keep your budget low while avoiding poor site availability.
17 Best FREE Website Hosting Services
The good news is that you can test drive free website hosting at no cost to see if it might work for you. If you’ve decided to give it a try, here are 17 options to consider.
1. InfinityFree
InfinityFree is a free web hosting service that boasts a 99.9% uptime guarantee. It offers users:
- An auto-installer with more than 400 different apps, including WordPress
- Free subdomains
- 5 GB disk space
- Unlimited bandwidth
- 400 MySQL databases
- Knowledge base support
You’ll also have access to the Softaculous Script Installer to set up WordPress. This hosting service provider doesn’t offer domain registration, but you can use one you’ve acquired from another registrar.
Once your website is published, your visitors won’t see ads. However, there will be ads in cPanel on the back end. Your site is also limited to 50,000 hits per day.
2. Wix
Wix is a drag-and-drop website builder – similar to tools like Weebly or Squarespace; and yup, you don’t need to be familiar with PHP, like you do with other solutions (e.g. – Joomla).
However, we’re featuring Wix on this list because it’s kind of an all-in-one solution for both a website platform and server space to host that website. Since Wix does come with a free plan, this makes it a free website hosting service as well. This free website builder is a unique way to enjoy awesome site-building features backed by enterprise-grade reliability. On that free plan, you get:
- Wix.com subdomain
- Beautiful templates
- 500 MB disk space
- 500 MB bandwidth
- Global content delivery network
- Free SSL and security monitoring
- Knowledge base and customer support
- Decent load times
Unfortunately, if you’re expecting no ads, you will be disappointed. Just like most of the free web hosting providers, Wix places their own ads on free plan sites. You can only connect a Wix subdomain and would have to move to a paid plan for connecting a custom domain.
The eCommerce functionality is also unavailable in the free version. However, you can still set up things like bookings, events, and forums, and fill in your site with SEO-friendly content with just a few clicks.
3. ByetHost
ByetHost is another free hosting service that you could use. Its plan features:
- Five subdomains
- 1 GB disk space
- 50 GB monthly transfers
- One MySQL database
- 24/7 support via ticket system and knowledge base
ByetHost offers solid support for its free plan, which can be rare. You can access a self-service knowledge base and video tutorials, but a ticketing system is also available.
In addition, you’ll receive usage statistics such as disk space, bandwidth usage, and daily hits. You can find this data in VistaPanel, which is ByetHost’s free hosting control panel. Then, you can use the information to help budget your resources.
4. 000WebHost
000WebHost is a free hosting option from Hostinger. Some of its features include:
- One website
- 300 MB disk space
- 3 GB of bandwidth
- One MySQL database
- Community forum
000WebHost comes with the Zyro website builder, which should make designing your site less intimidating. Like InfinityFree, visitors to your website won’t see ads, but there will be ads in your WordPress dashboard.
Free hosting from 000WebHost doesn’t even require a credit card to set up, and you can use it as long as you like. Also, if you outgrow your free plan, you can easily upgrade to a cheap plan from Hostinger. Hostinger plans start at $1.99 / month for your first billing cycle.
5. Google Cloud Hosting
Google Cloud Hosting isn’t technically free. However, it does offer a one-year free trial that includes:
- One website
- Unlimited storage
- Extensive support documentation
While Google Cloud Hosting is tailored towards large businesses, anyone can use it. To get started, all you need is a Google account.
The free trial lasts for 12 months, or until you’ve used up the $300 credit it includes. After this, you only pay for the resources you use. Google offers a price calculator to help you estimate your costs.
6. AwardSpace
AwardSpace offers a variety of hosting services. It’s best known for its free plan, which includes:
- One website
- Three subdomains
- 1 GB disk space
- 5 GB bandwidth
- MySQL database
- 24/7 live chat
Awardspace includes one-click content management system (CMS) installation as well as the Zacky website builder. Also, the 24/7 live chat is available to free plan users if you have questions.
Once launched, your own website will be ad-free. Plus, you can place ads to monetize it. AwardSpace provides you with the ability to monitor your bandwidth usage as well, which may help you budget your resources.
7. Freehostia
Freehostia offers paid and free hosting. The free plan, called ‘Chocolate’, provides:
- Five websites
- 250 MB disk space
- 6 GB bandwidth
- One MySQL database
- FAQ and ticket support system
Freehostia’s cluster platform aims to offer more reliability from its free hosting. Hopefully, this results in less downtime for your website.
You’ll have access to a website builder complete with templates. If you run into issues, you can have an answer to your support ticket in one hour, even with the free plan.
8. FreeWebHostingArea
FreeWebHostingArea is a volunteer-maintained free hosting service. It offers:
- 1.5 GB disk space
- Unmetered traffic
- MySQL databases
- Free email support
9. W3Schools Spaces
W3Schools Spaces features of the free plan:
- Free templates
- Allow 500 requests/month
- Allow 100MB data and storage/month
- Free SSL
10. Glitch
Glitch features of the free plan:
- Provide 4000 requests/hour
- The server processes 512MN of RAM
- Storage capacity 512MB
- Unlimited static sites
- Support import/export Github function.
11. Fleek
Fleek features of the free plan:
- Support to edit domains
- Provide services https
- 3GB of storage
- Unlimited websites
- Automatically deploy on Git
- 250 minutes to build and 50GB of bandwidth
- Free SSL
12. Netlify
Netlify features of the free plan:
- Automatically built from Git
- Deployed on the global edge network
- Bandwidth: 100GB/Month
- Number of websites: Unlimited
- Restorable to any version
- Provides a free CLI.
13. Render
Render features of the free plan:
- 100GB/month for bandwidth and storage
- Lightning-fast CDN
- Can custom domain with full SSL functionality
- Automatically deploy on Git
14. Surge
Surge features of the free plan:
- Provides 404.html page functionality
- Unlimited websites and APIs
- Can custom domain
- Easy to deploy via CLI
- Unlimited websites.
15. Vercel
Vercel features of the free plan:
- Improve website performance with Edge Network
- Unlimited websites and APIs
- Can custom domain with full SSL functionality
- Provides Serverless Functions
- 100GB bandwidth/month
- Automatically optimize images (1000 images for the free version)
16. Firebase
Firebase features of the free plan:
- 10 GB of storage
- 360MB Bandwidth/day
- You can edit your website’s domain name
- Allows multiple pages to be added to the same project
- SSL support.
17. HyperPHP
HyperPHP is a free hosting and domain service for personal websites. Its plan offers:
- 1 GB disk space
- Free subdomains
- MySQL database
- Free tech support and community forums
HyperPHP offers a few ways to make launching a new website easy. Firstly, a free domain transfer is available. This host also offers an automatic script installer, which you can access through VistaPanel.
FAQs - Free Web Hosting
1. Is free web hosting reliable?
Answer : No, free web hosting isn’t reliable. Most free web hosting has absurdly limited resources and you’re also likely to run into multiple issues. This includes poor performance, complicated interface, compromised security, and ads on your website. Not to mention questionable terms of service.
2. Can I get free hosting and a domain?
Answer : Free hosting and domain is rarely possible, none of the providers here has such a deal. However, many hosts offer free subdomain hosting. You can choose a desired name for your site, but it will look something like this: desiredname.freehosting.com.
3. Can I use free hosting for selling online?
Answer : Yes, as long as you can host WordPress and install WooCommerce on your paid plan, it's possible to sell online using free hosting. Yet, it’s extremely likely to cause many problems and potentially ruin the seller/buyer relationship. If your online store is always down or very slow, the buyers will simply go to more professional sites.
4. Can I host my own website?
Answer : Yes, you can host your own website if you have the tech skills and 100% uninterrupted network. It will require significant skills, technical know-how, resources, and time among other things. Plus, many Internet service providers also forbid personal hosting.
5. Does it matter where you host your website?
Answer : Yes. With a bad hosting provider, your website may be plagued with slow loading times, a lack of proper security, and extensive downtime. It’s really important to choose a web host with a discerning eye.
Conclusion
While your free web hosting platform might not be perfect, it can be a viable option in some scenarios. However, finding a quality provider that delivers on its promises is no easy task.
In this article, we shared our opinions on the 17 best free website hosting options available. You have nothing to lose by giving one a try. Our top pick in the category of best free web hosting is AwardSpace for its 24/7 live chat support and easy WordPress installation.
However, for any type of serious project, we recommend using at least a cheap paid shared hosting service. In our collection of cheap web hosting sites, you’ll find services that cost just a few dollars per month.
As we mentioned earlier in this post, you can get quality, affordable website hosting like Bluehot, Hostinger etc. for $2.75 or even $1.99 per month
Recommendation - Paid Web Hosting Service Providers
If you are looking for safe and secure website hosting, we recommend to use paid web hosting services.
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Read More : You can explore here 30+ Best Web Hosting Providers 2023
Video - Best Web Hosting For Small Business
Affordable Website Hosting for your domainIf you found this article helpful, we encourage you to share it on your social media platforms—because sharing is caring! For more information about article submissions on our website, feel free to reach out to us via email.
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Written by RGB Web Tech
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Critical Factors for Selecting the Best Web Hosting in the UK
Last updated on January 19, 2025 by RGB Web Tech
Choosing the ideal web hosting provider is no easy task, and selecting UK based VPS hosting can be twice as hard. At its core, it's about finding a perfect blend of performance, security, and affordability to strengthen your digital footprints in the UK market. The web hosting provider you choose can significantly impact whether your website achieves its long-term objectives.
There are various factors to consider when selecting the best web hosting UK, some of which are more crucial than others. For instance, performance always tops the list. However, several other factors aren’t equally important but still play a key role in shaping the overall experience of the website. In this brief blog, we’ll explore these factors to make a well-informed decision.
Evaluate Your Business Needs
One of the most essential factors to contemplate when choosing the best web hosting plan is evaluating your business needs. What’s essential for your brands, and will the web hosting provider you choose be able to deliver those needs? If a web host fails to deliver the bare essentials, you can immediately remove it from your list.
- Which CMS are you using? For instance, Joomla, Drupal, WordPress, or some custom solution?
- Are you crafting complex infrastructure that is supposed to be operational 24/7?
- How much traffic are you anticipating shortly?
- Will you require server access?
- How many people will need to manage the website?
These questions are easy, and you should have the solutions easily available. However, this doesn't imply that the practice should be ignored. Taking ample time to analyze these questions will enable you to focus beyond the prominent features a web host highlights and emphasize what matters for your business.
Areas of Consideration
1. Speed and Performance
Speed, generally correlated to performance, is certainly the most appealing factor when choosing a web host. While you can deploy a CDN, advanced caching, code minification, and various other optimization techniques, a slow web host will still lead to a substandard experience.
Various factors influence a web host's performance. The first aspect is the infrastructure they use. As technology transforms rapidly, your web hosting provider should update its platform to leverage its advancements. Failure to do so not only affects your website performance concerning those using modern technologies but also produces risks to security.
2. Server Resources
Server resources play a significant role in speed and performance. How much bandwidth does your plan offer? How much storage space is allocated? If you answered the question at the beginning of this article, you should already have a clear idea of what you need for ideal performance. Another crucial aspect to consider is the server location concerning where your visitors are located. A server in the UK serving nearby visitors will reduce latency and enhance your website’s performance.
3. Reliability and Uptime
A web hosting provider might offer all the perks like a website builder, email accounts, and much more, but it has no significance if it’s not reliable. An unreliable web host will experience frequent downtime, and the issue is that your visitors will associate the poor experience with your brand. Every moment of downtime leads to a loss of sales.
Before choosing a free web host, do proper research about its uptime scores. Look out for a web host that offers 99.9% uptime. For instance, reputed web hosting providers like Hostinger offer 99.95% uptime. Once you’ve compared hosts, it’s a good idea to use server monitoring tools to track uptime. If you notice a decrease in uptime, it may be an indication to choose another web host.
4. Usability
Another essential factor is how convenient it is to carry out essential functions. Can you seamlessly deploy an SSL certificate? How much time does it take to add another domain to your hosting? If it includes a website builder, are the options easy for a beginner to use and get started?
Often, you can’t test a web host before signing up. However, popular web hosting providers like Hostinger offer a comprehensive knowledge base and tutorials to streamline the process. Are the tasks easy to execute, or do they feel complicated? If they feel too technical, you may need to consider another web host.
5. Pricing
It’s common for hosting providers to provide an alluring welcome price, only to raise it after the first month of subscription. This strategy works perfectly, but you need to analyze how much you’ll be paying after renewal. Many web hosting providers keep that information hidden or complicate it by frequently changing the prices.
Avoid web hosting providers that raise prices by more than 100% upon renewal unless the initial cost is exceptionally low. For instance, Hostinger offers competitive pricing for long-term subscriptions. As long as the renewal price fits within your budget, the web host is worth considering.
6. Security
A single breach can ruin all your hard work if someone gains unauthorized access to sensitive areas. While some security measures are your responsibility, many others fall under the responsibility of your hosting provider, such as DDoS attacks, network firewalls, OS updates, and much more.
There are many other security features a web hosting provider should cover. First, it should offer regular malware detection and mitigation services. If this is not included in your hosting plan, it's often available as a premium service.
Another essential feature a web host should have is a periodic backup service. Can you seamlessly restore your website if you can't clean up malware? Additionally, your hosting service must support SSL certificates. Most prominent web hosts offer a free SSL certificate for at least the first year. In short, there should be dedicated support for SSL certificates, as they protect your website and are often sought by customers.
Conclusion
There are several factors to consider when looking for the best web hosting provider for the UK. This blog highlights some of the essential factors. Be sure to prioritize your business needs above everything else, ensuring you make a well-informed decision that aligns with your long-term objectives.
An unreliable web host can lead to poor user experience, frequent downtime, and security issues. That’s why it's recommended to choose a reliable web hosting provider like Hostinger, which can serve as the perfect platform to support your online brand with ease.
If you found this article helpful, we encourage you to share it on your social media platforms—because sharing is caring! For more information about article submissions on our website, feel free to reach out to us via email.
Send an emailWritten by RGB Web Tech
Latest Technology Trends
Latest technology trends shaping the future, including AI advancements, blockchain innovation, 5G connectivity, IoT integration, and sustainable tech solutions. Explore breakthroughs in quantum computing, cybersecurity, augmented reality, and edge computing. Stay ahead with insights into transformative technologies driving innovation across industries and revolutionizing how we live, work, and connect.