Getting started

1 Pick a host that fits

Not every free host is right for every project. Start on the Browse page and filter by category before you sign up anywhere.

• Shared PHP — classic websites, WordPress-style CMSs, anything needing PHP + MySQL (e.g. InfinityFree, 000webhost, ByetHost).
• Static — plain HTML/CSS/JS, or a static site generator's build output. No server-side code (e.g. GitHub Pages, Netlify, Neocities).
• Node / App — apps that need to run a process: APIs, bots, backends, or game servers (e.g. Vercel, Render, Railway, Glitch, AquoraHost, BotHaven).
• Read the reviews and star rating on each card before committing — free tiers vary a lot in limits (inactivity suspension, RAM, storage, forced ads).

2 Deploying a static site

For hosts like GitHub Pages, Netlify, or Neocities.

• Sign up on the host's site and create a new project/site.
• Most modern static hosts (Netlify, Vercel) connect directly to a GitHub/GitLab repo — push your code and it deploys automatically on every commit.
• Hosts without git integration (Neocities) usually offer drag-and-drop upload or an editor in the browser instead.
• Add a custom domain in the host's dashboard if you have one — free SSL is usually automatic.

3 Deploying a PHP / MySQL site

For classic shared hosts like InfinityFree, 000webhost, or ByetHost.

• Sign up and create a hosting account — you'll get a control panel (often cPanel-style) plus FTP/SFTP credentials.
• Upload your files via the panel's File Manager or an FTP client (e.g. FileZilla) into the public_html / htdocs folder.
• If your app needs a database, create a MySQL database and user from the panel, then update your app's config with the generated host, database name, username, and password.
• Point your domain's nameservers or DNS records at the host if you're using your own domain, or use the free subdomain they give you.
• Watch for: free-tier accounts on some hosts get suspended after a period of inactivity — check the host's card on the listing for details.

4 Deploying a Node.js / Python app

For hosts like Render, Railway, Glitch, Vercel, or app-hosting plans on AquoraHost/BotHaven.

• Sign up and create a new service, pointing it at your GitHub repo (or upload code directly, where supported).
• Set your start command (e.g. npm start or python app.py) and any environment variables your app needs.
• Most of these hosts auto-detect the runtime and install dependencies (npm install / pip install) as part of the deploy.
• Watch for: some free tiers "sleep" the app after inactivity and take a few seconds to wake back up on the next request — fine for hobby projects, worth knowing for anything time-sensitive.

5 Deploying a game server or Discord bot

For hosts like AquoraHost and BotHaven, which typically use a Pterodactyl-style panel.

• Sign up and order a plan (the free tier, if there is one) for the server type you want — Minecraft, a Discord bot, Lavalink, etc.
• Your server provisions automatically and you get access to a web panel: console, file manager, and SFTP.
• For Minecraft: upload your world/plugins via the file manager, set the server jar/version, then start it from the console.
• For Discord bots: upload your bot's code, set the start command and any environment variables (like your bot token) in the panel, then start it — it should now show online in Discord.

🦖 Panel reference: Pterodactyl

The most widely used open-source panel behind game/bot hosts — a web UI in front of an agent ("Wings") that runs each server in its own isolated Docker container.

• Console — live server output plus a command input box at the bottom; this is where you start/stop/restart the server and send commands directly.
• File Manager — browse, edit, upload, and drag-and-drop files (configs, plugins, bot code) without needing a separate FTP client, though SFTP credentials are usually also provided.
• Databases — create a MySQL database + user for plugins or apps that need one.
• Backups — create, download, and restore snapshots of your server's files.
• Startup — change version/runtime settings (e.g. Minecraft version, Node version) and startup flags.
• Users — add sub-users to share access to a single server without sharing your login.

🐦 Panel reference: Pelican

A free, open-source community fork of Pterodactyl, built by the same ecosystem in response to the issues above. Same underlying architecture (web panel + Wings-style Docker agent), different governance and an actively patched security track record.

• If a host's panel is branded "Pelican" instead of Pterodactyl, everything in the Pterodactyl reference above applies almost 1:1 — same Console, File Manager, Databases, Backups, and Startup concepts.
• The interface is generally considered more modern/polished, with the same core workflow so there's no real relearning involved if you've used Pterodactyl before.
• Not sure which one a host runs? Ask in their Discord/support — it doesn't change how you use the site, just good to know when troubleshooting a specific quirk.

💳 Billing reference: Paymenter

A separate, open-source client-area/billing system many small hosts (including several listed here) put in front of their Pterodactyl or Pelican panel to handle plan selection, checkout, invoices, and support tickets.

• You'll typically get two separate logins: one for the client area (Paymenter — billing, invoices, tickets, "Services" list) and one for the actual game/app panel (Pterodactyl or Pelican — console, files, backups).
• For free plans, "checkout" just means creating an account and confirming the order — no payment step.
• Once an order completes, Paymenter automatically provisions a matching server on the panel side. If you can't find your server right after signing up, check the client area's Services page — it should link straight through to the panel login.
• Invoices, upgrades/downgrades, and support tickets live in Paymenter, not the panel — that's the right place to go if something's wrong with billing rather than the server itself.

6 After you're live

• Go back to the host's card on the listing and leave a star rating + review — it helps the next person picking a host.
• Found a good free host that isn't listed yet? Submit it and it'll be reviewed for inclusion.