How to Host Your Websites Free

November 4, 2025

Reliable Free & Low-Cost Web Hosting — Review for 2025

Introduction

If you’re building a website — whether it’s a personal blog, static site for a side project, or a small business presence — hosting costs and reliability matter.
Free hosting can get you started, but as you grow, you may want to choose a low-cost paid host that offers better performance, uptime, and support.

This article reviews reliable free and low-cost web hosting options in 2025, including updated pricing, features, and considerations for selecting the best host for your needs.

Free Hosting vs. Low-Cost Paid Hosting

Free hosting means no monthly fee (or minimal cost), but it often comes with trade-offs: limited storage, bandwidth, sub-domains instead of custom domains, or slower response times.

Low-cost paid hosting, on the other hand, usually provides full domain support, better performance, stronger uptime guarantees, and professional support — typically for just a few dollars a month.
It’s often worth the modest investment for serious or long-term projects.

Free Hosting Options (with caveats)

There are several platforms that offer free web hosting services where you can host your websites at no cost.
Each has its own limitations (bandwidth, domain, uptime, traffic), but they’re useful for small projects, portfolios, or test sites.

1. GitHub Pages

Status: Fully active and supported.
GitHub Pages provides hosting for static websites (HTML, CSS, JS) directly from a GitHub repository.

Free for public repositories, private repos require specific GitHub plans.
Supports custom domains and free HTTPS.
Ideal for static site generators (Hugo, Jekyll, Pelican, etc.), documentation, or personal portfolios.
Not designed for dynamic, server-side applications.

How to Use:

Create a GitHub repository named yourusername.github.io.
Upload your HTML/CSS/JS or generated SSG output.
Go to Settings → Pages → Source, and choose the branch/folder to publish.
Your site appears at https://yourusername.github.io/.

More Info: GitHub Pages Docs

2. Netlify — Free Tier

Status: Still one of the best free hosting services in 2025.
Netlify provides continuous deployment and CDN hosting for static sites.

Free plan includes: 100 GB bandwidth/month, build minutes, SSL, custom domains, and Git integration.
Automatically builds and deploys from GitHub, GitLab, or Bitbucket.
Excellent choice for JAMstack and static site generator users.

Caveats:
Free plan has bandwidth and build-minute limits; you can upgrade anytime.

More Info: Netlify Free Plan

3. 000WebHost

Status: ⚠️ Discontinued for free hosting
Once a popular free host for PHP/MySQL, 000WebHost ended its free hosting service in late 2024.
Existing users must migrate to paid hosting or another provider.

Recommendation: Use alternatives like InfinityFree or AwardSpace instead.

4. InfinityFree

Status: Active and continues to offer free hosting.

Free hosting with PHP, MySQL, and free SSL.
“Unlimited” disk and bandwidth, but subject to fair-use policy.
Free subdomains provided; custom domains supported.

Caveats:
“Unlimited” is policy-based and may have hidden restrictions on heavy traffic or resource use.
Uptime and support are limited compared to paid hosting.

More Info: InfinityFree.net

5. AwardSpace

Status: Active and reliable small-site host.

Free plan includes 1 GB storage, 5 GB bandwidth, PHP/MySQL, and free subdomain.
Custom domain support available even on the free plan.
Includes their Zacky Installer for easy WordPress setup.

Caveats:
Performance and resources are limited; best for small personal or test sites.

More Info: AwardSpace Free Hosting

6. Google Cloud Free Tier

Status: Active, with “Free Credits” and “Always Free” services.

New users receive $300 in credits to explore Google Cloud for one year.
Certain resources (Compute Engine f1-micro, Cloud Storage, App Engine) remain always free within limits.
Excellent for developers needing scalable infrastructure for learning or small apps.

Caveats:
Setup is more technical. Costs can accrue if you exceed free quotas.

More Info: Google Cloud Free Tier

General Tips for Free Web Hosting

Custom domains: Use them if possible; it looks professional and avoids lock-in.
Bandwidth & storage limits: Keep your site lightweight.
Backups: Always back up your files; free hosts rarely guarantee data safety.
Upgrade plans: Free tiers are best for testing; move to paid hosting when traffic or reliability becomes critical.

Low-Cost Paid Hosting Services — 2025 Review

1. Hostinger

Overview: Still one of the best low-cost options overall.

Pricing: From ~$2.49/month (4-year plan). Renewal around $10.99/month.
Features: Free domain (1 yr), SSL, CDN, 30-day money-back, 24/7 support.
Best For: Beginners or small to medium websites.

Pros:
✅ Excellent value and performance.
✅ Easy setup, beginner-friendly.
Cons:
⚠️ Low intro price requires long commitment; renewals much higher.

More Info: Hostinger Pricing

2. Bluehost

Overview: Long-standing WordPress-recommended host.

Pricing: Starts at ~$2.95/month (promo), renews at ~$11.99+.
Features: Free domain (1 yr), SSL, 24/7 support, 1-click WordPress install.
Best For: WordPress users, personal or small business sites.

Pros:
✅ Easy WordPress integration, reliable uptime.
Cons:
⚠️ High renewal rates; resource limits on cheaper plans.

More Info: Bluehost Hosting

3. SiteGround

Overview: Premium low-cost hosting with top-tier performance.

Pricing: Starts at ~$2.99/month (promo); renews ~$17.99/month.
Features: Daily backups, free CDN & SSL, Google Cloud infrastructure, strong support.
Best For: Business or high-traffic sites.

Pros:
✅ Excellent uptime, speed, and security.
Cons:
⚠️ Renewal cost jumps significantly after promo period.

More Info: SiteGround Hosting

4. GreenGeeks

Overview: Eco-friendly hosting powered by renewable energy.

Pricing: Starts around $2.95/month (promo).
Features: Free domain, SSL, CDN, nightly backups, 24/7 support.
Best For: Users seeking sustainability and performance.

Pros:
✅ Strong green initiative, excellent uptime.
Cons:
⚠️ Renewal prices higher, like most shared hosts.

More Info: GreenGeeks Hosting

5. IONOS by 1&1

Overview: Simple, budget-friendly entry-level hosting.

Pricing: From $1/month for first year (Basic plan).
Features: Free domain (1 yr), SSL, email account, scalable resources.
Best For: Beginners and small static or business sites.

Pros:
✅ Very low intro cost, strong support.
Cons:
⚠️ Limited advanced features; interface feels dated.

More Info: IONOS Hosting

How to Choose a Web Host

When choosing a free or low-cost web host, consider:

Intro vs. renewal pricing — watch for large renewal jumps.
Resources (bandwidth, storage) — match them to your site’s size and growth.
SSL and domain inclusion — essential for credibility and SEO.
CDN and performance tools — improve global site speed.
Uptime guarantees — 99.9% or higher is standard.
Upgrade paths — ensure your host supports scaling.

If you’re using a Static Site Generator (SSG) such as Hugo, Jekyll, or Pelican, ensure your host supports static file deployment (e.g., FTP upload, Git-based deployment, or CDN hosting).

Summary Recommendations

Type	Recommended Host	Key Strength	Ideal For
Free (Static Sites)	GitHub Pages / Netlify	Free HTTPS, Git automation	Portfolios, small projects
Free (Dynamic)	InfinityFree / AwardSpace	PHP/MySQL support	Hobby or test sites
Low-Cost (General)	Hostinger	Best value	Beginners, general use
Low-Cost (WordPress)	Bluehost	WordPress integration	Blogs, small business
Premium Low-Cost	SiteGround	Performance & security	Serious or business sites
Eco-Friendly	GreenGeeks	Renewable energy hosting	Environment-focused users
Ultra-Budget	IONOS	$1 intro plan	Simple, small sites

Conclusion

Reliable web hosting doesn’t have to be expensive.
If you’re experimenting, GitHub Pages or Netlify give you professional-grade static site hosting for free.
For small business or long-term sites, affordable providers like Hostinger, Bluehost, or SiteGround deliver better uptime, scalability, and customer support.

Start free, learn the tools, then upgrade when your traffic or features demand it — ensuring your website stays fast, secure, and reliable.