WebSlop — Free Glitch.com Alternative

WebSlop is a free platform for building, deploying, and hosting Node.js and static web apps. Browser-based editor, instant live URLs, AI/MCP integration.

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Updated 2026Honest reviews from real developers

Best Free Node.js Hosting Platforms in 2026

Finding free Node.js hosting has gotten harder since Heroku and Glitch dropped their free tiers. These platforms still offer free hosting for your Express, Fastify, and Node.js applications.

#1

WebSlop

Our Pick

WebSlop is purpose-built for Node.js hosting with a browser-based Monaco editor, auto-sleep/wake, and Git push-to-deploy. It supports Express, Fastify, Koa, and any Node.js framework out of the box with automatic dependency installation and process management via its custom Node.js runtime.

✓Free tier with 75 hrs/mo, 512MB RAM, and 256MB storage for Node.js apps
✓Built-in Monaco editor lets you write and deploy Node.js code from the browser
✓Automatic npm dependency installation and hot-reloading on file changes
✓Dynamic subdomains with HTTPS for every app at app-name.webslop.ai
✓Supports Node.js 18, 20, and 22 with easy version switching
✗Free apps auto-sleep after 30 minutes (wake on request takes ~2 seconds)
✗256MB storage on free tier limits larger applications
✗Node.js only; no Python, Go, or other runtimes available
Pricing:Free: $0 (75 hrs/mo, 512MB RAM). Starter: $5/mo (150 hrs). Pro: $15/mo (1,200 hrs, 1GB RAM).
#2

Render

Render supports Node.js web services with free hosting that includes automatic HTTPS, custom domains on paid plans, and deployment from GitHub or GitLab. It auto-detects Node.js projects and runs npm install and npm start automatically.

✓Free web services with automatic Node.js detection and builds
✓Managed PostgreSQL and Redis available as companion services
✓Zero-config deployment from Git with automatic HTTPS
✗Free services spin down after 15 minutes with 30-60 second cold starts
✗Free PostgreSQL databases expire after 90 days
✗No browser editor; requires pushing code via Git
Pricing:Free tier available. Starter: $7/mo. Standard: from $25/mo.
#3

Railway

Railway deploys Node.js applications with automatic framework detection via Nixpacks, built-in environment variable management, and real-time logs. It provisions databases alongside your app with a single click.

✓Fastest deployment times with automatic Node.js/npm detection
✓Built-in PostgreSQL, MySQL, and Redis provisioning
✓Real-time log streaming and resource metrics in dashboard
✗No ongoing free tier; only a one-time $5 trial credit
✗Usage-based pricing can be unpredictable for beginners
✗No browser-based code editor for live changes
Pricing:Trial: $5 credit. Hobby: $5/mo + usage. Pro: $20/mo per seat + usage.
#4

Fly.io

Fly.io runs Node.js apps in lightweight Firecracker VMs with automatic Dockerfile detection. It deploys to edge locations globally and supports persistent volumes for Node.js applications that need file storage.

✓Free allowance includes 3 shared VMs suitable for Node.js apps
✓Global edge deployment for low-latency Node.js APIs
✓Persistent volumes for apps needing local file storage
✗Requires a Dockerfile or fly.toml configuration
✗Credit card required even for free allowance
✗CLI-focused workflow is less beginner-friendly
Pricing:Free: 3 shared VMs, 3GB storage. Pay-as-you-go from ~$1.94/mo.
#5

Vercel

Vercel hosts Node.js applications as serverless functions, making it ideal for Next.js, Nuxt, and API routes. While not traditional Node.js hosting, it handles event-driven Node.js workloads efficiently with automatic scaling.

✓Generous free tier with 100GB bandwidth for serverless Node.js functions
✓First-class Next.js support with edge and serverless runtimes
✓Automatic preview deployments for every Git branch
✗Node.js runs as serverless functions, not persistent servers
✗10-second function timeout on free tier limits long-running tasks
✗Not suitable for WebSocket or real-time Node.js applications
Pricing:Hobby: Free. Pro: $20/mo per member.
#6

Netlify

Netlify runs Node.js code through Netlify Functions, which are AWS Lambda functions integrated with Netlify's deployment pipeline. It is well-suited for Node.js API endpoints and background processing tasks.

✓Free tier includes 125K serverless function invocations per month
✓Background functions support up to 15-minute execution time
✓Scheduled functions for cron-like Node.js tasks
✗Functions are serverless with cold starts; not persistent Node.js servers
✗10-second timeout for synchronous functions on free tier
✗Limited to 1,024 bundled functions per site
Pricing:Starter: Free. Pro: $19/mo per member.
#7

Deta

Deta provides free Node.js hosting through its Deta Space platform, which runs lightweight microservices with built-in NoSQL database and file storage. Deploys are near-instant and the platform is designed for personal and small-scale projects.

✓Completely free with no credit card required
✓Built-in NoSQL database and file storage for Node.js apps
✓Near-instant deployments through the Deta CLI
✗Limited to lightweight Node.js apps and microservices
✗No WebSocket support for real-time Node.js applications
✗Smaller ecosystem with limited community resources
Pricing:Free forever. No paid tiers currently available.
#8

Koyeb

Koyeb offers a free nano instance capable of running Node.js applications with automatic scaling and global deployment. It supports both Git-based deployments and Docker containers with built-in CI/CD.

✓Free nano instance with 512MB RAM for Node.js apps
✓Automatic scaling and health checking included
✓Supports both Git push and Docker container deployments
✗Free tier limited to a single nano instance with 0.1 CPU
✗Limited regions on free tier compared to paid plans
✗Documentation and tutorials for Node.js are still growing
Pricing:Free: 1 nano service. Starter: from $5.50/mo.
#9

Cyclic (Shut Down)

Cyclic was a serverless platform specifically designed for Node.js and full-stack applications, offering free hosting with a DynamoDB-backed storage layer. The platform shut down in 2024 after struggling to compete in the increasingly crowded PaaS market.

✓Was purpose-built for Node.js with automatic dependency management
✓Offered genuinely free tier with no cold starts using pre-warmed containers
✓Had built-in AWS DynamoDB and S3 storage at no extra cost
✗Shut down in 2024 and is no longer available
✗Was serverless-only; did not support persistent processes
✗Had limited runtime duration per request
Pricing:No longer available. Was Free with paid plans from $8/mo.
#10

Adaptable.io

Adaptable.io auto-detects Node.js frameworks and configures deployment automatically, handling Express, Fastify, NestJS, and other frameworks. It offers managed PostgreSQL and MongoDB databases alongside the Node.js hosting.

✓Automatic framework detection for Express, NestJS, Fastify, etc.
✓Managed databases included with deployment
✓Simple deployment with minimal configuration needed
✗Free tier has limited resources and may throttle
✗Relatively unknown platform with smaller community
✗Feature set still maturing compared to established competitors
Pricing:Free tier with limits. Starter: $7/mo. Growth: $15/mo.
FAQ

Frequently asked questions

What is the best free hosting for an Express.js app?▾
WebSlop is the best free option for Express.js apps, offering 75 hours/month of hosting with 512MB RAM and a built-in browser editor. Render also offers free Express.js hosting but with 30-60 second cold starts. For serverless Express.js, Vercel and Netlify can host Express apps as serverless functions.
Can I host a Node.js app with a database for free?▾
Yes. Render offers free web services plus a free PostgreSQL database (expires after 90 days). Deta includes a free NoSQL database with its Node.js hosting. Railway gives you a $5 credit that can cover a Node.js app plus database for several weeks. WebSlop apps can connect to external databases like Supabase or PlanetScale which have their own free tiers.
Which free Node.js hosts support WebSockets?▾
WebSlop and Fly.io both support WebSocket connections in their Node.js hosting. Render also supports WebSockets on paid plans. Vercel and Netlify do not support WebSockets because they run Node.js as serverless functions. Railway supports WebSockets on all plans.
How do I deploy a Node.js app for free without a credit card?▾
WebSlop, Deta, Vercel, and Netlify all let you deploy Node.js apps without a credit card. WebSlop is the simplest: sign up, paste your code in the browser editor, and your app is live at a .webslop.ai subdomain. Vercel and Netlify require connecting a Git repository.
What Node.js versions do free hosting platforms support?▾
WebSlop supports Node.js 18, 20, and 22 with easy switching between versions. Render and Railway support all active LTS versions. Vercel supports Node.js 18 and 20. Most platforms default to the current LTS version (Node.js 20) and allow you to specify your preferred version in package.json.

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