Node.js apps need a host that can run code all day, not just serve files. Some hosts do this for free with limits. Others charge a few dollars a month for an app that never sleeps.
We checked the official pricing pages of 7 Node.js hosts on November 12, 2026. Here is what each one really costs, and who should pick it.
Quick answer
The best Node.js hosting for most people in 2026 is Render if you want a free start, and Railway if you want a simple paid plan from $5 a month. Fly.io is the cheapest always-on option at $2.19 a month for a 256 MB machine. If you also want email, a domain and a normal hosting panel, Hostinger runs Node.js apps from $2.79 a month (48-month term, renews at $16.99 a month).
Node.js hosting compared (prices checked November 2026)
| Host | Best for | Starting price | Renewal / ongoing | Refund or trial |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Render | Free start, easy deploys | $0 (free tier), then $7/mo | Same price each month | Free tier, no refund window listed |
| Railway | Simple usage-based billing | $5/mo minimum (includes $5 usage) | Same each month, plus extra usage | 30-day free trial with $5 credit |
| Fly.io | Cheapest always-on app | $2.19/mo (256 MB) | Same each month | Short free trial, no card needed |
| DigitalOcean | Growing apps, full control | $5/mo App Platform, $4/mo Droplet | Same each month | No refund window listed |
| Hostinger | Node.js plus email and domain | $2.79/mo (48 months) | $16.99/mo | 30-day money-back |
| Heroku | Teams that like a classic PaaS | $5/mo (Eco), $7/mo (Basic) | Same each month | No free tier |
| Vercel | Next.js and serverless Node | $0 (Hobby, non-commercial) | Pro $20/mo per seat | Free Hobby plan |
Note: monthly cloud prices assume the app runs all month. Usage-based hosts can cost more if your app uses more memory, CPU or bandwidth.
How we picked
We looked for hosts that can run a real Node.js server (Express, Fastify, NestJS, Next.js and similar). We checked each host’s official pricing page on November 12, 2026, and wrote down the first price, the ongoing price and any free tier or refund rules. We then sorted them by who they suit best, not by commission. A host had to be global and well known to make the list.
If you are new to hosting in general, our simple guide to choosing web hosting explains the basics first.
1. Render: best free start for Node.js
Render lets you connect a GitHub repo and deploy a Node.js web service in a few clicks. It is one of the few hosts that still has a free web service tier.
Prices (checked November 2026):
- Free web service: $0 a month, 512 MB RAM.
- Paid web service: $7 a month for 512 MB RAM, $25 a month for 1 CPU and 2 GB RAM.
- Workspace plan: Hobby is $0 plus compute. Pro is $25 a month plus compute.
- Postgres: free plan, or $6 a month for the smallest paid database.
Free tier limits: Render spins down a free web service after 15 minutes with no traffic. Waking it up takes about one minute. Each workspace gets 750 free instance hours per month. Free Postgres databases expire 30 days after you create them.
Pros:
- Real free tier for testing and side projects.
- Simple Git-based deploys and automatic HTTPS.
- Prices stay the same each month, with no promo jump.
Cons:
- Free apps sleep, so the first visit after a break is slow.
- The $25 Pro workspace fee adds up for small teams.
Pick this if: you want to launch a Node.js app for $0 today and move to $7 a month when it needs to stay awake.
2. Railway: best simple usage-based hosting
Railway is popular with developers who want to push code and not think about servers. You pay a small minimum, and that minimum is turned into usage credit.
Prices (checked November 2026):
- Free: 30-day trial with $5 of credit, then $1 a month. No credit card needed.
- Hobby: $5 minimum a month, which includes $5 of usage.
- Pro: $20 minimum a month, which includes $20 of usage.
- Usage rates: memory is $0.00000386 per GB per second, CPU is $0.00000772 per vCPU per second, and egress is $0.05 per GB.
In plain numbers, 1 GB of RAM running all month costs about $10, so a small app often fits inside or close to the $5 Hobby credit.
Pros:
- Very easy deploys from GitHub, with databases in the same project.
- Your $5 minimum is not wasted, since it becomes usage.
- Scales up a lot on the same platform.
Cons:
- Bills can grow if your app uses a lot of memory.
- The pricing page does not list a refund policy.
Pick this if: you want the easiest paid Node.js hosting, with a bill that starts at $5 a month.
3. Fly.io: cheapest always-on Node.js app
Fly.io runs your app inside small virtual machines. You can place them close to your users in many regions.
Prices (checked November 2026):
- shared-cpu-1x with 256 MB RAM: $2.19 a month.
- shared-cpu-1x with 512 MB RAM: $3.69 a month.
- shared-cpu-1x with 1 GB RAM: $6.70 a month.
- Paid support: Standard $29 a month, Premium $199 a month. Community support is free.
- Managed Postgres starts at $38 a month (Basic).
New accounts get a short free trial, and no credit card is needed to start. Fly.io’s docs say there is no ongoing free tier for new organizations.
Pros:
- Lowest always-on price on this list.
- Easy to run your app in several regions.
- Billing is clear per machine size.
Cons:
- You use a command-line tool, which is harder for beginners.
- Managed Postgres at $38 a month is pricey for a tiny app.
Pick this if: you are comfortable with a terminal and want an app that never sleeps for about $2 to $7 a month.
4. DigitalOcean: best for growing apps and full control
DigitalOcean gives you two ways to run Node.js. App Platform is a managed service like Render. Droplets are virtual servers you set up yourself.
Prices (checked November 2026):
- App Platform free tier: 3 static site apps for $0. (This is for static sites, not a Node.js server.)
- App Platform container: $5 a month for 1 vCPU, 512 MiB RAM and 50 GiB transfer. $10 a month for 1 GiB RAM.
- Basic Droplet: $4 a month for 1 vCPU, 512 MiB RAM, 10 GiB SSD and 500 GiB transfer. $6 a month for 1 GiB RAM.
- Development database on App Platform: $7 a month.
Pros:
- Choice of managed (App Platform) or full control (Droplets).
- Fixed monthly prices with a monthly cap.
- Lots of tutorials for Node.js.
Cons:
- A Droplet means you handle updates and security yourself.
- No free Node.js server tier.
Pick this if: you want a fixed $4 to $10 monthly bill and room to grow into bigger servers later.
Not sure if you want managed or self-managed? Read our managed vs unmanaged VPS guide.
5. Hostinger: best if you want Node.js plus email and a domain
Hostinger now supports Node.js apps on its web hosting plans, not just on VPS. This suits small business owners who want a website, email and an app in one place.
Prices (checked November 2026, Black Friday pricing shown on the site):
- Unlimited plan: $2.79 a month on a 48-month term ($133.92 paid today). Renews at $16.99 a month. Up to 5 web apps.
- Cloud Startup: $7.99 a month on a 48-month term ($383.52 paid today). Renews at $25.99 a month. Up to 10 web apps.
- KVM 1 VPS: $6.49 a month on a 24-month term ($155.76 paid today). Renews at $11.99 a month. 1 vCPU, 4 GB RAM.
- 30-day money-back guarantee on these plans.
The entry Premium plan does not list Node.js support, so start with Unlimited or higher.
Pros:
- Node.js, email, a control panel and WordPress in one account.
- 30-day money-back guarantee.
- KVM 1 VPS gives 4 GB RAM for a low first-term price.
Cons:
- Big jump at renewal (from $2.79 to $16.99 a month on Unlimited).
- You need a long term to get the lowest price.
Pick this if: you want a normal hosting account that can also run a Node.js app, and you are fine paying up front. Our guide to cutting hosting renewal costs shows how to soften the renewal jump.
6. Heroku: best classic platform for teams
Heroku was one of the first platforms where you could just push code. It is still a solid choice for teams that want a mature, well-documented setup.
Prices (checked November 2026):
- Eco dyno: $5 a month, 0.5 GB RAM. Personal accounts only. Sleeps after 30 minutes of no traffic.
- Basic dyno: $7 a month, 0.5 GB RAM, always on, free SSL.
- Standard-1X: $25 a month, 0.5 GB RAM, with zero-downtime deploys.
- Standard-2X: $50 a month, 1 GB RAM.
Heroku has no free tier.
Pros:
- Very mature, with many add-ons.
- Simple pricing per dyno.
- Zero-downtime deploys on Standard plans.
Cons:
- Less RAM per dollar than Fly.io or Railway.
- No free option for testing.
Pick this if: your team already knows Heroku or wants a proven platform, and $7 to $25 per app is fine.
7. Vercel: best for Next.js and serverless Node
Vercel is built for frontend frameworks like Next.js. Your Node.js code runs as functions, not as one server that runs all day.
Prices (checked November 2026):
- Hobby: $0 a month, for personal and non-commercial use only.
- Pro: $20 a month per developer seat, including $20 of usage credit.
- Included on Pro: 4 hours of active CPU, 360 GB-hours of memory, 1 million function calls and 100 GB of fast data transfer per month.
Pros:
- Best home for Next.js apps.
- Fast global delivery with almost no setup.
- Free Hobby plan for personal projects.
Cons:
- Not made for long-running servers, WebSockets or background jobs.
- Hobby cannot be used for commercial sites.
Pick this if: your app is built with Next.js or another framework that fits serverless functions. Want other options? See our Vercel alternatives list.
Who should choose what
- Just testing or learning: Render free tier (sleeps after 15 minutes idle).
- Simple paid hosting with little setup: Railway from $5 a month.
- Cheapest app that never sleeps: Fly.io from $2.19 a month.
- Fixed bill and room to grow: DigitalOcean from $4 a month (Droplet) or $5 a month (App Platform).
- Website, email and Node.js in one place: Hostinger from $2.79 a month (renews at $16.99).
- Teams that want a proven platform: Heroku from $7 a month for always-on.
- Next.js or serverless apps: Vercel, free for personal use, $20 a month for Pro.
Built your app with an AI tool? Our guide to hosting Lovable apps covers where to deploy those. And if your current host is too slow for your app, check the signs you have outgrown shared hosting.
FAQ
What is the best free Node.js hosting in 2026?
Render is the best free Node.js hosting in 2026 for most people. Its free web service has 512 MB RAM and 750 free instance hours per month, but it sleeps after 15 minutes with no traffic. Vercel’s Hobby plan is also free, but only for personal, non-commercial use.
What is the cheapest Node.js hosting that does not sleep?
Fly.io is the cheapest on this list at $2.19 a month for a 256 MB machine that runs all the time. DigitalOcean’s smallest Droplet is $4 a month, and Render’s always-on plan is $7 a month.
Can I run Node.js on shared hosting?
Yes, some shared hosts now support it. Hostinger runs Node.js apps on its Unlimited plan ($2.79 a month for 48 months, renews at $16.99 a month) and higher plans. Shared hosting works for small apps, but busy apps do better on a VPS or a cloud platform.
Is Heroku still free?
No. Heroku has no free tier in 2026. The cheapest option is the Eco dyno at $5 a month, which sleeps after 30 minutes, and the Basic always-on dyno costs $7 a month.
Is Vercel good for Node.js backends?
Vercel is great for Next.js and short API functions. It is not a good fit for long-running servers, WebSockets or background workers. For those, Railway, Render or Fly.io are better choices.
How much RAM does a Node.js app need?
A small Node.js app often runs fine with 512 MB of RAM. Apps with more users, heavy libraries or background jobs usually need 1 GB or more. Start small and upgrade when you see memory errors or slow responses.
Should I use a VPS or a platform like Railway for Node.js?
A platform like Railway or Render is easier because it handles servers, HTTPS and deploys for you. A VPS like a DigitalOcean Droplet ($4 a month) or Hostinger KVM 1 ($6.49 a month for 24 months) costs less per GB of RAM, but you manage updates and security yourself.
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Update log
- November 2026: Published, using pricing checked on November 12, 2026.
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