hosting
Best hosting for indie projects
Affordable, reliable hosting that scales from side project to startup.
Quick recommendation
Affordable, reliable hosting that scales from side project to startup.
Best Hosting Platforms for Indie Hackers
1. Vercel — Best for Next.js & Frontend Apps
Use for: React/Next.js apps, static sites, and serverless APIs. Vercel's free tier includes 100GB bandwidth, automatic HTTPS, and preview deployments per Git branch. The developer experience is unmatched — push to GitHub and your site is live in 30 seconds. Scales to enterprise if your project takes off.
2. Railway — Best for Full-Stack Apps
Use for: deploying databases, backends, and frontends from a single platform. Railway's template marketplace lets you spin up a PostgreSQL database + Express API + React frontend in minutes. $5/mo starter credit. Better than Vercel for projects that need persistent backend processes.
3. Cloudflare Pages — Best for Global Performance
Use for: static sites and Jamstack apps that need to load fast everywhere. Cloudflare's 300+ city edge network means your site loads in under 100ms globally. Unlimited bandwidth on the free plan. Pair with Cloudflare Workers for serverless functions.
4. Netlify — Best for Static Sites & Forms
Use for: static sites, landing pages, and projects that need built-in form handling. Netlify Forms collects submissions without backend code. Split testing and deploy previews are built in. Free tier includes 100GB bandwidth and 300 build minutes/month.
5. Supabase — Best for Database + Auth
Use for: PostgreSQL database, authentication, real-time subscriptions, and file storage. Supabase is the open-source Firebase alternative that indie hackers love. Free tier includes 500MB database, 50,000 monthly active users, and 1GB file storage. Pairs perfectly with Vercel for the frontend.
Quick Comparison
| Provider | Best For | Free Tier | Paid Start |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vercel | Next.js / Frontend | 100GB bandwidth | $20/mo |
| Railway | Full-stack apps | $5 credit | Usage-based |
| Cloudflare | Global performance | Unlimited bandwidth | $5/mo |
| Netlify | Static sites | 100GB bandwidth | $19/mo |
| Supabase | Database + Auth | 500MB DB | $25/mo |
How to choose for indie hackers
Start free, scale when needed
Vercel + Supabase free tiers can host a production app with thousands of users at $0/month. Only upgrade when you hit usage limits or need advanced features like teams and analytics.
Avoid vendor lock-in
Use standard frameworks (Next.js, Express) and standard databases (PostgreSQL) so you can migrate between providers. Supabase is just PostgreSQL — you can export your data and move anytime.
Optimize for shipping speed
Pick the platform with the best DX for your stack. Vercel for Next.js, Railway for full-stack. The faster you can deploy, the faster you can get user feedback and iterate.