- What is Free PHP Hosting?
- Limitations of Free PHP Hosting
- The Best Free PHP Hosting Providers
- How to Quickly Host Your PHP Website For Free
- Alternative Method: Hosting PHP Using Traditional Free Hosts
- How to Get the Most Out of Free PHP Hosting
- Free vs. Paid PHP Hosting — When to Upgrade
- FAQ: How to Host Your PHP Website For Free
- Is free PHP hosting really free?
- Is free PHP hosting safe?
- Can I host a MySQL database for free?
- Does free hosting support WordPress?
- Can I use my own domain?
- Is TiinyHost really free?
- How long does it take to go live?
- Can I host multiple PHP files?
- Is free hosting good for business websites?
- Can I upgrade later if my website grows?
- What PHP version does free web hosting services support?
- Can I use free PHP hosting to learn and practice coding?
- What is shared hosting, and is it suitable for PHP websites?
- Conclusion
PHP makes it really easy to build a website.
Getting it online? It can be a costly uphill battle if you don’t know what you’re doing.
This is where free PHP hosting services can help.
They allow you to host your website for free. No credit card required.
Whether you’re launching an MVP or a free website for your business, these web hosts are perfect for anyone just getting started.
In this article, I’ll show you:
- 6 free PHP hosting services
- How to quickly host your PHP site for free
- How to get the most out of free PHP hosting
What is Free PHP Hosting?
Free PHP Hosting is web hosting that allows you to host your PHP projects on a server for free.
When you build a website with PHP, the code doesn’t run in the browser like it does with HTML, CSS and JavaScript. PHP requires a server to run. The server executes your PHP script and generates content based on the code.
Unlike Static Hosting which only allows you to host static HTML and CSS files, PHP hosting allows you to build websites with dynamic content. For example, a contact form, a dashboard, or a full-featured web application.
Because the hosting is free forever, it comes with some limitations…
Limitations of Free PHP Hosting
Free PHP hosting is great for hobby projects and testing the waters.
But there are some trade-offs to keep in mind.
Limited Performance
Free hosting servers are shared between many users. Sometimes even thousands of users! If your site gets a small spike in traffic, it can lead to a slowdown or your site may temporarily stop working.
This can impact reliable performance and fast performance. You may not always get 99.9% uptime or better performance compared to paid hosting.
Limited Resources
Free web hosts offer limited disk space, bandwidth, and other resources.
This makes it difficult to host large projects or sites with a lot of files. And because they impose strict limits on bandwidth, if your site goes viral, it may become inaccessible to users until you upgrade to a premium plan.
Ads on Your Site
Some free hosting services place forced ads on your site unless you upgrade to a paid hosting plan.
Sometimes these are static ads for the free hosting service itself. Other times these are dynamic ads.
Domain Limitations
Many of these free platforms don’t allow using your own domain name on free plans.
They offer a free subdomain though that you can use.
If you want to use your own custom domain, you’ll need to upgrade to a paid hosting plan.
No Advanced Features
Advanced features are locked behind premium plans. Most free hosts restrict your access to advanced features such as cron jobs, backups, advanced SSH access, etc.
The Best Free PHP Hosting Providers
Provider |
Disk space |
MySQL databases |
Bandwidth |
Control Panel |
Ad-Free |
TiinyHost |
3 MB |
None |
5 GB |
Custom |
Yes |
GoogieHost |
1 GB |
2 |
100 GB |
DirectAdmin Panel |
Yes |
InfinityFree |
5 GB |
up to 400 |
Unlimited |
VistaPanel |
Yes |
FreeHosting |
10 GB |
1 |
Unmetered |
cPanel |
Yes |
FreeHostia |
250 MB |
1 |
6 GB |
Custom |
Yes |
AwardSpace |
1 GB |
1 |
5 GB |
Custom |
Yes |
TiinyHost
TiinyHost is a free hosting provider that allows you to host your files for free. It’s great for hosting anything from static web pages to dynamic PHP sites.
TiinyHost is great for hosting personal projects, small websites, and side projects.
Have an MVP you want to show your friends? All you have to do is upload the files, and TiinyHost will give you a live link to your project. Instant setup, instant activation. No waiting!
The best part? It comes with a free CDN.
That means your website’s static assets such as CSS, JavaScript, and images will load super fast.
Free Hosting Features
- Easiest and quickest way to host your PHP website.
- Uses the latest PHP version.
- Built-in CDN network.
- Free SSL certificate included.
- Protect your link with a password.
- No hidden fees
GoogieHost
GoogieHost has been around since 2012 and powers over 900,000 websites. You can use this platform to host anything from a few static webpages to a full-featured WordPress site.
It comes with a DirectAdmin panel that allows you to manage files, edit the code, manage databases, and configure your site.
The best part about GoogieHost is that it allows you to create up to two MySQL databases. That means, you can use this platform to run dynamic PHP applications like Joomla.
Another standout feature is the Cloudflare integration. It not only protects your site from malicious bots, it also speeds up your website by using a free Content Delivery Network.
GoogieHost is different from other free hosting providers. Unlike other providers, GoogieHost gives you enough resources to run real-world applications. It offers 1 GB of disk space and 100 GB of bandwidth, which is enough for most web applications.
Free Hosting Features
- 2 MySQL Databases
- 1 GB Disk Space
- Cloudflare CDN
- 100 GB bandwidth
- Ad-Free
- DirectAdmin Panel
- Free Subdomain
InfinityFree
Unlike other free web hosting providers, InfinityFree is very generous with its resources. You get 5 GB of storage space and unlimited bandwidth.
This platform is perfect for hosting not just hobby projects, but also dynamic web applications. Unlike other hosts that only allow 1 or 2 databases, InfinityFree allows up to 400 databases.
Its VistaPanel control panel makes it easy to manage your website’s configuration. Manage databases, upload files, and edit your website’s code all from a single control panel.
Free Hosting Features
- 5 GB storage space
- Up to 400 MySQL databases
- Unlimited bandwidth
- VistaPanel control panel
- Ad-Free hosting
- Free Subdomain
FreeHosting
FreeHosting is a free web hosting platform that comes with everything you need to launch a dynamic website.
It offers a full-featured cPanel that allows you to configure your website, update the code, manage FTP access, and easily upload files.
The best part? You get 10 GB of disk space and unmetered bandwidth. This is way more than what most free web hosts offer. This platform is a solid option for web applications with a lot of assets.
Free Hosting Features
- 10 GB of disk space
- 1 MySQL Database
- Unmetered bandwidth
- cPanel control panel
- Ad-Free PHP hosting
- Free subdomain
FreeHostia.com
FreeHostia is a lightweight free hosting provider. It may not come packed with resources but it’s enough for getting started without spending anything.
This platform is perfect for simple PHP apps and small websites. It allows only 1 MySQL database, but that is enough for most small projects. It’s even enough for hosting a WordPress site.
Unlike other hosting services on this list, FreeHostia offers only 250 MB of disk space. That might seem restrictive, but it’s enough for most starter sites.
One nice perk: it’s ad-free.
Your site won’t be cluttered with forced ads.
Free Hosting Features
- 250 MB storage space
- 1 MySQL database
- 6 GB bandwidth
- Free subdomain
- Ad-Free Hosting
AwardSpace
AwardSpace is a beginner-friendly free hosting service. It gives you everything you need to get a small PHP site up and running.
You get 1 GB of disk space and 5 GB of bandwidth, which is just enough for most simple projects.
AwardSpace includes 1 MySQL database, so you can build dynamic PHP websites. Whether it’s a simple login system or a small app, it’s capable enough for basic use cases.
It’s ad-free, meaning no forced ads on your site.
Free Hosting Features
- 1 GB of disk space
- 1 MySQL database
- 5 GB bandwidth
- Free subdomain
- Ad-Free
How to Quickly Host Your PHP Website For Free
The easiest and fastest way to host your PHP files online is to use TiinyHost.
It only takes a few minutes and is completely free.
First, navigate to the Tiiny.host website.
Drag and drop your PHP file onto the website.
You will now need to create an account. Or log in if you already have an account.
Tip: Signing up with a Social login such as Google or Github is the fastest way to sign up.
Once you sign up for an account, click the Publish button.
That’s it!
You now have a live PHP website.
Alternative Method: Hosting PHP Using Traditional Free Hosts
Now, I’ll show you how to host your PHP projects using traditional free hosts. For this example, I’ll use InfinityFree as an example.
First, navigate to the InfinityFree website.
Click the Register Now button.
Sign up for a free account.
You’ll now receive an email with a verification link. Click that link.
Now, click the Create Account button in the dashboard.
Enter a subdomain name for your website.
Click the Check Availability button to check if your subdomain is available.
Now, on the next page, click the Create Account button to create your free hosting account.
This will create a new hosting account for your website. This will take a few minutes.
Once the account creation is complete, you will be taken to your new dashboard:
Click the File Manager button to open the file manager.
Now, click the htdocs folder to open it.
This is where you need to upload your website files.
Before you upload your website files here, delete all the existing files by selecting them and clicking the delete button from the More menu.
Now, upload your PHP files to this folder.
If you visit your new website now, you will see your PHP page:
If you don’t see your PHP page, make sure that your PHP file is named index.php.
How to Get the Most Out of Free PHP Hosting
The biggest con of free PHP hosting is that it comes with limited resources. Limited disk space, low bandwidth, low RAM and CPU.
Limited resources mean you need to optimize your project so it stays under those limits. Here are a few things you can do to optimize your project for free hosts:
Keep Your Project Lightweight
Avoid using heavy PHP frameworks unless you really need them. The heavier your PHP project, the more RAM and CPU it will use when serving pages to your visitors. This can slow down your website. And in some cases, the web host might even block your website temporarily if it uses too many resources.
Optimize Your Assets
It’s a good idea to optimize the assets you use in your website. For example, compress all the images using tools like TinyPNG. Minify your CSS and JavaScript files. The heavier your website, the more bandwidth it will eat up per request.
Take Advantage of Caching
Caching can not only speed up your website, it also prevents your website from going down when there’s a spike in traffic. Cache the results of your heavy MySQL queries. Utilize browser cache to speed up subsequent visits.
Free vs. Paid PHP Hosting — When to Upgrade
Free PHP hosting is great for:
- hosting side projects and MVPs
- learning how web hosting works
- testing ideas
- learning PHP
The best part about free hosting is that you can get online fast at no cost.
But after a point, it starts to hold you back.
When you start getting some real users, it might be time to switch.
As your website grows, you will start noticing:
- Slow response times
- Random downtimes
- Running low on bandwidth
That’s your signal!
The biggest reason why you’d want to switch to Paid Hosting will be reliability. Especially if you’re trying to run a serious online business.
Paid Hosting offers better performance, uptime guarantee, more resources, and the most important: a technical support team you can reach out to when you need help. Free hosts are notoriously unreliable when it comes to support.
FAQ: How to Host Your PHP Website For Free
Is free PHP hosting really free?
Yes, there are many platforms that offer PHP web hosting for free.
The ones listed in this article don’t even show ads on your site.
The way these platforms make money is through upgrades. When your site starts growing, you might want higher bandwidth limits or more features. That’s when these platforms charge you.
For most side and hobby projects, these platforms are completely free.
Is free PHP hosting safe?
Free PHP Hosting services are generally safe. Most of them offer basic security features like SSL and file isolation. They are great for side projects, testing, and learning.
BUT, you should never use these free services to host:
- sensitive data
- production apps
- important websites
For simple projects and websites, free web hosting is completely fine.
Can I host a MySQL database for free?
Most of the platforms listed in this article allow at least 1 free MySQL database.
These databases are great for testing purposes. But they are limited in terms of disk space, connections, and performance.
Does free hosting support WordPress?
Yes, many free hosting providers allow hosting WordPress websites. Some even make it easy with one-click installers.
Can I use my own domain?
Most free web hosts don’t allow using your own domain unless you upgrade to a paid plan.
But they all provide a free subdomain that you can use. For example, your-site.provider.com.
Is TiinyHost really free?
Yes, TiinyHost is a free hosting provider.
It’s one of the easiest ways to host your files and simple websites. Just upload the files, create an account, and you will have a live link to your project you can share with other people.
How long does it take to go live?
TiinyHost makes it incredibly easy and quick to go live. All you have to do is upload your files, create an account, and hit the publish button. It takes less than 5 minutes to go live!
Can I host multiple PHP files?
Yes, you can upload multiple PHP files.
Just make sure your main file is named index.php. This file will become your website’s homepage.
To upload multiple files, you will need to create a ZIP file that includes all your PHP files and other assets (such as JS, CSS, and image files).
Is free hosting good for business websites?
Free web hosting services are great for personal projects and simple websites. But we do not recommend it for a serious business website.
In any case, you will want to use a custom domain name. And most free web hosts don’t allow using one until you upgrade to a paid plan.
Can I upgrade later if my website grows?
Yes, all free PHP Hosting providers on this list offer paid plans. You can upgrade to a paid hosting plan at any time. Paid plans offer higher bandwidth, more resources, and better performance.
What PHP version does free web hosting services support?
Most free providers support latest PHP versions such as 7.xx and 8.xx. Some even allow you to switch between the available versions.
The exact version depends on the provider. Some providers only use older versions of PHP due to infrastructure limitations. Most of them, however, support the latest versions on the paid plans.
Can I use free PHP hosting to learn and practice coding?
Yes, free PHP hosting services are great for testing out your practice projects. It’s especially useful if you don’t want to set up a local development environment.
The best part? You can share your personal projects with other people.
What is shared hosting, and is it suitable for PHP websites?
Shared Hosting is a type of web hosting where multiple websites share the same server resources. The CPU, RAM, and disk space are shared by many customers.
It’s great for smaller websites or projects that don’t get a lot of traffic. But it might not be the best idea if you want to host a serious business website.
If one of your neighbor websites uses too much of the limited resources, your website’s performance will suffer.
All free PHP hosting services offer shared hosting.
Conclusion
Free PHP hosting is the fastest way to get your project online.
No upfront costs. No commitments. No credit card required.
Perfect for launching MVPs and side projects.
If you just want to upload a PHP file and share it with other people, the easiest and fastest way is to use Tiiny Host. Just drag, drop, and go live.
