How to Host Your Website on Google Drive

Explore how to host a website for free, compare platforms like Google Drive & GitHub pages, and discover the ease of Tiiny.host automated web hosting.
How to Host Your Website on Google Drive

Have a website that needs hosting? You’re not alone.

Considering hosting it on Google Drive?

Stop right there.

Google canceled that option way back in 2016, but many still think it’s a possibility.

Sorry to break it to you. You’ll need to find another way.

Let’s look for the best free one for you.

What happened to Google Drive hosting?

It used to be that you could upload your website to Google Drive and host it there for free. That was convenient as long as you didn’t need a bunch of advanced features. You had to keep your site simple. But it worked.

Those days are now gone. While you can share files from Drive and your recipient can download them, they won’t appear as a website. They’ll be individual files that must be dragged into a browser.

Also, this sharing defeats the purpose of a site that people can easily visit online.

Really, it’s a mess.

What hosting features do I need?

You’ll want to have as many professional features as possible to host a pre-existing static website—one you’ve already made using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. This applies even if you’re looking for free hosting.

These free features must include:

  • A human-friendly web address (URL).
  • Speed and security.
  • No time limit on hosting.

Most of all, uploading, configuring, and sharing your site should be simple and straightforward.

There are several free hosting services, each with its own set of features. I won’t go into all of them in this article.

You’ll want to skip ahead to find the hosting service with the best free features for sharing your website.

Let’s examine Google Sites, GitHub Pages, and Tiiny.host.

What is Google Sites?

Google has added the ability for those with the free versions of Google G Suite or Google Workspace to create a barebones website as easily as creating a Google Doc or Sheet. It’s amazing.

However, the necessarily simple site must be built from scratch. There is no provision I can find to upload your already-made site for hosting.

Plus, G Suite is now in legacy, and Workspace will no longer be free. This puts a crimp in your free hosting plans.

For these reasons, Google Sites won’t fit the bill for a free, uploaded site.

What are GitHub Pages?

The GitHub Pages platform offers free hosting of static websites like yours, comprised of HTML, CSS, and JavaScript files.

Your website’s data files are uploaded into a GitHub repository. Then, your site is hosted directly from this repository. Jekyll, a Static Site Generator (SSG), processes the files and turns them into a website. You can have unlimited pages on your site.

This is a cost-effective solution for developers with the skills needed to deal with repositories and generate sites with Jekyll.

But until you have these developer skills, this is not a simple way to host a website.

What is Tiiny.host?

Tiiny.host—our service—is an automated web hosting platform for static websites like yours and individual files such as PDFs, restaurant menus, presentations, and just about any file you wish to share online.

With Tiiny.host, you’re three steps away from your site being live online, ready to share. Hosting your website requires no developer skills. The hosting process is completed in seconds, not minutes or hours. And it’s free.

Built on state-of-the-art AWS infrastructure, you have built-in speed and security without needing technical skills or unnecessary steps.

How does Tiiny.host work?

Your time is valuable. Once you visit the Tiiny.host homepage, you’re moments away from your goal: a free, professional, and simple web hosting experience.

Here’s what you do:

Complete these three simple steps. Each takes just a few seconds.

  1. Give your website a name.
  2. Drag and drop your zipped website onto the form.
  3. Press the Upload Button. You will be asked to sign in or register for free.

That’s it.

Tiiny.host automatically uploads, configures, and posts your site. You are ready to share it with anyone on the web for free as long as you wish.

And with over 1,000,000+ page links, you know you’ve found a solid and dependable hosting service.

What else does Tiiny.host offer?

Subscription tiers beyond the completely free tier are available. Let’s look at what those deliver.

For an even more professional site with advanced features, our paid tiers offer:

  • Additional websites hosted simultaneously.
  • No Tiiny.host branding.
  • Website password protection.
  • Custom domains.
  • Built-in analytics.
  • File edit mode.
  • App integrations.
  • Team collaboration.

Combined with our automated hosting, you can easily share multiple websites with the highest professionalism.

Many customers use Tiiny.host several times a week. You can launch a custom site and then take it down if it’s no longer required.

Summary

We discussed the requirements for free website hosting:

  • A human-friendly web address (URL).
  • Speed and security.
  • No time limit on hosting.

Other traditional, non-automated hosting services make uploading, configuring, and posting your site complicated. They may be free of charge, but they cost you time, complexity, and frustration.

Tiiny.host offers you the free hosting you need for your website.

Next steps

Regardless of your hosting choice, you may still have questions about free web hosting in general, advanced features, or tier pricing.

Visit Tiiny.host/pricing to see our low-cost offerings for yourself.

You may also have other issues that should be addressed. We’re eager to help you understand web creation, hosting, and sharing.

Visit Tiiny.host/help to reach our awesome customer support staff. Whatever your concerns, we’re ready to assist.

Please take advantage of our free tier or explore our advanced features, all with a 7-day money-back guarantee.

Start your simple hosting journey with Tiiny.host today.

FAQ: Host Your Website Without Google Drive

What Options Are Available for Free Website Hosting?

Platforms offering free hosting include GitHub Pages and Tiiny.host. GitHub Pages is geared towards developers with the skills to generate static websites from a repository. Tiiny.host allows technical and non-technical users alike to host a website in just three steps. Tiiny.host’s automated web hosting simplifies the entire web hosting process.

Can I Upgrade My Free Hosting Plan in the Future?

Absolutely! Most free hosting platforms offer paid plans you can upgrade to whenever you’re ready. Upgrading often unlocks additional features such as increased storage and bandwidth, improved performance, dedicated support, and more control over your website’s configuration and customization.

How Do I Migrate My Website to Another Hosting Provider?

Migrating a website typically involves transferring your website’s files and database to the new hosting provider. It may require you to configure domain settings and update DNS records. A fully automated hosting platform, such as Tiiny.host, involves only zipping your website files, naming your site, and uploading the zipped file. Other platforms often have more complicated procedures or require a third-party service to help in the migration.