Mateen Kiani
Published on Sun Jul 06 2025·4 min read
Deploying a Node.js backend without spending a dime is entirely possible today. While building your API or server locally is straightforward, the leap to production often seems daunting. Many developers focus on code quality and functionality but overlook the details of free hosting limitations—like idle timeouts or storage caps. How do you pick the best platform without running into hidden gotchas?
Here’s the good news: understanding each free tier’s trade-offs empowers you to make smart choices. In this guide, you'll learn clear steps and tips for deploying on popular free hosts such as Heroku, Vercel, and other emerging platforms. By the end, you’ll have a roadmap to keep your Node.js app running smoothly—and without any hosting bill.
Picking the right platform can save you headaches later. Free tiers vary in uptime, performance, and add-ons. Here are three top contenders:
Tip: > If you need a classic always-on server, Heroku’s dynos work best. For event-driven APIs, Vercel functions shine.
A clean codebase ensures smoother deployments. Follow these steps:
Procfile: For Heroku, create a file named Procfile
at project root with:
web: node index.js
Environment Variables: Never hard-code secrets. Use process.env.PORT
and other env vars:
const port = process.env.PORT || 3000;app.listen(port, () => console.log(`Server on ${port}`));
package.json: Specify start script:
{"scripts": {"start": "node index.js"}}
Heroku remains a favorite for free Node.js hosting. Follow these steps:
Install Heroku CLI:
curl https://cli-assets.heroku.com/install.sh | sh
Login and Create App:
heroku loginheroku create my-node-app
Git Push:
git add .git commit -m "Initial deploy"git push heroku main
Set Config Vars (for secrets):
heroku config:set MONGO_URI="your_mongo_uri"
Open App:
heroku open
Heroku will build your app, install dependencies, and assign a URL. Remember: free dynos sleep after 30 minutes idle. A simple cron or uptime monitor can keep it awake.
Vercel is known for front-end and serverless functions but can host an Express app using their Serverless Functions API.
Install Vercel CLI:
npm i -g vercel
Add vercel.json
:
{"version": 2,"builds": [{ "src": "api/index.js", "use": "@vercel/node" }]}
Move Server Code: Place your Express entry point in /api/index.js
and export a handler:
const express = require('express');const server = express();server.get('/', (req, res) => {res.send('Hello from Vercel!');});module.exports = server;
Deploy:
vercel --prod
Vercel auto-provisions a global edge network. You pay nothing for light usage, but longer CPU tasks may time out.
Beyond Heroku and Vercel, consider these newcomers:
When choosing, balance startup time, regional availability, and sleep behavior. Always read their fair-use policies to avoid unexpected downtime.
Free tiers mean resource limits. Keep your app healthy:
bash
heroku logs --tail
Pro Tip: Schedule a simple cron job on a free service to wake Heroku dynos every 25 minutes.
Deploying a Node.js backend without paying a cent is simpler than ever. Each platform—Heroku, Vercel, Render, Railway, Fly.io—has its strengths and quirks. Start by structuring your code for easy builds, leverage Git for versioning, and choose the platform that best fits your project’s needs. Keep an eye on idle times, set up basic monitoring, and secure your environment variables. With these steps, your Node.js app will be live, stable, and free.
By understanding hosting limitations and using the right tools, you can focus on building features, not wrestling with infrastructure. Ready to launch your next Node.js API into production? Get started today and keep innovating.