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Status: inferred · Last reviewed: 2026-07-15

Reviewed by About our editorial team

Deploy Strapi for Free

Strapi needs a Node.js server, a durable database and durable media storage. A free Render service can demonstrate the admin and API, but its local filesystem is ephemeral and its free Postgres expires. Railway offers an integrated setup under its current trial and paid entry model.

Use Render for a temporary Strapi demo, not for durable free production content.

Use managed PostgreSQL instead of SQLite on an ephemeral web-service disk.

Send uploaded media to object storage rather than the local uploads directory.

Generate every Strapi secret independently and keep it in platform variables.

Best free hosts

Render Render Services Inc.

Render is a unified cloud to build and run all your apps and websites with free TLS certificates, a global CDN, private networks and auto deploys from Git.

PaaS #backend#database#docker

Free tier

512 MB web service, 750 hours/month, sleeps after 15 minutes; free Postgres expires after 30 days

Paid from $7/mo · 5 regions

Sleeps when idle · Suspends at the limit

✓ Docs verified 2026-08-18
Visit Render
Railway Railway Corp

Railway is an infrastructure platform where you can provision infrastructure, develop with it locally, and then deploy to the cloud.

PaaS #backend#database#deployment

Free tier

30-day trial with $5 credit, then $1 monthly usage credit on Free

Paid from $5/mo · 4 regions

Credit-based allowance · Suspends at the limit

✓ Docs verified 2026-08-18
Visit Railway
Render is the primary recommendation for this deployment path.

Deployment path

  1. 1 Create the Strapi project locally, select PostgreSQL and commit content-type definitions.
  2. 2 Configure production database variables, `APP_KEYS`, token salts and JWT secrets.
  3. 3 Install and configure an object-storage upload provider if users will add media.
  4. 4 Create a Render web service or Railway project from the repository.
  5. 5 Attach PostgreSQL, set the production build and start commands, then deploy.
  6. 6 Create the admin user and test content, API access, upload persistence and restart behavior.

Treat content as durable data

The admin interface can make a free deployment look finished while its database and uploads remain temporary. Test a full restart and export before sharing the URL. For a static frontend that rebuilds from Strapi, brief CMS downtime may be acceptable; for a live API backend, upgrade before launch.

FAQ

Can Strapi be hosted free forever?

A disposable demo can fit free resources, but durable database, media, backups and uptime normally require paid services.

Why should Strapi not use SQLite on a free host?

SQLite is a local file. If the free web-service filesystem is ephemeral, a restart or deploy can remove all content.

Where should Strapi images be stored?

Use a supported object-storage provider or a paid persistent volume with backups. Do not rely on the container filesystem.