Where to host a Python app
A Python web app needs a running process, logs, environment variables, and a deployment method. Django often adds a database and background jobs.
A managed platform handles the operating system and routing for you. A virtual server costs less, but you manage updates and backups.
Recommended hosts
Render
Move to Standard ($25, 1 CPU / 2 GB) if 512 MB gets tight; a managed database adds more.
- Free option
- Hobby workspace: $0 — static sites, free web services (0.1 CPU, 512 MB), a 30-day free Postgres, a 25 MB free key-value store, 5 GB bandwidth, 500 build minutes, 1 seat.
- Why it fits
- Apps and APIs that want git-push deploys with a fixed, understandable instance price.
- How deploys work
- Connect the Git repo; Render builds and deploys on push, with Docker support and instant rollbacks.
- The tradeoff
- The workspace-plus-services model means several line items, and bandwidth overage is pricey.
Railway
Roughly a quarter vCPU and 512 MB always on; a small database adds a few dollars.
- Free option
- Free: $1 of monthly usage credits, capped at 1 vCPU / 0.5 GB per service, one replica, and 3-day log history.
- Why it fits
- Full-stack apps and APIs where you want the app and its database running in minutes.
- How deploys work
- Connect a repo or image; Railway detects the build, deploys it, and adds databases with one click.
- The tradeoff
- Pure usage billing means the bill moves with your traffic — predictable only while the app is small.
Google Cloud Run
One min-instance (1 vCPU, 512 MiB at the idle rate) is ~$10/month; request costs on top are usually small.
- Free option
- Always free: 2M requests, 180k vCPU-seconds, 360k GiB-seconds per month, plus a $300/90-day new-customer credit.
- Why it fits
- Container apps with spiky or low traffic that want scale-to-zero economics and can manage billing discipline.
- How deploys work
- Run `gcloud run deploy --source .` — buildpacks containerize the app, or push any Docker image; GitHub continuous deployment is built in.
- The tradeoff
- The best free tier and autoscaling here, attached to a billing system with no hard cap and real horror stories.
These prices cover the Python process. You'll pay separately for PostgreSQL from Neon, Supabase, or another database provider.
We rank providers by deployment ease first, then monthly cost. Commission payments don't affect the rank. If your project is different, answer four questions and get a specific recommendation.