Docker or Git Deploy
Push your code or a pre-built Docker image. We handle the build and deployment process automatically.
What "FastAPI hosting" actually means today
FastAPI has revolutionized Python web development by embracing modern standards like type hints and async I/O. Hosting it requires a platform that understands these modern requirements.
ASGI vs WSGI
Unlike legacy frameworks (Django, Flask) that started with WSGI (Gunicorn), FastAPI is built on ASGI (Asynchronous Server Gateway Interface). To run it in production, you typically use an ASGI server like Uvicorn or Hypercorn, often managed by a process manager like Gunicorn for robustness. Shared hosting platforms designed for PHP or older Python apps often fail to support these long-running async processes correctly.
Why Docker is the default
FastAPI applications often rely on complex dependencies (Pydantic, Starlette, database drivers). Docker solves the "it works on my machine" problem by bundling your specific Python version and all dependencies into a single artifact. This makes "FastAPI hosting" effectively synonymous with "Docker hosting" for most professional teams.
How FastAPI apps are typically hosted
Production FastAPI setups share a common architecture, regardless of the provider:
- Containers: The application runs in stateless containers that can scale horizontally.
- Database Separation: PostgreSQL or MySQL runs as a separate service, not on the same filesystem as the app code.
- Environment Variables: Secrets (
SECRET_KEY,DATABASE_URL) are injected at runtime, never hardcoded. - Async Workers: Heavy tasks are often offloaded to Celery or ARQ workers consuming a Redis queue.
FastAPI hosting on Hostim.dev
We provide a managed platform that maps directly to the standard FastAPI architecture.
Built-in Databases
Spin up managed PostgreSQL, MySQL, or Redis instances alongside your app with a single click or line in your compose file.
Persistent Volumes
Mount volumes for your /static or /media files. Data persists across deployments and restarts.
EU Hosting
All data and workloads are hosted in Germany (Falkenstein), ensuring low latency for European users and GDPR compliance.
Is there free FastAPI hosting?
"Free" hosting usually comes with significant caveats. Providers offering free tiers often:
- Sleep or spin down your app after inactivity (causing slow "cold starts").
- Limit database rows or storage to unusable levels.
- Lack persistent storage, meaning uploaded files disappear on restart.
Free tiers are excellent for learning and prototypes but often break for real-world applications requiring reliability. Hostim.dev offers a preview tier for testing, but our focus is on reliable, paid production hosting with predictable pricing.
Web hosting vs. App hosting
You might see terms like "web hosting" and "app hosting" used interchangeably, but they refer to different paradigms.
Traditional Web Hosting (Shared): Designed for PHP/WordPress. Often lacks support for running Uvicorn/ASGI servers, or kills long-running processes. Not recommended for FastAPI.
App Hosting (PaaS): Designed for long-running processes like FastAPI. Provides the necessary environment for ASGI servers, background tasks, and direct database connections. This is what Hostim.dev provides.
Is Hostim.dev a good fit?
Who it is for
- Developers who want to deploy standard FastAPI projects using Docker.
- Teams needing EU-based hosting for GDPR compliance.
- Projects requiring a simple, flat pricing model without calculator spreadsheets.
- Applications that need persistent storage and managed databases.
Who it is not for
- Users looking for "cPanel" style shared hosting.
- Massive scale applications requiring complex Kubernetes orchestration (though we scale well vertically).
- Developers who want to manually manage OS updates and security patches on a VPS.
How to host a FastAPI app
The practical workflow on a container-based platform.
- Create a project: A project groups your FastAPI app, databases, and storage in an isolated environment.
- Add managed services: Create a PostgreSQL or MySQL database if your API needs persistence, and add Redis or volumes if required.
- Prepare your container: Package your FastAPI app in a Docker image (typically running with Uvicorn or Gunicorn), or connect a Git repository that contains a
Dockerfile. Hostim builds the image if needed. - Create the app: Create an app from the image or repo, then attach the database and any volumes to it.
- Configure environment variables: Set values like database connection strings, API keys, and runtime settings (for example, worker count or log level) in the dashboard.
- Deploy and update: Hostim starts the container and keeps it running. Updates are done by redeploying or rebuilding the app, either manually or via CI.
Ready to deploy?
Get your FastAPI application running in minutes.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the free tier include?
You can create free MySQL, PostgreSQL, Redis databases, and persistent volumes. App containers start at €2.5/month. Each user gets one 5-day trial project with everything included – apps, DBs, volumes, metrics.
Can I deploy with just a Compose file?
Yes. Paste your Docker Compose YAML and we'll generate the services automatically. You can also deploy from a Dockerfile or Git repository (repo should have Dockerfile so our system can build the image).
Where is my app hosted?
On bare-metal servers located in Germany. We do not use AWS, GCP, or other large cloud providers – your data stays in the EU.
Do I need to know Kubernetes?
No. Hostim.dev removes Kubernetes complexity. You manage apps, databases, and resources – not clusters or YAML.
Is this for solo devs or teams?
Right now, each account manages projects individually. Multi-user roles and team collaboration are planned – we're actively listening to early users to shape this.