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Node.js Hosting
Done Right

Deploy your Node.js applications to a managed Docker platform. Includes PostgreSQL, Redis, and persistent volumes out of the box. No server management required.

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# docker-compose.yml
services:
  api:
    image: my-node-app
    environment:
      - NODE_ENV=production
      - DATABASE_URL=${DATABASE_URL}
  db:
    image: postgres:16
    volumes:
      - db_data:/var/lib/postgresql/data
1000+apps deployed
380+developers building
260+services running now
Oct 2025in production since

What "Node.js hosting" means today

Node.js applications are fundamentally different from static sites. They are long-running processes that listen on a port and handle requests dynamically.

Long-running processes vs. Static hosting

Services like Vercel or Netlify are optimized for static frontends and serverless functions. While they can run some Node.js code, they aren't designed for long-running servers, WebSockets, or background workers. Real Node.js hosting keeps your application running 24/7, ready to handle traffic instantly without "cold starts."

Why Node apps need app hosting

A full-stack Node.js application (like an Express, NestJS, or Fastify API) often needs to maintain state, connect to a database pool, or run scheduled tasks. CDN-based hosting simply cannot support these architectural patterns effectively. You need a platform that understands containers and services.

How Node.js apps are typically hosted

Modern Node.js deployment has converged on a standard set of practices:

  • Containers: Wrapping the app in Docker ensures consistent behavior across dev and prod, handling Node versions and native dependencies.
  • App + Database Separation: The Node process is stateless. Data lives in a dedicated database service (PostgreSQL, MySQL) connected via network.
  • Environment Variables: Configuration (API keys, DB credentials) is injected via process.env, keeping secrets out of the codebase.
  • Background Workers: Heavy tasks (email sending, image processing) are offloaded to worker processes consuming a Redis queue.
  • Persistent Storage: If the app handles user uploads, it needs a mounted volume to store files safely outside the ephemeral container.

Node.js hosting on Hostim.dev

We provide a managed platform that maps directly to the standard Node.js architecture.

Docker or Git Deploy

Push your code or a pre-built Docker image. We handle the build and deployment process automatically.

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 uploads or local database 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 Node.js 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 CPU and RAM so severely that even npm install crashes.
  • Restrict database connections or storage space.

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.

Node.js 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 Node.js support entirely, or provides very old versions without the ability to run long-running processes or custom start commands.

App Hosting (PaaS): Designed for modern applications. Provides the necessary environment for containers, build processes, and service orchestration. This is what Hostim.dev provides.

Is Hostim.dev a good fit?

Who it is for

  • Developers who want to deploy standard Node.js 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 "serverless" functions or edge-only hosting.
  • Static sites that don't need a backend (use Vercel/Netlify for that).
  • Developers who want to manually manage OS updates and security patches on a VPS.

How to host a Node.js app

The practical workflow on a container-based platform.

  • Create a project: A project groups your Node.js app, databases, and storage in an isolated environment.
  • Add managed services: Create a PostgreSQL, MySQL, or Redis service if your app requires persistence or caching.
  • Prepare your container: Package your app in a Docker image that installs dependencies and starts your server (for example using node or npm start). You can also connect a Git repository with a Dockerfile.
  • Create the app: Create an app from the image or repo, then attach the database and any volumes it needs.
  • Configure environment variables: Define values likeNODE_ENV, API keys, and database connection strings 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.

How much does Node.js hosting cost?

Compare Node.js hosting on Hostim, Heroku, Railway, Vercel, Render, Fly.io and a raw AWS VM. Move the sliders to match your workload.

A small Express/Fastify/NestJS API runs in 512 MB. Postgres or Redis at 1 GB covers early traffic.

Managed app platforms (PaaS)

Push code or a Docker image; the platform handles ops.

Provider
Compute
Database
Egress
Total / mo
HostimRecommendedDedicated bare metal in Germany. Traffic included, no egress fees.
€3
€1
—
€4/mo
Deploy on Hostim
HerokuCommon Runtime dynos. Above 512 MB the next dyno is Standard-2X at $50.No metered egress on listed plans.
€6
€4
—
€11/mo
Visit Heroku
RailwayHobby plan. Usage-based: we assume the app averages 10% of one vCPU and the database 5%.Busy CPU raises the bill at $20 per vCPU-month.
€6
€5
€2
€14/mo
Visit Railway
RenderHobby workspace. Frankfurt region available.Only 5 GB of bandwidth included, then $0.15/GB.
€6
€5
€6
€17/mo
Visit Render
VercelPro plan, one seat. Light function usage fits in the $20 included credit; RAM is not billed as a fixed size.Postgres via the Marketplace (Neon), priced always-on. Scale-to-zero costs less.
€18
—
—
€18/mo
Visit Vercel
Fly.ioAlways-on shared-CPU machine in Amsterdam.Managed Postgres starts at $38/month; the old self-run Fly Postgres is cheaper but unmanaged.
€3
€34
€0.88
€37/mo
Visit Fly.io

Cloud / raw VM (IaaS)

Cheaper per resource, but you operate the OS, deploys and backups yourself.

Provider
Compute
Database
Egress
Total / mo
AWSCheapestRaw EC2 VM + RDS in Frankfurt — you operate the OS, patches, deploys and backups.Ops time is not priced in.
€8
€14
—
€21/mo
Visit AWS

Estimates from each provider's published list prices, read on 2026-09-23 and converted to EUR at $1 = €0.88. Excludes VAT. The (i) next to each provider states the plan and assumptions used. Pricing changes — check the provider's own page before you commit.

Ready to deploy?

Get your Node.js application running in minutes.

Deploy your Node.js app

The numbers

Node.js on Hostim: long-running containers billed at a flat monthly price.

€2.50/month

Small production stack

One app plan (sa-1-1) plus a free-tier managed database. The database only starts costing money at 1 GB (€1/month).

€0/GB

Traffic charges

No ingress fees and no per-GB egress line on app plans.

€13.50/month

Largest shared app plan

Plan sa-4-8: 4 vCPU, 8 GB RAM. Dedicated plans go to 3 vCPU / 8 GB at €44/month.

5 days, no card

Trial

Every new account gets a free trial project on top of the permanently free database tiers.

“Node.js® is a free, open-source, cross-platform JavaScript runtime environment that lets developers create servers, web apps, command line tools and scripts.”

— Node.js

Sources

  1. Hostim.dev price list — Hostim.dev (checked 2026-08-06)
  2. Pricing model — plan-based billing, no metering — Hostim.dev docs (checked 2026-08-06)
  3. What does 'hello world' actually cost on AWS vs bare metal? — Hostim.dev blog, August 2026 (checked 2026-08-06)
  4. Node.js documentation — OpenJS Foundation (checked 2026-08-06)

Deploy Node.js from the command line

Install the CLI, log in, deploy. The same three lines work from a CI job.

curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/hostimdev/cli/main/install.sh | sh
hostim login
hostim deploy app --git https://github.com/hostimdev/demo-express \
  --branch main --plan sa-1-1 --port 3000

The app builds the Dockerfile in the repository and gets an HTTPS address on *.eu-center.hostim.dev for €2.50 a month. The Node.js demo above is a working repository — the same app with PostgreSQL, Redis and a volume is one command: hostim templates apply --id demo-expressjs --new-project node-demo --yes. Deploy your app has the full set of commands, with an image, a repository, a Compose file or a template.

Frequently asked questions

Can I host a Node.js app on Hostim?

Yes. Push a Git repo with a Dockerfile, or a pre-built image. Hostim runs it as a long-lived container behind HTTPS, with logs and metrics included.

Which Node.js version does Hostim support?

Whatever your Dockerfile uses (node:20-alpine, node:22-bookworm, etc.). Hostim does not enforce a runtime version.

How much does Node.js hosting cost on Hostim?

A typical Node.js deployment on Hostim is one app container plus one managed database. The app starts at €2.50/month and the database is free on the included tier, so a small production stack runs from €2.50/month.

Does Hostim support websockets, SSE and long-lived connections?

Yes. The ingress proxies long-lived connections, so Socket.IO, native ws, GraphQL subscriptions and SSE endpoints work without extra configuration.

Where is my Node.js app hosted?

In Germany. Hostim apps and databases run on bare-metal servers in Falkenstein, with no AWS, GCP or Azure dependency — so data stays in the EU and GDPR compliance stays simple.