Free website hosting: where to publish without a VPS
Your website is ready, sitting on your computer and opening locally, but the only way to show it to friends or an employer is with a link. Then comes the part that usually makes people put off launching: choosing a host, figuring out a plan, attaching a domain, and getting an SSL certificate so the address opens over a secure connection instead of scaring people with a browser warning.
In reality you can put a website online for free in a few minutes. Below we briefly go through what kinds of free hosting exist, what the catch is with each, and show a path where you need no server, no foreign bank card, and no setup.
Figure out what kind of site you have
Free hosting comes in two types. For a static site — plain HTML, CSS, and image files with no server-side code — almost anything will do. But if the site computes something on the server, talks to a database, or accepts forms (for example, on Python, PHP, or Node.js), you need a host that can run code, not just serve ready-made pages. Most "free" options can only do the first.
Weigh the catches of the free options
Classic free hosting often puts its own ads on your site, gives you an ugly address like site.narod.example, limits your traffic, or offers no HTTPS at all. Foreign platforms for static sites are cleaner, but they ask for a foreign bank card to verify you and speak English. It is worth sizing up these limits in advance so you are not moving your site a week later.
Gather your site files into one folder
Put everything the site needs into a single project: for a static site that is index.html and folders with styles, scripts, and images; for a site with server-side code — the sources and the list of dependencies. Folders like node_modules or venv with installed libraries do not need to go into the archive — the platform will build the environment itself.
Upload the project to Netrun
In Netrun, upload the code as a ZIP archive or import it from a GitHub repository — a private one works too. The platform figures out on its own whether this is a static site or an app in some language, and prepares it to run. You do not need to pick a hosting type, a plan, or a language version by hand.
Answer a couple of questions about secrets
If the site reaches external services by keys — for example, a payment provider or email — Netrun asks for those values and injects them as secrets from outside the code. That way the keys are not in the archive and do not leak into the repository. If there are no secrets, this step is simply skipped.
Get an HTTPS link
After the build, the site opens at an address with secure HTTPS — the platform issues and renews the certificate itself. You can already send that link, add it to a resume, or attach it to a post. On the Free plan the site sleeps while idle and wakes on the first request: the first response after a pause is a bit slower, and after that it is business as usual.
Free website hosting does not have to mean ads over your content and an address with someone else's name. Upload your code to Netrun, and the site ends up online at a proper link with HTTPS, with no server and no setup. If the project needs to respond without pauses, a paid plan with always-on operation fits better than the free one.
Common questions
Free website hosting — is it really free?
Yes. On the Netrun Free plan you can keep one site at no cost. It sleeps while idle and wakes on the first request, so resources are spent only when the site is actually opened. You only pay if you want the site to run without pauses or to have more than one project.
Will there be ads on my site?
No. Netrun does not place its own ads or insert third-party blocks into your site — visitors see exactly what you uploaded.
Will I get HTTPS and a proper address?
Yes. The site opens over secure HTTPS right away, and the certificate is issued and renewed automatically. The address is given on the netrun.io domain, with no third-party ad names in it.
Do I need a foreign bank card?
No. Netrun works from Russia, the interface and support are in Russian, and payment, if needed, is in rubles. A foreign bank card is not required.
Can I publish a site not just from files, but with server-side code too?
Yes. Besides static sites, Netrun runs apps on Python, Node.js, PHP, Go, and other languages — the platform detects the language and builds the project itself, so there is no need to look for a separate "PHP hosting" or "Python hosting".