I want to host the backend api and database of a small community app I have designed for our small not-for-profit collective.
The app will have at most 200-400 users. What is the cheapest way to host in 2026. Are there any generous free tiers available?
If your API can run on the edge, you can get a database, function calling and user auth on Supabase's free tier. For a full Node.js runtime, Vercel's free tier is still a good option (if you don't need observability), again paired with Supabase for data.
If you can stretch "free" to "under €100 per year", then a cloud server from e.g. Hetzner will give you full control on a budget.
If you can stretch "free" to "under €100 per year", then a cloud server from e.g. Hetzner will give you full control on a budget.