Top free website hosting platforms with HTTPS

Hosting a website can be a confusing and intimidating task for those who are new to coding and web development. Some popular options include GitHub Pages, Netlify, Firebase etc. Each platform has its own set of features and limitations, so it's important to carefully consider your needs and choose the one that best fits your project. No matter which platform you choose, hosting your website for free with HTTPS is a great way to get started with web development and build a secure and professional-looking website.

In this article, we will discuss some of the top free platforms for hosting a website, their pros and cons, and how you can use them to host your website with HTTPS. Before we dive into the different hosting platforms, it's important to understand the importance of using HTTPS for website hosting.

Benefits of using HTTPS

HTTPS ( Hypertext transfer protocol secure ) is a secure version of HTTP. It's used to transmit data over the internet. When you visit a website using HTTPS, your connection to the website is encrypted and secure, which means that any information you exchange with the website, such as your passwords, login info, address etc. is secure and can't be seen and shared by third parties.

Using HTTPS can also improve your search ranking on search engines such as google, yahoo, bing etc. For example, Google has stated that it favours websites that use HTTPS in its search rankings, so using HTTPS can help your website rank higher in search results.

Free platforms to host your website

Many platforms allow you to host your websites for free on their platforms with HTTPS. Here are some options for you to host your websites.

1. GitHub Pages:

GitHub page is a free platform that allows you to host your static website for free. Even you can use your custom domain and enable HTTPS by purchasing an SSL certificate and adding a CNAME file to your repo.

Pros:

• Free to use

• Easy to set up and manage

• Integrates seamlessly with the GitHub ecosystem, including version control and collab tools

Cons:

• You can host only static websites

• Limited Customization

• No built-in custom domain and SSL certificates

2. GitLab Pages:

GitLab Pages is a free service like GitHub pages. It allows you to host your static websites and web applications. Like GitHub, you need to purchase an SSL certificate separately.

Pros:

• Free to use

• Easy to set up and manage

• Integrates seamlessly with the GitLab ecosystem, including version control and collab tools

Cons:

• You can host only static websites

• Limited Customization

• No built-in custom domain and SSL certificates

3. Netlify:

Netlify is a platform that makes it easy to build, deploy, and host static websites. It includes free SSL certificates and automatic HTTPS support, as well as a range of other features such as continuous deployment, form handling, and analytics.

Pros:

• Free to use

• Easy to set up and manage

• Supports static and dynamic websites

• Auto HTTPS and free SSL certificates

• More like form handling, analytics and continuous deployment

Cons:

• A limited number of visitors for free accounts

• Limited customization for free accounts

4. Heroku:

Heroku is a cloud platform that allows you to build, run, and scale web applications. It offers a free tier that includes support for SSL certificates and HTTPS, as well as a variety of other features such as automatic scaling, custom domains, and logging.

Pros:

• Free to use

• Supports a wide range of programming languages and frameworks

• Provide automatic scaling, custom domains, and logging

• Auto HTTPS and free SSL certificates

Cons:

• Limited resources for free accounts

• A limited number of visitors for free accounts

• More Complex to set up and manage

5. Google Firebase:

Google Firebase is a platform for building web and mobile applications. It includes a hosting service that allows you to deploy static websites and web applications, and it offers free SSL certificates and automatic HTTPS support.

Pros:

• Free to use

• Supports static and dynamic websites

• Provide real-time data sync, analytics and user authentication

• Auto HTTPS and free SSL certificates

Cons:

• Limited Customization for free accounts

• A limited number of visitors for free accounts

• More Complex to set up and manage

Which is best?

Now after reading this article you might be wondering which is best, easy to use and suitable for my website type. It's difficult to say which platform is "best" for hosting websites with HTTPS, as it ultimately depends on your needs and preferences. Different platforms may be more suitable for different types of projects and developers.

Here are some factors that you need to know when choosing a platform:

Type of your webs**ite:**

If your website is static or blog then GitHub and GitLab pages are good for you because as you know they are optimized for hosting a static website. If your website is more complex then you can use Heroku and google firebase because they support server-side languages and provide additional features for more complex websites.

Cost:

If your budget is low, your website is like your personal portfolio or your website has low visitors then you can consider GitHub or GitLab otherwise you have to go for Netlify, Heroku or firebase.

Ease to use:

If you are new to web development, you may want to consider a platform that is easy to set up and manage, such as Netlify or GitHub Pages. These platforms offer a more streamlined workflow and require less configuration compared to some other options.

Customization:

If you need a lot of control over the appearance and behaviour of your website, you may want to consider a platform that allows you to customize your website more extensively, such as Heroku or Google Firebase. These platforms offer more advanced features and allow you to build custom applications using programming languages like PHP or Ruby.

So now I can say that the best platform depends on your need, goals and the type of your website. It may be helpful for you to try out different platforms so that you can know which is better for you.

Conclusion:

In conclusion, there are several platforms available that allow you to host your website for free, with HTTPS support. These platforms include GitHub Pages, GitLab Pages, Netlify, Heroku, and Google Firebase. Each platform has its strengths and weaknesses, and the best platform for you will depend on the type of website you are building, your budget, and your level of experience. If you are building a static website or blog, then platforms like GitHub Pages or GitLab Pages may be suitable. If you are building a more complex web application, then platforms like Heroku or Google Firebase may be more suitable. It may be helpful to try out a few different platforms and see which one works best for your project.