Free Server Hosting For Android Apps

Android is the most consumed operating system worldwide. A recent Statista report states that Android is the top mobile OS with a 70.71% market share.

Thus, most developers and businesses are associated with Android development and prefer economical or free server hosting. 

Significantly, cloud hosting solutions like Back4app, Firebase, Backendless, and AWS Amplify have become standard for Android programming.

These CSPs confer free-tier offerings, advanced computing features, and inexpensive hosting plans. 

So, let’s explore the leading free Android servers and their core characteristics. This article also discusses the key advantages of using cloud hosting.

Benefits of Cloud Hosting

Cloud hosting is an advanced hosting method that lets your sites or apps operate on off-site physical or virtual servers.

Here, businesses can employ networking, storage, and computing resources from CSPs instead of installing on-premises infrastructure.

Cloud hosting also allows you to pay for utilized resources only instead of a fixed or upfront fee.

Let’s delve into the vital cloud hosting benefits:

Scalable Server Resources

You can expand the hardware resources whenever you need them with cloud hosting. It is up to you whether you use more or limited infrastructural resources for your project.

Besides, CSPs don’t apply upfront billing, and you only pay for consumed instances.  

High Availability and Uptime

More than 99% uptime and high availability are also advantages of this hosting solution. Most cloud service providers own worldwide data centers and offer offline support. So, applications are being run on multiple servers. Also, these apps or sites remain available if traffic spikes. 

Faster Speed and Performance

CSPs have regional data centers, which is why they connect app users with nearby servers. Moreover, cloud hosting seamlessly distributes traffic across numerous resources.

Therefore, Cloud servers load apps and websites swiftly with improved performance. 

Top 5 Free Servers for An Android App 

Here are the prominent free servers for hosting Android apps:

1. Back4app

Back4app is a flawless Backend as a Service (BaaS) provider that you can use to host your Android applications for free.

Indeed, this open-source backend solution is beneficial for crafting, deploying, running, and hosting modern mobile and web applications. 

Hereof, you don’t have to handle the server-side infrastructure because it works as a fully managed platform.

With multi-cloud setups, Back4app facilitates its users with real-time database, storage, authentication, GraphQL and REST APIs, code functions, etc. 

Also, this free server for Android app permits you to extend instances horizontally and vertically anytime.

Contrarily, you can deploy Android apps in an isolated environment through Git using Back4app Containers. In this regard, you ought to link your Git repository with Back4app to conduct deployments.

Features

• Realtime Database – This feature makes it easy to query, interpret, and backlog relational data spontaneously. Developers utilize SDKs or APIs to explain these datasets. Correspondingly, this trait comes with advanced querying, offline, and CDN support. 

• Authentication – Back4app is also good at managing users. When hosting an app, it provides built-in user verification, session control, and password encryption functionalities, so you don’t have to write additional codes for signups or login processes. 

• Storage – Secure blockchain and cloud storage are also prominent attributes of Back4app. You can easily store multiple data types and access them anytime. Also, it is convenient to scale these storage instances according to the needs of your project. 

• Zero Downtime – The containers of Back4app are always prepared to unfold a new commit. Yes, you can deploy codes using Git repositories without wasting time on container configurations. Developers can also enable automatic deployments to speed up the development operations. 

Pricing

Back4app Containers and BaaS both have free tier offerings. This means you can begin hosting your prototypes or startup apps for nothing with this platform.

With the BaaS free tier program, you can access 1GB file storage, 25k monthly requests, community support, and 250MB data storage. 

Shared CPU, 100GB transfer and 256MB RAM are essential credentials if you pick a freemium plan by Back4app Containers.

However, if you switch to paid plans, the charges begin at $15/month and $5/month/container for backend and containerized services. 

2. Heroku

Heroku is a user-friendly Platform as a Service (PaaS) vendor that is useful for creating, deploying, scaling, and running mobile and web applications.

It officially supports all famous scripting technologies, including Java, JS, and Python. 

With a fully managed infrastructure, this PaaS platform permits you to connect your Git repository with Heroku and deploy the code within moments.

Here, you can simply emphasize the core competencies of your Android app because Heroku takes care of server maintenance and further hardware tasks. 

Features

• Heroku Runtime – This hosting server relies on smart containers to run your Android applications. These containers are recognized as dynos and ensure the secure and proper functioning of applications under Heroku Runtime. 

• Data Services – Another appealing feature of Heroku is the availability of entirely administered SQL and NoSQL data services. These services allow Heroku Postgres to store and query information using an SQL approach. Similarly, Heroku uses Redis to support NoSQL data structures. 

• Private Spaces – Heroku is a suitable hosting solution for startups and SMEs and equally applies to enterprises. Yes, you can get a dedicated hosting environment with Private Spaces. 

• Heroku DX – Improving developer experience is Heroku’s priority. So, this CSP offers a handy dashboard and buttons and promises continuous workflow to provide maximum development experience (DX). 

Pricing

Although Heroku is popular because of its easy-to-use UI and modern features but, it is not a free server.

Indeed, Heroku has ended its free tier programs. Its Eco and Basic plans bill you $5 and $7 monthly to run apps in dynos. 

Withal, these are elementary programs. The monthly fee begins at $25 if you pick its Standard package. 

3. Firebase

Firebase is a beginner-friendly CSP that offers a variety of backend development and computing tools.

Endorsed by Google Cloud, It lets dev teams craft, run, host, and test mobile and web applications through its entirely administered infrastructure.

This free Android server hosts your app on the cloud and takes all necessary actions to optimize its overall performance. By the same token, Firebase utilizes AI-backed technologies to enhance the user experience of Android apps.

Features

• App Hosting – With this feature, Developers can attach their GitHub repository using the CLI and perform further actions necessary for app deployment. Zero configuration, domain management, and full-stack backing are pros of this novel Firebase feature.

• Database Support – Firestore and Realtime Database are two major meantime DBs that Firebase provides. Both of them support NoSQL data structures. However, you can employ the Data Connect feature to link your app with PostgreSQL. 

• Cloud Storage – Another Firebase feature is Scalable and user-friendly cloud storage. This highly secure storage can backlog all types of user-generated data on the fly. 

• AI Integrations – Although Firebase has supported AI for years but, it recently upgraded its AI offerings. Now, you can seamlessly sync your projects with Vertex AI and Genkit while using Firebase. 

Pricing

To host your apps on Firebase, you can access 10GB of data storage and 10GB of data transfer for free. Yes, the Spark plan is free to use. However, the Blaze package operates under a pay-as-you-go policy. 

4. AWS Amplify 

Amplify Hosting is another credible, free server on our list powered by Amazon Web Services.

It lets you run, manage and deploy Android applications using the Git repository. With 600+ international existence points, it is easy to host mobile applications robustly with this service. 

Nevertheless, Amplify is not eligible for native mobile apps; it is also a full-stack computing solution for server-side rendering, cross-platform and single-page applications. 

Features

• CI/CD – AWS Amplify complies with Git-centric workflows to back CI/CD practices. In this way, you can perform quick deployments, improve code quality, and get more visibility for dev tasks.

• Real-Time Monitoring – This CSP leverages CloudWatch to track all analytics regarding your app easily. Yes, you can view metrics in the meantime and generate tailored notifications.

• Amplify Studio – You can seamlessly build and handle the server-side content and operations using Amplify Studio. Its visual interface also simplifies the dev tasks.

• DataStore – This on-device storage function backlogs data. DataStore is a storage engine that supports Android and is vital in connecting apps with the cloud. You can also get offline support here without scripting extra code.

Pricing

AWS Amplify offers 1000 build minutes, 15GB data transfer, 500k SSR, and 5GB storage monthly under its free tier. Contrarily, its premium package only costs you for consumed instances.

5. Backendless

If you want a free cloud server with minimal or no coding, Backendless should be your preference.

This low-code or no-code BaaS provider can craft, deploy, and manage highly scalable mobile and web applications.

Mainly, it grants comprehensive support for Android applications. In this regard, it provides an extensive library of Java/Android APIs and SDKs.

Features

• Real-Time Database – Storing, fetching, and inquiring data in actual time has become essential for mobile applications. Like other cloud hosting solutions, Backendless has a real-time database suitable for SQL and NoSQL data models. 

• User Management – Backendless facilitates businesses with user management APIs and auth integration tools. So, user management becomes straightforward.

• Hive – This CSP relies on Hive storage to support extensive datasets. Therefore, if you need a hosting service for enterprise-grade projects, you must consider Backendless.

• Fast Development – When you host your app on this CSP, built-in APIs, easy navigation, and codeless development accelerate development speed. 

Pricing

The Free plan has 1GB file storage, 100,000 pub/sub messages, 5 real-time connections, and 20 data tables. However, the Scale plan comes with unmetered API calls and costs $15+ per month. 

Conclusion

This article presents one of the best hosting servers for Android applications.

Likewise, if you need open-source and free-tier options, you can choose Back4app, Amplify and Backendless. Equivalently, Heroku and Firebase are also reliable options with several advanced characteristics.