Node.js hosting
Push a Node.js repo and Ownkube detects it, builds it, and runs it on a public HTTPS hostname. No Dockerfile is needed, though Ownkube uses yours if the repo has one. Managed Postgres, logs, metrics, autoscaling, and one-click rollbacks come with every app.
Node.js hosting at a glance
- Automatic builds for Node.js: no Dockerfile or config file required.
- Express, Fastify, NestJS, Hono, or a plain http server. Bind 0.0.0.0 and read process.env.PORT.
- Link a managed Postgres database and read DATABASE_URL from the environment.
- Metered per minute, so an idle Node API costs little more than the memory it holds.
How to host a Node.js app on Ownkube
- 1
Connect the repo
Sign in, connect GitHub or GitLab, and pick the repo. Ownkube detects Node.js and builds it automatically, or uses your Dockerfile.
- 2
Set the port
Bind to 0.0.0.0 and read process.env.PORT. Set the same port on the deployment, commonly 3000.
- 3
Deploy and link Postgres
The app goes live on its *.ownkube.app hostname with HTTPS. Link a database and DATABASE_URL appears in its environment.
The step by step version, with code: How to deploy an Express / Node.js API.
What Node.js hosting costs
Metered usage bills about $18 per vCPU and $4.50 per GiB a month, per minute. Databases run on flat boxes plus $0.25 per GB of storage. Everything draws one prepaid wallet, and unused credit never expires.
| Workload | Setup | Per month |
|---|---|---|
| Small Express API | 0.1 vCPU average, 0.5 GiB held | about $4 |
| API with Postgres | Same app + DB 0.5 box ($4) + 5 GB storage ($1.25) | about $9.30 |
| Busier API | 0.5 vCPU average, 1 GiB held, plus a DB 1 box ($8) and 10 GB | about $24 |
Estimates for one month of continuous running. See pricing for every box and rate.
How Ownkube compares for Node.js hosting
The smallest app plus a small managed Postgres on each platform, from each provider's public pricing page.
| Platform | App | Managed Postgres | Billing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ownkube | Metered at about $18 per vCPU and $4.50 per GiB a month, or a $5 Spark 1 box | From $4 a month plus $0.25 per GB | Prepaid wallet, unused credit never expires |
| Railway | Metered at about $20 per vCPU and $10 per GB a month | Runs as a metered service plus $0.15 per GB volume | Postpaid, $5 Hobby plan includes $5 of usage |
| Render | From $7 a month (0.5 CPU, 512 MB) | From $6 a month plus $0.30 per GB | Postpaid, workspace plan from $0 |
| Fly.io | From $2.19 a month (shared-cpu-1x, 256 MB) | Managed from $38 a month plus $0.28 per GB | Postpaid, pay as you go |
| Heroku | Eco $5 or Basic $7 a month | Essential-0 from $5 a month | Postpaid, per dyno |
List prices checked 2026-10-13. For a full-stack estimate, try the cost calculator.
Node.js hosting questions
Something else? Email support@ownkube.io.
What is the cheapest way to host a Node.js app?
For an app that serves light traffic, metered hosting is the cheapest shape: you pay for the CPU the process uses and the memory it holds. A small Node API on Ownkube runs for about $4 a month, drawn from a prepaid wallet with no surprise bill.
Do I need a Dockerfile to host Node.js on Ownkube?
No. Ownkube detects Node.js and builds the image automatically. If your repo has a Dockerfile, Ownkube can build from it instead, and reads the port from its EXPOSE line.
Can I host a Node.js app with a database?
Yes. Create a managed Postgres database in a click and link it to the app. Ownkube injects DATABASE_URL and the PG variables, and the database stays on a private network reachable only from your environment.
Does Ownkube support Next.js?
Yes. Next.js runs as a Node server on Ownkube, and the Next.js guide in the docs covers the build and start commands.
More hosting guides
Host your Node.js app
Push the repo and get a live HTTPS URL. No cloud account to set up.