Where to deploy from GitHub: the best alternatives in 2026

What is a GitHub deployment platform?

A GitHub deployment platform is a hosting service that connects to a GitHub repository, builds your code on every push to a chosen branch, and runs the result for you. It handles the servers, HTTPS certificates, logs and, on most platforms, the databases. This model is usually called platform as a service (PaaS). You bring the code, and the platform owns the operations.

In practice, a full application needs four kinds of things: a web service that answers HTTP requests, a static site for the frontend or docs, cron jobs for scheduled work like reports and cleanups, and a managed database such as PostgreSQL, often with a Redis-compatible store for caching. The platforms below differ mainly in which of those four they treat as first-class and how much of the operational work they take off your hands.

How do the main alternatives compare?

The table compares what each platform offers for the four parts of an application, as described in each provider's documentation on October 7, 2026. Prices change often, so check the linked pricing pages before you decide.

Every platform here deploys automatically when you push to the connected GitHub branch; Fly.io typically does it through GitHub Actions. "Run as a service" or "run as an app" means there's no separate static-site type: you serve the files from a small web server you deploy yourself.

Which platform should you choose?

There is no single best platform; the right pick depends on what you're shipping and how much infrastructure you want to own. Here is how we'd decide.

1. Choose Infrly if you want web services, static sites, cron jobs, PostgreSQL and Key Value in one place, with no Dockerfile and flat per-service prices. It's free during the public beta. It's also a young product, so weigh that if you need a long track record today.
2. Choose Render if you want the same all-in-one model from a larger, established company, and you're fine with free web services sleeping when idle.
3. Choose Railway if you want maximum flexibility and a large template library, and you're comfortable owning backups and tuning for your databases.
4. Choose Heroku if you value a long track record and a big add-on marketplace more than price, since there's no free plan.
5. Choose Fly.io if you need your app to run close to users in many regions and you're comfortable with Dockerfiles and the flyctl command line.
6. Choose DigitalOcean App Platform if the rest of your infrastructure already runs on DigitalOcean.
7. Choose Vercel or Netlify if your project is mainly a frontend, especially Next.js, and your backend fits into short serverless functions.

What if your project doesn't fit the usual mold?

What if your app is only a frontend?

Then any platform with a static-site type will do, and you shouldn't pay for a server. Vercel, Netlify, Render and Infrly all build the site from your repository and serve the files over HTTPS. On Infrly, a failed build leaves the last published version live, so a bad commit never takes the site down.

What if you need a long-running server, a queue worker or WebSockets?

Then choose a platform that runs your code as a long-lived process rather than as short functions. Infrly, Render, Railway, Fly.io, Heroku and DigitalOcean App Platform all do. Serverless functions on Vercel and Netlify have execution time limits; Netlify's scheduled functions, for example, stop after 30 seconds.

What if you're moving off Heroku or another platform?

Then look for plain code and standard databases, so the move is a configuration change, not a rewrite. Because Infrly runs standard PostgreSQL, you can move data in and out with the usual pg_dump and pg_restore tools, and your app code needs no Infrly-specific SDK.

How does Infrly deploy from GitHub?

According to Infrly's documentation, a deploy takes four steps: connect GitHub, pick a service type, push to your branch, and the service goes live on its own HTTPS address. Infrly detects the runtime (Node.js, Python, Go, Java, Ruby, PHP or Rust) and prefills the install, build and start commands, so most apps need no Dockerfile. A new version only receives traffic after it passes its health check, so deploys don't cause downtime.

Certificates come from Let's Encrypt and renew automatically, including for your own domain. Each project gets its own private network, and every managed PostgreSQL database is backed up daily with point-in-time restore. The getting started guide walks through a first deploy.

Frequently asked questions

Is there a free way to deploy a full-stack app from GitHub?

Yes. Infrly is free during its public beta for up to 2 services, for example a web service and a PostgreSQL database, with no credit card. Render has free web services that sleep after 15 idle minutes and a free Postgres database that expires after 30 days. Vercel and Netlify have free plans for frontends.

Do I need a Dockerfile to deploy from GitHub?

Not on most of these platforms. Infrly, Render, Railway, Heroku and DigitalOcean App Platform can build from source by detecting your language. Fly.io usually works from a Dockerfile, and it can generate one for common frameworks.

What's the difference between a managed and an unmanaged database?

With a managed database, the platform takes care of backups, restores and upkeep. With an unmanaged one, the platform runs the database container but you configure backups and recovery yourself. Railway, for example, describes its database templates as unmanaged.

How do I contact Infrly?

Email info@getinfrly.com or message @infrly on X.