I’m searching for a hosting solution for my MySQL database. This is for a personal project that needs MySQL to handle data on the backend. It’s mainly for fun and to enhance my portfolio, so I’m looking for options that won’t cost me anything. Are there any providers like MongoDB Atlas that offer free tiers or have a usage limit that allows free storage or queries up to a certain point? If anyone has suggestions for reliable free MySQL hosting, I would appreciate it. I’m not looking for advanced features, just basic MySQL capabilities for a small project.
AWS RDS free tier covers MySQL and gives you 750 hours of db.t2.micro monthly for 12 months. That’s 24/7 uptime for a year if you stick to micro instances. You get 20GB storage plus 20GB backup storage. Setup’s pretty straightforward through the console, though it’s overwhelming if you’re new to AWS. Just watch your usage - going over the limits means you’ll get charged. I’ve run a personal project on it for 8 months without paying anything. Performance is solid for small apps and you’re getting enterprise-grade database service.
FreeSQLDatabase.com is my go-to for testing projects. They give you 5MB of MySQL storage - sounds tiny but it’s plenty for personal stuff. Basic interface that gets the job done, and you can create tables and run queries no problem. Heroku’s ClearDB add-on is another solid choice with 5MB free MySQL. I’ve been using it for 6 months on a small web app and never hit the limits. Connection’s stable and you get full MySQL functionality. Both are quick to set up and don’t want your credit card upfront, which is great when you’re just messing around with ideas.
hey, have u tried planet scale? they had a decent free mysql tier that was pretty easy 2 use. but just a heads up - they cut the free plan recently, but if ur already signed up, u might still be ok!
google cloud sql has a nice free tier for mysql projects. u get enough storage and compute hours for personal stuff. if u don’t mind switching from mysql, firebase realtime database also has good free limits and works well for small apps.
Railway’s free tier works great for MySQL hosting on side projects. You get $5 in monthly credits - plenty for small personal stuff. Setup’s easy and you get a real MySQL instance, not some shared database. Aiven’s another solid choice with a 30-day free trial that gives you full MySQL features. Once that’s up, just migrate your data somewhere else if you need to. Both have been rock solid for me and handle basic MySQL stuff without any hiccups. Main limits are storage space and concurrent connections, but honestly that’s never been an issue for portfolio projects.