10 Free Database Hosting Providers To Go For

Whether you are a newbie developer looking to create a personal blog or a veteran looking to start a new critical project, a free database hosting service will allow you to scale up and fill true colors in your dream. With the free hosting option, you can easily experiment with different options. You are able to select the one that best caters to your needs. However, be careful if you’re offered everything for free. Providers that do this often have some hidden motive like vendor lock-in period, poor data security, etc. So, the best option is to avoid them and look for reliable service. Here in this article, we have listed the best free database hosting providers that offer secure and reliable services. But before that, let us expand our knowledge base on database hosting.

Back to basics – What is database hosting?

Database hosting service refers to a provider that offers proper infrastructure and hardware to the client to run a database of their choice. Besides this, they need to provide a secured environment to access it, the

ability to scale up or down, and provide managed services according to the needs of the user.

With database hosting users enjoy better availability with no downtime. Additionally, they get the choice of database and enjoy full control without any unnecessary stress of technical issues. Besides this, it removes the need to install heavy infrastructure to set up a proper database. As a result, there is no cost to maintain the expensive hardware. In the below-mentioned list, we have organized the top free MySQL hosting, free PostgreSQL hosting, and free SQL hosting service providers. Now you can select the best one for your upcoming project.

10 best free database hosting providers

1. DigitalOcean

2. Kamatera

3. Infinity Free

4. MongoDB

5. GoogieHost

6. FreeHosting.com

7. AwardSpace

8. ScaleGrid

9. Cloudways

10. A2 Hosting

Where do I begin?

This is a common query when you are thinking of buying database hosting. Understanding SQL will aid in clearing your headspace to make an informed decision. SQL refers to the programming languages that help in effective data management of RDBMS (Relational database management system).

SQL is further divided into 2 main categories:

MySQL

It is a well-known open-source RDBMS that you can use for free. As it is a hassle-free option, you will find it in almost all hosting plans. There are numerous other types of DBMS as well. Some of its famous examples include PostgreSQL, Microsoft SQL Server, and MariaDB. Due to its convenience and ease of use, it is a user-friendly option. It is also known for its wide availability and swiftly understandable interface.

NoSQL

It is a shorthand for “not only SQL”. Even top technology giants like Facebook, Amazon, and Google use this type of database. Since they have large chunks of data to handle, this DBMS allows easy scalability as well as enhances the data performance. Additionally, using this, organizations tend to scale across different servers and hosts horizontally. Some of the popular NoSQLs include Cassandra, CouchDB, and MongoDB. Recently, it has been gaining more and more popularity.

How to choose the perfect database hosting?

Following are the top aspects that you should keep in mind while choosing the right database hosting.

⦁ Cost

Cost may not seem to be an issue when your data is less. However, as soon as your website traffic starts skyrocketing, you will need paid database hosting providers.

⦁ Level of control

Businesses looking for complete control over every minute detail of the database should opt for the on-premise option as hosted databases offer full root access. However, when it comes to applying strict restrictions on handling sensitive data, the self-hosted option is best to opt for.

⦁ DBaaS

Some companies only host databases for other companies, but when you are looking for a hosted database, then you can opt for DBaaS to remove the stress of database management from your shoulders. Therefore, you can progressively work on your project and pave its way to the top.

Advantages and disadvantages of using a free hosting plan

Free hosting plans may fascinate you at first. But be mindful of the pros and cons before you jump to the final conclusions.

Pros of free hosting

• Since you get the database free of cost, it is considered to be a highly affordable plan.
• Most users find these plans easily scalable and adaptable to use.
• They do not require strong technical expertise in database management.
• All the resources are utilized properly.
• Setting up physical databases requires no investment.

Cons of free hosting

• There are no configuration controls which may result in limited access.
• Sometimes, database migration is quite difficult to apprehend and perform.
• Once you upgrade your plan, the costs become too high.
• Such plans lack strong security which may lead to data leaks.

A few words on security

When it comes to database server security, you need to look into physical, network, and system security. This process is known as hardening. There are several measures that you can take to elevate security and avoid losing data to cyber-attacks.

Ensure physical database security

If you have sensitive data on your database, then avoid using the shared web server. No doubt, the option is quite cheaper, but there is a high risk associated with it when it comes to data handling.

Lockdown privileges and accounts

The best way to keep your data safe from hackers is to configure every account with a strong password. In case, you don’t need these accounts, then lock them and delete them so that third-party users can’t misuse them.

Regular patching

Keep monitoring your database regularly and apply optimum patches to avoid any security flaws. Hackers always keep a keen eye on these flaws to exploit your sensitive data, so regular patching will help you keep them at a bay.

Properly encrypt all files and backups

With encryption protocols in place, nobody can access your data without the proper key. Keep your keys safe, away from public access sites, and never share them with unauthorized users.

Our favorite affordable database hosting providers

When looking for a web host with PHP and MySQL support, you need to focus on choosing a provider that comes in your range. Thankfully, there are several database hosting providers online that impart excellent database hosting at a reasonable cost.

We have shortlisted the top three among them namely, Hostinger, InterServer, and Siteground. All these three database hosting providers have the best free MySQL database hosting that you can count on! They may not provide free SQL database hosting but their cheap paid plans will win your heart instantly.

1. Hostinger

	Starting Price $2.99 per month Visit Hostinger
Hostinger database host offers cheap web hosting at 2.99$ per month with a 1-year subscription. In it you get 100 GB SSD storage, unmetered traffic, 15 MySQL user connection, and many more features.

2. Interserver

	Starting Price $2.50 per month Visit Interserver
With unlimited MySQL DB, PHP 5.5,5.6, and 24/7 support, Interserver offers a cheap hosting plan starting at 2.50$ per month. You get unlimited SSD storage, and email accounts with a 30-day money-back period. Besides this, you enjoy full root access to customize different aspects according to your needs.

3. SiteGround

	Starting Price $3.99 per month
Giving support for both MySQL and PostgreSQL databases, SiteGroud offers premium hosting services at 3.99$ per month. You can create unlimited databases and host one website with 10 GB web space. Moreover, you get unmetered data transfer with unlimited sub and parked domain. In case you are not satisfied with the services, the company offers a 30-day money-back period.

Let’s summarize

Summing up, we have covered all the vital points that promise outstanding performance and effortless scalability in a jiffy. Go through all of the points and get acquainted with the right option that offers higher flexibility as per the growing customer requirements.

Now that you are fully aware of all the top free database hosting providers, it is time to analyze all the options shared above and make a wise choice in the end. Depending on your website’s personalized requirements, you will have to shortlist all the ones that can prove to be useful and have cheaper upgrade plans. This is to ensure that you can upgrade without worrying about paying a hefty upgrade charge.

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