Easiest and cheapest way to host one or two simple HTML pages?

Hey everyone, I could use some advice here. I’ve been using a shared hosting service since the early 2000s, recommended by a friend, mainly to host a small portfolio website and occasionally share files (photos, game saves, etc.). It’s a tiny site, under half a gig, but the big issue now is they don’t offer free SSL certificates.

That wasn’t a problem years ago, but it’s a dealbreaker today. I’d prefer not to pay more just for SSL, and every time I look into switching hosts, I get overwhelmed by conflicting advice. So, I’m hoping you all can help clear things up!

Most shared hosting seems strict on using their service to host files, which my current host doesn’t mind. Is there any affordable hosting that allows for a static portfolio site and some image hosting, or am I going in circles here? My budget’s around $10 monthly. Or do I just give up and use image hosts that might train AI on my artwork?

Cloudflare Pages is probably one of the best static hosting platforms and is completely free.

If you’re just looking for an easy option, GitHub Pages might work well, especially since it’s free. But if you prefer paid hosting, there are also some cheaper VPS solutions if you need more flexibility.

@Miranda
There are a bunch of alternatives too—like zrok.io, which offers open-source options without needing your own domain.

@Miranda
I don’t even need a domain. This is a personal project that might get five views a week. Also, no idea what ngrok is.

Cloudflare Pages is great—just drag and drop your files, and you’re all set!

Jacqueline said:
Cloudflare Pages is great—just drag and drop your files, and you’re all set!

Perfect! Thank you.

Try GitHub Pages with Jekyll or Eleventy. Just upload your files and you’re done.

Both Cloudflare and GitHub offer free options for static HTML hosting.

If you’re hosting online, GitHub Pages is free. If you want to run it from your computer, try pinggy.io for about $3/month.

Harper said:
If you’re hosting online, GitHub Pages is free. If you want to run it from your computer, try pinggy.io for about $3/month.

Thanks for mentioning that service; it’s exactly what I was looking for on a similar project.

For static HTML, I’d go with Cloudflare Pages or an S3 bucket—both work well and are budget-friendly.

Maybe consider a VPS if you ever need more control. Otherwise, GitHub Pages should be enough for a basic setup.

Miranda said:
Maybe consider a VPS if you ever need more control. Otherwise, GitHub Pages should be enough for a basic setup.

Why would anyone need a VPS for a static site? That’s overkill!

@Dane
Yeah, total overkill. They didn’t quite get the assignment.

Fallon said:
@Dane
Yeah, total overkill. They didn’t quite get the assignment.

It’s actually not as expensive as $22; more like $4. But you don’t really need a server for such a basic project. What’s the page? I’d consider hosting it for you.

Cloudflare, GitHub, or AWS S3 would all work well for this.

Thanks to everyone who suggested Cloudflare. That’s exactly what I needed—a simple place to upload a couple of pages, like the 90s!

Julio said:
Thanks to everyone who suggested Cloudflare. That’s exactly what I needed—a simple place to upload a couple of pages, like the 90s!

Good choice!