Free PHP Virtual Hosting in 2026 — 9 Platforms Compared
9 free PHP virtual hosting platforms tested and compared — from 5GB ALC Hosting to lifetime-free bplaced, with PHP version, database, and SSL comparison tables.
The first step in building a website is choosing a host. Paid hosts offer plenty of options, but when the budget is tight, free hosting becomes many people’s starting point. The problem is that free hosting has its share of pitfalls — shrinking storage, bandwidth limits, forced ads, or suddenly charging after a year.
This article covers 9 free PHP virtual hosting platforms that are still operational with transparent specs. Each platform’s actual configuration, what it’s good for, and what pitfalls to watch out for are laid out plainly.
9 Platforms at a Glance
| Platform | Region | Storage | Bandwidth | PHP Version | MySQL | SSL | Free Period |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ALC Hosting | — | 5 GB SSD | Unlimited | 8.3 | Unlimited (8.0) | Free | Unlimited |
| InfinityFree | — | 5 GB | Unlimited | 8.3 | Yes | Free | Unlimited |
| Virtury | Pakistan | 5 GB | Unlimited | Yes | — | Free | First year free |
| evai.pl | Poland | 2 GB | 50 GB/mo | — | 1 | — | — |
| bplaced | Germany | 1 GB | — | — | 2 | — | Lifetime free |
| NowHosting | South Korea | 1 GB | — | Yes | — | — | — |
| Dothome | South Korea | 500 MB | — | 7.4–8.4 | 8.x | — | — |
| Digi.hosting | Finland | 350 MB | 5 GB/mo | Yes | — | Free | — |
| ho.ua | Ukraine | 100 MB | 1 GB/mo | — | 20 MB | — | First year free |
If you only need static hosting (HTML/CSS/JS), see Free Static Website Hosting in 2026. For overseas nodes, see International Free Cloud Servers in 2026.
ALC Hosting
Website: alchosting.net
Maxed-out specs: 5 GB SSD storage, unlimited bandwidth, unlimited sites, unlimited MySQL databases (MySQL 8.0 and MariaDB 10.6). The server runs Apache + PHP 8.3 — a relatively recent version for free hosting.
The control panel is VistaPanel. Includes Site.Pro visual site builder and Softaculous one-click installer for WordPress, Joomla, and other popular CMS platforms.
Practical highlights:
- Free subdomain suffix is .alc.onl
- Free SSL certificates configured automatically
- DNS management and .htaccess both available
- No credit card required to register
- Officially claims 99.9% uptime, no ads
Best for: Anyone serious about building a WordPress site without spending money. PHP 8.3 + MySQL 8.0 runs WordPress comfortably.
Note: VistaPanel’s workflow differs from cPanel. The free .alc.onl subdomain won’t rank well in search engines; for long-term SEO, bind your own domain.
InfinityFree
Website: infinityfree.com
InfinityFree is a veteran in the free hosting world. 5 GB storage, unlimited bandwidth, PHP 8.3, MySQL/MariaDB databases. Basic specs closely match ALC Hosting.
Supports custom domains, free subdomains, free SSL, and freely configurable .htaccess.
Compared to ALC Hosting, InfinityFree has a larger community with more English tutorials and Q&A resources. However, ALC Hosting has Softaculous one-click install and Site.Pro site builder — better for beginners.
Best for: Users comfortable with English. InfinityFree’s ecosystem is more mature than ALC’s if you’re used to English resources.
Note: Despite the “unlimited bandwidth” claim, there’s a fair use policy. True “unlimited” doesn’t exist in free hosting.
Virtury
Website: virtury.com/web-hosting
A Pakistani provider with a generous free plan: 5 GB storage, unlimited bandwidth, DirectAdmin panel. 5 email accounts, free SSL, CDN acceleration, SpamAssassin anti-spam, ClamAV antivirus.
Best for: Small sites needing email functionality. 5 email accounts are enough for personal bloggers or small studios. If your target audience is in South Asia or the Middle East, the Pakistani server location means lower latency.
Note: Free for the first year — renewal pricing isn’t clearly stated. Check the second-year cost before registering.
Dothome
Website: dothome.co.kr
A veteran Korean free host. Storage is only 500 MB, but you choose your PHP version — 7.4, 8.0, 8.2, 8.4 all switchable, with MySQL 8.x.
Best for: Developers who need to test different PHP versions. Korean servers offer friendly latency for East Asian users.
Note: Korean-only interface. May require Korean phone number.
NowHosting
Website: nowhosting.kr
Another Korean host, 1 GB storage with PHP support. Details on PHP version and database options aren’t publicly listed.
Best for: Bloggers with audiences in South Korea who need a basic PHP runtime.
Note: Limited public information. Korean-only interface.
Digi.hosting
Website: digi.hosting/en/free-web-hosting/
A Finnish provider. Free plan: 350 MB storage, 5 GB/month bandwidth, PHP support, free SSL.
Best for: Minimal personal homepages or project showcase pages needing HTTPS.
Note: Storage and bandwidth are very limited — will quickly become a bottleneck with any growth.
bplaced
Website: bplaced.net
German free hosting — “lifetime free €0”. 1 GB storage, 2 databases, FTP upload, ticket support, no ads.
Best for: Anyone wanting a long-term, stable free host that won’t suddenly start charging.
Note: Only 2 databases. No mention of free SSL — you may need to configure Let’s Encrypt yourself.
ho.ua
Website: ho.ua
Ukrainian hosting with 100 MB SSD storage and a 20 MB database cap. 1 GB/month bandwidth. Managed via Plesk panel.
Best for: WordPress beginners wanting to try it out with Plesk’s polished UI.
Note: Free for the first year, then requires upgrade. 100 MB storage and 20 MB database are extremely limited.
evai.pl
Website: evai.pl
Polish free hosting: 2 GB storage, 50 GB/month bandwidth. Supports 2 main domains plus unlimited subdomains. 1 MySQL database, daily backups.
Best for: Simple PHP websites or blogs with small file sizes. Daily backups mean less worry about data loss.
Note: 10 MB single file limit. Only 1 MySQL database.
Storage & SSL Comparison
Looking at the chart, storage falls into three tiers. ALC Hosting, InfinityFree, and Virtury all offer 5 GB — the top tier. evai.pl’s 2 GB stands alone. Everything else is under 1 GB.
For SSL, only 4 services explicitly offer free SSL: ALC Hosting, InfinityFree, Virtury, and Digi.hosting.
Choosing by Need
WordPress site building: Start with ALC Hosting. 5 GB SSD + PHP 8.3 + MySQL 8.0 runs WordPress smoothly.
Learning PHP / practice projects: Dothome’s switchable PHP versions (7.4 to 8.4) are great for testing code compatibility.
Small personal site / portfolio: bplaced. 1 GB is enough, lifetime-free with no ads.
Need email functionality: Virtury offers 5 email accounts.
Ultra-lightweight / temporary testing: ho.ua’s 100 MB with Plesk panel.
Europe-first access: bplaced (Germany) is more practical.
Need daily auto-backups: evai.pl. 2 GB storage plus daily backups.
Korean access: NowHosting’s 1 GB is double Dothome’s, but details are opaque.
Final Thoughts
Free hosting can’t compete with paid hosting on performance and support. But if you know your needs and understand each platform’s limits, free hosting works fine as a starting point.
ALC Hosting and InfinityFree offer the best overall specs — both 5 GB + PHP 8.3. For long-term stability without surprise charges, bplaced’s lifetime-free policy is reassuring.
Pick one and try it. That’s more useful than agonizing over which to choose.
This series also includes:
- Free Static Website Hosting in 2026: 8 Platforms Compared — For pure HTML/CSS/JS sites
- International Free Cloud Servers in 2026: 7 Overseas Platforms Reviewed — For overseas nodes and multi-language support
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