What can I deploy on Render?
Render supports web services, static sites, private services, background workers, cron jobs, managed PostgreSQL databases, Redis-compatible key-value stores, and Docker containers. It works with Node.js, Python, Go, Rust, Ruby, PHP, and any Dockerized application.
Does Render have a free tier?
Yes. Render offers free static site hosting, a free web service instance with 512 MB RAM, and a free PostgreSQL database (limited to 256 MB with a 30-day expiration). Free Redis instances include 25 MB of storage.
How does Render handle deployments?
Render connects to your Git repository and automatically builds and deploys on every push. Deployments are zero-downtime by default, and preview environments are created automatically for pull requests on paid plans.
Is Render suitable for production workloads?
Yes. Render is SOC 2 Type II, ISO 27001, and HIPAA certified. It offers horizontal autoscaling, private networking, DDoS protection, and managed TLS. Companies like Twilio and Shopify use it for production infrastructure.
How does Render pricing work?
Render charges a per-user workspace fee ($0-$29/month) plus per-resource compute costs. Web services range from free to $450/month depending on CPU and RAM. Databases, Redis, cron jobs, and bandwidth are priced separately.
Can I migrate from Heroku to Render?
Yes. Render is commonly used as a Heroku alternative and supports similar workflows including Git-based deployment, managed Postgres, Redis, background workers, and environment variables. Many Heroku apps can be migrated with minimal changes.