Which free solution should you choose to host a web game?
On paper, all free hosting plans look alike. It's when you show up with your game ready to launch that the differences appear. You have a single HTML file? A folder with images and sounds next to it? An export from an engine? There's a solution for each case, you just need to know which one to pick.
The four questions that decide
- What form is your game in? A standalone HTML file can be published anywhere in seconds. A folder with several files, exported from an editor, needs a static host and a bit of setup.
- How much time do you want to spend on it? Some solutions take three clicks, others need a repository and a deployment. For a mini game, the second option can take you longer than making the game itself.
- Do you already have an audience? If so, a simple address is enough. If not, you need a platform that shows your game to people who don't know you.
- Will you keep updating it? If you plan to tweak your game often, being able to swap the file easily makes a big difference.
The right choice for your situation
- You want feedback tonight. Take the shortest path: a standalone file, imported on a platform that makes it playable right away.
- You're building a portfolio. A static host gives you a stable address and full control over your page.
- You're coming out of a game jam. Indie game portals like itch.io are still the meeting point for those communities.
- You're aiming for mobile. A web game opens on any phone without going through a store, as we explain in our guide to publishing a mobile game without the app store.
- You want to publish regularly. A platform with a creator profile keeps all your games in one place, and your followers see every new release. We talk about this in our guide on becoming a mobile game creator without coding.
If you want to compare plans in detail, with their storage and bandwidth limits, our guide on hosting an html5 game for free puts them side by side in a table.
What free doesn't mean
Free doesn't necessarily mean no strings attached. Depending on the service, you accept a bandwidth limit, a not-so-pretty address, a ban on monetization, or ads displayed around your game. Read these terms carefully before you start, because moving a game that's already been shared breaks every link going around.
And one last tip people often forget: always keep a copy of your file on your side. If a free service shuts down, your game disappears with it.
The fastest way, in practice
If what matters to you is people playing your game, importing on Hoora takes less than a minute. Go to hooragames.com and click the purple "Import" button in the left-hand menu.
- Drop in your HTML file, and a playable preview appears right away.
- Add a title and a description.
- Publish.
It's free, and the only limit is a maximum file size of 100 KB.
Your game becomes playable on the website and in the app, it's attached to your profile, and you see its stats from the very first view. Gizmodo covered this model when writing about Hoora's plan to become the TikTok of mobile gaming.
Frequently asked questions
- Can a free solution be enough in the long run? Yes, for an HTML5 game, since it costs almost nothing to host.
- Do you need to buy a domain name? No, unless you really want an address in your own name.
- Can I switch solutions later? Yes, but you'll lose the links already shared, so it's better to choose well from the start.
- How do I know if my game fits in a single file? Turn off your internet connection and open it: if it still works, it's standalone.
- Which solution for a game made with AI? Technically, they all work, but the file the AI produces is already in the right format for a one-click import. If you don't have a game yet, see our guide on creating a game with ai.
None of these solutions will charge you. Start from the form your game is in and what you want to do with it, and the choice will almost make itself.