Looking For Python Webhosting?
I'm a programmer by day and aspiring blogger/product reviewer by night so I needed somewhere to host IceOrFire. I write Python in my spare time so I wanted somewhere to host a Python based website. Spoiler: I chose PythonAnywhere.
So What Is PythonAnywhere?
PythonAnywhere is a full hosting solution for Python-based websites. Basically, it offers an online file editor, full linux terminal access, MySQL/Postgres databases, and web hosting options like Let's Encrypt, and DNS setup.
Full Disclosure
This post contains affiliate links.
What Are The Perks Of PythonAnywhere?
Here's what I found in no particular order...
No System Administration Required
I'm not a system administrator or devops expert and honestly it doesn't interest me that much. I just want to write some code and not worry about the infrastructure. That's where PythonAnywhere shines for me: they handle everything except for the code. All you have to do is install packages in pip, create your virtual environment, and write your code.
It's Cheap
I pay $5 per month for PythonAnywhere hosting. You just need a domain name such as (Google Domains which I use) and you have a website. $5 x 12 months + $10 for hosting = $70 per year in webhosting costs.
Reliability
PythonAnywhere has great uptime. Other than the occasional planned downtime for maintenance, it's never been down for me.
Great Support
Any time you have a question, you can message the admins and they'll get back to you by email. They only focus on Python so they're going to know the answer to your problem.
What Are The Cons Of PythonAnywhere?
No honest review would only focus on the positives. Here's my gripes with the service...
Postgres Costs Extra
If you want to use Postgres instead of MySQL, you'll have to pay more than $5 per month. MySQL works fine for IceOrFire so it's not really a problem for me. It might be a problem for you depending on your use case.
PythonAnywhere Is In London And I'm American
This isn't a problem for me unless I'm running into a problem Now and it's night time in London. They are very good at answering questions but depending on the time of day that I ask, I may have to wait until the next morning to get a response. I don't blame PythonAnywhere because they're responsive and I can't expect them to answer me in the middle of the night (London time).
The Service Is For Small/Medium Sites
Yet again, this may not apply to you. IceOrFire isn't Reddit: I don't need a super powered server that handles millions of hits per hour. For a small to medium site, PythonAnywhere is responsive and works great. If (fingers crossed) this site ever gets HUGE, I will need a more powerful service. Honestly, you can't expect the world for $5 per month.
Verdict: Do You Recommend PythonAnywhere?
Obviously, I do recommend using PythonAnywhere because I'm hosting IceOrFire on it. It's a great deal at $5 per month for a small to medium site with the ease of use and great customer support.
Top comments (2)
I could try it out. But one day I entered the site and it took like 2 minutes to render. Not a good signal 😅
Does anyone here use PythonAnywhere? What do you think of the service?