12 Best Django Hosting of 2020: Cheap, Cloud, Email & Free Hosts

When it comes to Python programming, developers will undoubtedly search for the best Django hosting platforms. Seriously, which language and framework is named more creatively?

Python, of course, comes from the Monty Python comedy group, while the name Django conjures up several vibrant, intriguing characters that span decades. There’s the 1966 Spaghetti Western “Django” about a Union soldier-turned drifter that takes on a gang of Confederate and Mexican revolutionaries, and the updated character in Quentin Tarantino’s “Django Unchained.”

Django is also the Python programming framework named after jazz guitarist Django Reinhardt. Enabling developers to quickly compose on the fly, Django aims to streamline the development of complex, dynamic, and database-heavy sites by emphasizing efficiency and reusability. We’ve already highlighted some of the best Python hosts, but site owners will want to confirm that support and documentation extend to Django as well. Read on for our favorite hosting options:

Best Overall | Cheap | Cloud | Email | Python

Django’s origins in real-world applications — a two-person web development team at a Lawrence, Kansas, newspaper needed a system to keep up with the intensely rigorous deadlines — makes the framework an attractive option for web applications and content-heavy sites requiring rapid development. Python is known for being extraordinarily efficient and user-friendly; Django makes the language even easier to grasp with various shortcuts that recreate commonly used functions and components.

Major institutions, ranging from Disqus and Instagram to NASA and The Onion, use Django to power its user experiences. Django and Python both excel at handling large amounts of traffic, so you’ll want to be sure to align yourself with a host that can handle the flood of visitors. To meet that challenge, we recommend Bluehost, which offers a bunch of scalable solutions that enable modern Django sites and applications to start on shared server space and scale through the VPS, cloud, and dedicated server ranks.

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Here at HostingAdvice, we tend to equate words like cheap and affordable to the shared hosting space. Site owners frequently need to get the most bang for their buck while their new online venture gets off the ground.

Hosting Django websites on a shared server, however, can be somewhat tricky. First off, you’ll need to find a web hosting provider that has strong, well-documented support for Python. Most of those hosts will also offer Django, but the language and framework require greater administrative access than most shared hosts provide. You’ll likely need the support team’s help to install and configure both systems, but you’ll have a great and low-cost environment in which to learn and use Django once everything is set up. Take a look at our top three Django hosts that prioritize affordability — while also providing the computing resources and upgraded server options that help your project grow.

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Cloud hosting is where Django shines. The environments are ultra reliable and customizable, giving site owners more control over which versions of Python and database systems should be installed. Backend programming languages like Python, and, by extension, frameworks like Django, set up the data storage, organization, and management functionalities needed to create more interactive user experiences. To compare, frontend development languages include the HTML, CSS, and JavaScript code that displays and delivers the visual elements your users will see and (hopefully) click on.

This means that, if you need to use cookies, gather information from forms, generate sitemaps, manage comments, support multiple languages, or enable visitors to create user accounts and submit payment information, a cloud hosting solution is probably going to be best. What’s more, cloud hosting is easily scalable and adaptable to high volumes of traffic, while limited shared hosting environments often wilt in the face of such challenges.

The big three cloud providers — Amazon Web Services, Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud — all support robust Django development, but we tend to reserve those platforms for experienced developers with enterprise-grade hosting requirements. The cloud providers listed below offer solutions that are much easier to use and come with support teams that are much more accessible, helpful, and affordable. Consider one of these hosts for establishing your Django website or application in the cloud:

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With dynamic websites and apps frequently requiring users to create accounts, the Django framework can automate some of the mundane account activation, confirmation, and management tasks associated with day-to-day operations. Django is particularly useful for sending account activation messages, along with password resets, responses to form completions, and general notifications about the application.

To send these emails, you only need a registered domain and an email service — two things you probably already have. You can connect to any email service that uses SMTP with a little bit of configuration and MX record editing. As luck would have it, several of our favorite Django hosting providers are also well-equipped to support your email needs. Plus, these companies’ top-notch support teams will have the knowledgebase resources, tutorials, and support staff on standby if you need help.

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As we mentioned earlier, Django is a framework of the Python programming language — you can’t use Django without Python. However, Python is a rather flexible language. New users may want to start with the basics of Python before experimenting with other frameworks. Full-stack frameworks, like Django, typically include a web or application server, database system, template engine, and user management tools; popular Django alternatives include TurboGears and web2py.

Python maintains a list of frameworks for developers to consider, including popular (albeit non-full-stack) frameworks such as Flask, CherryPy, and Bottle. Web hosting providers that support Python, particularly the ones we’ve listed above, should also allow developers and site owners to use most of these systems.

But, just in case, here are two other hosts to consider. SiteGround and A2 Hosting are two superb hosting options that just barely missed the cuts earlier in our article. Compare their hosting specs to see how their hardware performance, support, and compatibility match your Python project’s requirements.

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We are well-documented advocates of choosing reputable, nearly free hosting plans over the limited services and support offered for free by other companies. Don’t get us wrong, we’re all for scoring a deal and saving money, but the added security, features, reliability, and general peace of mind that come with shared hosting plans is well worth the meager cost.

However, first-time Python and Django users may want a no-cost space in which to play and experiment. If you insist on going this route, be careful — only use free hosting services for testing, experimenting and learning, not for producing sites or applications. Many of our usual recommended free web hosting providers, including 000webhost and x10hosting, don’t support Python (and, by extension, Django). You’ll likely need to find a more specialized service.

For that, we turn to options like PythonAnywhere and Heroku. Both platforms provide more sophisticated cloud environments that can give users a sense of what they can accomplish with Django. Developers can experiment with different deployment methods and other limited options before upgrading to a paid plan.

Whether you’re a fan of Spaghetti Westerns or jazz guitar, the Django framework is sure to elicit a fun reaction — particularly when it comes to creating, developing, and deploying online applications. Because Django and Python are so easy to learn, both beginners and experienced developers can quickly build scalable, high-performing applications and user interactions.

Django’s mantra of efficiency and usability resonates with the perpetually deadline-pressed writer, developer, and perfectionist in me. Good luck on your quest!