Practical guides for solo developers who ship apps
Hosting, domains, payments, launch and security, explained with concrete numbers, decision rules and checklists. Every price and limit links to the provider's own page, with the date it was last checked.
Hosting
Where and how to run your app, with prices taken from official pricing pages.
- Hosting
Cheapest way to host a Node.js app in 2026
The real cheapest ways to run a Node.js app in 2026, from $0 free tiers to $4 servers, with verified limits, hidden costs and a cost-per-scenario table.
- Hosting
Hostinger vs Cloudways for small projects
Hostinger vs Cloudways for a small site or app: verified prices, billing models, Node.js support, and decision rules for WordPress, PHP and side projects.
- Hosting
How to host a solo-developer app: the options compared
Static hosts, managed platforms, VPS and shared hosting compared for solo developers, with verified prices, free-tier limits and a decision rule for each.
- Hosting
Render vs DigitalOcean vs Hostinger for a Node.js app
Render, DigitalOcean (App Platform and Droplets) and Hostinger compared for hosting a Node.js app: verified prices, limits, deploy workflow and when to pick each.
- Hosting
Static site vs server app: what to host where
When a static site is enough, when you need a server, and how to split an app between a free static host and a paid backend. Decision table, costs and examples.
Domains
Registrars, renewal prices and how to choose a name.
- Domains
Best domain registrar for side projects
Cloudflare Registrar, Porkbun and Namecheap compared for side projects: renewal pricing, free WHOIS privacy, DNS lock-in, transfer rules and a decision rule.
- Domains
How to pick a domain name for your app
A practical process for choosing an app domain: naming rules, .com vs .app vs .dev, trademark and store-name checks, and a scoring checklist you can reuse.
Payments
Stripe, Google Play Billing and the rules that decide between them.
- Payments
Stripe vs Google Play Billing: which to use for in-app payments
When Google Play requires its own billing, when Stripe is allowed, and what each costs in 2026, including the new US, EEA and UK programs. Decision rules and examples.
Launch
Checklists for getting an app from idea to store listing.
- Launch
How to launch an Android app on Google Play as a solo developer
Step-by-step Google Play launch for solo developers: the $25 account, identity checks, the 12-tester/14-day rule, API level 36, store listing specs and a timeline.
- Launch
Idea to launch: a solo developer's checklist
A phase-by-phase checklist for taking an app from idea to launch alone: validation, scope, stack, legal pages, payments, hosting, store listing and the first 30 days.
Security & Privacy
Practical security steps and honest takes on privacy tools.
- Security & Privacy
Do solo developers need a VPN? An honest take
What a VPN does and does not protect for a solo developer, when it is worth paying for, safer alternatives for server access, and a checklist for choosing one.
- Security & Privacy
Security checklist for a side project before launch
A pre-launch security checklist for side projects, mapped to the OWASP Top 10:2025: secrets, auth, access control, dependencies, headers, backups and accounts.
How these guides are written
Comparisons are based on public pricing pages and official documentation, not on hands-on testing. Each article lists its sources and a "last verified" date. Some links are affiliate links; that never decides what is recommended. Read the about page and the affiliate disclosure for details.