Quick answer
PythonAnywhere - PythonAnywhere's free Beginner plan gives you one Python web app plus an editor and consoles in the browser. Render's free web service runs any language or Docker image, but it spins down after 15 minutes without traffic and wakes on the next request.
How the free tiers compare
PythonAnywhere's free Beginner plan covers one web app at your-username.pythonanywhere.com with one web worker, up to 2 consoles, 512 MB of file storage and 100 CPU-seconds a day for consoles. Code on the free plan can reach only specific sites over HTTP(S), and the plan has no scheduled or always-on tasks. Render's free web service has 512 MB of RAM and 0.1 CPU, and each workspace gets 750 free instance hours a month. A free service spins down after 15 minutes without inbound traffic, and it can't send traffic on SMTP ports 25, 465 or 587.
PythonAnywhere vs Render free tier, side by side
| PythonAnywhereFTV 47 | RenderFTV 48 | |
|---|---|---|
| Free web apps | 1 web app, 1 web worker | Free web services share 750 instance hours/workspace/month |
| Compute | 100 CPU-seconds/day for consoles; web apps don't count against it | 512 MB RAM, 0.1 CPU |
| Storage | 512 MB private file storage | Ephemeral filesystem, no persistent disk |
| Outbound network | Specific sites via HTTP(S) only | Blocked on ports 25, 465 and 587 |
| First paid step | Developer - $10/mo | 0.5c-512mb instance - $7/mo on the $0 Hobby workspace |
After you outgrow the free tier
PythonAnywhere's Developer plan costs $10 a month. It adds a custom domain, 3 web workers, unlimited consoles, 20 scheduled tasks, one always-on task, 5,000 CPU-seconds a day and 5 GB of storage. On Render, the Hobby workspace costs $0 a month plus compute, and a paid 0.5c-512mb instance (0.5 CPU, 512 MB) costs $7 a month. Paid instances don't spin down. Render's Pro workspace, at $25 a month plus compute, adds unlimited seats and services and 25 GB of bandwidth.
Cost at real usage
| Usage | PythonAnywhere | Render |
|---|---|---|
| One app plus a nightly scheduled job | $10/mo for Developer, with 20 scheduled tasks | $7/mo for the web service, plus a cron job billed by the minute |
| A web app on your own domain | $10/mo for Developer | $0 on the Hobby workspace, which includes custom domains |
Estimates, not quotes. Usage-based rates change - verify with the vendor's pricing page before committing.
When to pick each one
Pick PythonAnywhere when…
- You want to write, run and host Python from the browser, with no local setup.
- You want 512 MB of file storage that survives a restart.
- You want a cheap first paid plan: Developer is $10 a month with scheduled tasks.
Pick Render when…
- Your app isn't Python, or you deploy from a Docker image.
- Your code needs to call any site on the internet, not an allowlist.
- You can live with a slow first request after 15 idle minutes.
- You want to run several free services in one workspace, within 750 instance hours a month.
Bottom line
Pick PythonAnywhere for a free Python app with an editor, consoles and persistent storage in the browser. Pick Render if you need any language, open outbound access or Docker, and can accept a cold start on the free plan.
Read the full listings: PythonAnywhere and Render. Scores use the FTV methodology at /ftv. Browse more head-to-heads on /compare, or see the top-ranked free tiers on /top.