Firebase Hosting
Google's web hosting platform with global CDN, automatic SSL, custom domains, and tight integration with Firebase services like Auth, Firestore, and Cloud Functions.
Use Cases
Free Tier
10 GB storage, 360 MB/day bandwidth (~10 GB/month), SSL, custom domains, global CDN
How to Maximize the Free Tier
The free tier gives 10 GB storage and ~10 GB monthly bandwidth - plenty for portfolios and MVPs. Enable automatic SSL for custom domains at no extra cost. Use firebase deploy --only hosting to deploy just the hosting files without touching Cloud Functions. Watch your daily bandwidth cap (360 MB/day) - analytics scripts and heavy images add up fast. Pair with Firebase's free tier for Auth (50K MAU), Firestore (1 GiB storage), and Cloud Functions (2M invocations) to build a full-stack app entirely within the free tier.
Getting Started
Sign up at console.firebase.google.com -> Create a new project -> Install Firebase CLI (npm install -g firebase-tools) -> Run firebase init and select Hosting -> Deploy with firebase deploy.
Pros
- Google ecosystem: Seamless integration with Firebase Auth, Firestore, Cloud Functions, and other Google Cloud services
- Global CDN: Content served from Google's global CDN with automatic cache invalidation and edge caching
- CLI workflow: Firebase CLI provides deploy previews, version history, and one-command rollbacks
Cons
- Limited bandwidth: 360 MB/day cap (~10 GB/month) - high-traffic sites will hit limits quickly
- Vendor lock-in risk: Deep Firebase integration makes migration to another host more complex
- No Git auto-deploy: Requires CLI push rather than automatic deployment on git commit like Netlify or Vercel