Your hosting options

A PHP app · database i'll run it myself · steady traffic · up to about $25/month · start over

Top match App platform

Fly.io Machines

≈$6/mo shared-cpu-1x, 1 GB

About $5.92/month in Amsterdam, plus egress at $0.02/GB.

Why it fits
Dockerized apps that want low cost, fine control, or multi-region placement.
How deploys work
fly launch builds the image and deploys it; configuration lives in fly.toml and the flyctl CLI.
The tradeoff
You operate more of the stack yourself — especially the database.

Option 2 Virtual server (VPS)

Vultr Cloud Compute

≈$5/mo vc2-1c-1gb

Fine for steady modest traffic; move up when RAM gets tight.

Why it fits
Developers who want a cheap server near their users, wherever those users are.
How deploys work
You get root on a fresh Linux server; setup and deploys are yours to script.
The tradeoff
Fully self-managed, and the hour-based billing model is less forgiving than per-second rivals.
  • You install, secure, and back up the database yourself.

Option 3 Virtual server (VPS)

DigitalOcean Droplet

≈$6/mo s-1vcpu-1gb

A single small Droplet handles steady modest traffic; resize when it stops being enough.

Why it fits
Developers comfortable with a Linux server who want predictable pricing and full control.
How deploys work
You get root on an Ubuntu server: install your runtime, or start from a 1-click image.
The tradeoff
You are the ops team — security updates, backups, and monitoring are on you.
  • You install, secure, and back up the database yourself.

Ranked by ease of deploy for your stack, then by monthly cost — never by commissions. Estimates come from hand-checked public prices; the linked provider pages show every number and its caveats.