What is the cheapest Node.js hosting in India in 2026?

AIC Cloud at ₹99/month is the cheapest persistent Node.js hosting option in India in 2026 — a 1 GB RAM VPS where you install Node.js 22, manage processes with PM2, and configure Nginx as reverse proxy. Supports WebSockets, background workers, cron jobs, and any Node.js framework.

Can I run a Discord bot on a ₹99/month VPS?

Yes — AIC Cloud's ₹99/mo VPS comfortably runs Discord bots, Telegram bots, and similar persistent applications. The 1 GB RAM handles bots serving up to ~10,000 active users. PM2 keeps your bot running even after server restarts. For bots serving 50K+ users, the 2 GB tier (₹199/mo) is recommended.

What's the difference between persistent and serverless Node.js hosting?

Persistent (always-on) hosting keeps your Node.js process running continuously — needed for WebSockets, background workers, in-memory state, and predictable latency. Serverless hosting (Vercel Functions, AWS Lambda) spins up your code on demand — better for spiky stateless APIs but doesn't support persistent connections or background processes.

Can I use AIC Cloud VPS for an Express API?

Yes — Express, Fastify, NestJS, Hono, and any other Node.js framework runs cleanly on AIC Cloud VPS. Standard setup: Node.js 22 + PM2 (process manager) + Nginx (reverse proxy with SSL via Let's Encrypt). Supports thousands of requests per second on a 1 GB VPS for typical CRUD APIs.

Which Node.js hosting supports UPI in India?

AIC Cloud is the only Node.js hosting provider supporting native UPI checkout via Razorpay (along with PhonePe, GPay, Paytm, net banking, Indian cards). Render, Railway, DigitalOcean App Platform, and Vercel all require international credit/debit cards or PayPal.

Is Render or Railway better for Node.js?

Both are excellent. Render has simpler pricing ($7/mo flat for Web Service), more predictable billing, and slightly stronger free tier for static sites. Railway has usage-based pricing ($5/mo base + per-resource), better dashboard for managing multiple services, and integrated databases. For predictable costs choose Render; for usage-flexibility choose Railway.

Can I run WebSockets on Vercel Functions?

No — Vercel Functions are stateless serverless functions and don't support persistent WebSocket connections. For WebSockets you need persistent hosting like AIC Cloud VPS, Render Web Service, Railway, or DigitalOcean App Platform. Vercel does support Server-Sent Events (SSE) for some streaming use cases.

What Node.js version should I use in production?

Node.js 22 LTS is the current Long-Term Support version in 2026 and recommended for new production deployments. Node.js 20 LTS is also supported (active maintenance through April 2026, then security-only). Avoid odd-numbered versions (21, 23) in production — they're not LTS and reach end-of-life faster. AIC Cloud VPS lets you install any Node.js version.

Top 5 Node.js Hosting Providers in India 2026 (Real Pricing)

The 5 best Node.js hosting providers for Indian developers in 2026 are AIC Cloud (₹99/mo VPS, INR/UPI), Render ($7/mo Web Service), Railway ($5/mo + usage), DigitalOcean App Platform ($5/mo), and Vercel Functions (free + $20/mo Pro for serverless). This ranking is based on real INR cost, deployment workflow, scaling options, persistent connections support, and Indian payment method availability.

Node.js is the de facto runtime for modern JavaScript backends — Express, Fastify, NestJS, Hono APIs, WebSocket servers, real-time apps, and full-stack Next.js applications. Picking the right hosting depends on whether you need persistent processes (WebSockets, cron) or serverless functions, and how much you're willing to pay in real INR.

Quick comparison — top 5 Node.js hosting India

#	Provider	Entry Price	Real INR	Type	Persistent?	UPI
1	AIC Cloud	₹99/mo	₹99/mo	VPS	✅ Always-on	✅
2	Render	$7/mo	~₹630/mo	PaaS	✅ Always-on	❌
3	Railway	$5/mo + usage	~₹450+/mo	PaaS	✅ Always-on	❌
4	DO App Platform	$5/mo	~₹450/mo	PaaS	✅ Always-on	❌
5	Vercel Functions	Free + $20/mo	~₹1,800/mo	Serverless	❌ Stateless	❌

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1. AIC Cloud — ₹99/mo VPS (Best for Persistent Node.js Apps)

AIC Cloud's ₹99/mo VPS is the cheapest way to run persistent Node.js applications. Install Node.js 22 LTS, manage with PM2, use Nginx as reverse proxy. Supports WebSockets, long-running processes, cron jobs, and background workers natively. INR billing via UPI.

Best for: Express/Fastify/NestJS APIs, WebSocket servers, Discord bots, background workers, anyone needing always-on persistent Node.js.

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2. Render — $7/mo Heroku-Style PaaS

Render offers Heroku-like simplicity for Node.js — push to GitHub, auto-deploy, get SSL + custom domain. Free tier for static sites + $7/mo for always-on Web Services. Supports WebSockets, background workers, cron jobs as separate services.

Best for: Developers wanting Heroku-like git-push deployment without Heroku's pricing complexity.

3. Railway — $5/mo + Usage-Based Modern PaaS

Railway has modern dashboard, $5/mo base fee plus per-resource usage costs. Excellent for full-stack apps — deploy your Node.js API + PostgreSQL + Redis on one platform. Auto-deploys from GitHub.

Best for: Indie developers building full-stack Node.js apps who want simple all-in-one infrastructure.

4. DigitalOcean App Platform — $5/mo (Heroku-style + DO Ecosystem)

DigitalOcean App Platform offers managed Node.js deployment at $5/mo with integrated DigitalOcean ecosystem (managed Postgres, Spaces S3, etc.). Auto-deploys from GitHub.

Best for: Developers already using DigitalOcean for databases/storage who want managed Node.js deployment.

5. Vercel Functions — Serverless Node.js (Free + $20/mo Pro)

Vercel Functions runs Node.js as serverless functions (similar to AWS Lambda but with better DX). Free Hobby tier, $20/mo Pro for commercial use. Best for stateless APIs, not for WebSockets or long-running processes.

Best for: Stateless API endpoints, edge functions, serverless-friendly workloads where you don't need persistent connections.

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Decision Matrix — Which Node.js Hosting Should You Choose?

Your priority	Best choice
Cheapest persistent Node.js	AIC Cloud (₹99/mo)
Heroku-style with database	Render or Railway
All-in-one full-stack	Railway
DigitalOcean ecosystem	DO App Platform
Serverless / stateless APIs	Vercel Functions
WebSockets / real-time	AIC Cloud, Render, Railway, DO
Discord bots / background workers	AIC Cloud (cheapest)
Auto-scaling on traffic spikes	Render or Railway
UPI billing	AIC Cloud (only option)

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Persistent vs Serverless Node.js — Which Do You Need?

Persistent (always-on) hosting is required if your app:

•Maintains WebSocket connections
•Runs background workers / cron jobs
•Uses in-memory cache (not Redis)
•Needs predictable cold-start-free latency
•Runs Discord bots / Telegram bots

Serverless hosting is better if your app:

•Has spiky/unpredictable traffic
•Is purely request-response with no state
•Can tolerate cold-start latency (~200-500ms first request)
•Wants automatic scaling to zero

Most production Node.js apps need persistent hosting — making VPS or PaaS options preferable over Vercel Functions for non-trivial backends.

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Verdict — Best Node.js Hosting India 2026

For most Indian Node.js developers: AIC Cloud's ₹99/mo VPS — cheapest persistent always-on option with INR billing, supports any Node.js use case (Express, Fastify, NestJS, WebSockets, workers).

For Heroku-style simplicity: Render or Railway — slightly more expensive but git-push-to-deploy convenience.

For serverless/edge APIs: Vercel Functions — best DX for stateless workloads.

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