Choose your platform

Too complicated? Not what you’re looking for?

Consider a hosted Nightscout service! Check for easier solutions here.


Various platforms are available to host your Nightscout site in the cloud.

Warning

Creating a database is mandatory if you want to use: Heroku, Railway, Northflank, Fly.io or Azure. Make sure you have one before creating a Nightscout web app in these platforms.

Find a list of commonly used hosting services below, decide which one you’ll want to use.


Heroku

Heroku Eco

Since the beginning Heroku has been a very popular platform for Nightscout. Most of the documentation was based on a Heroku Nightscout.
On August 25th 2022, Salesforce decided to drop the free plan. You can create your new Nightscout site with Heroku using an Eco plan (5$/month).

Pros:

  • Large platform with a reliable history

  • Well documented, well known by the community

Cons:

  • The Eco plan has the same limitations than the previous Free plan, for 5$ per month

  • For a Nightscout site a 7$ per month Basic plan is not really worth it (compared to hosted solutions)

  • Doesn’t include a database

Azure

Azure

Nightscout DIY was originally created with Azure but most users dropped it after costs increased.
A new deployment method fitting in the free tier has been created using a Docker container.

Pros:

  • Large platform with a reliable history

  • Well known by the community IT specialists

  • Using a basic plan and free services keep it free

Cons:

  • Trial account lasts maximum 12 months

  • Basic plan and pay as you go is free if you stay within quotas

  • The F1 free app service plan is designed for testing, not production

  • The Cosmos database doesn’t integrate correctly with Nightscout

Railway.app

Railway

You can easily create a new Railway Nightscout site with a MongoDB Atlas or a Railway MongoDB database. The Hobby plan (5$ per month) allows one Nightscout site and a small database.

Pros:

  • Easy to deploy or migrate an existing site from Heroku (but not worth it without free tier)

  • Simple to use and troubleshoot

  • Can use a reliable native Railway MongoDB database, the cost will add-up within the subscription ($)

Cons:

  • The free tier has been removed, only active developers can have 5$ credit per month

  • The railway.app domain is blocked for safety by some companies

  • Railway network model causes issues with some follower app and devices

Northflank

You can create your new free Northflank Nightscout site, with its own Northflank database or with a MongoDB Atlas database.

Pros:

  • Nightscout fits in the free tier

  • Easy to deploy or migrate an existing site from Heroku

  • Simple to use and troubleshoot

  • Can use a professional native Northflank MongoDB database ($)

Cons:

  • The Nightscout address generated for your site is impossible to remember

Fly.io

Fly.io

Fly.io proposed a simple migration wizard from Heroku and you can create your new Nightscout site in Fly.io. Using a computer is mandatory with Fly.io as managing your site will require the use of a command line utility. Not recommended for beginners.

Pros:

  • Nightscout fits in the free tier

  • Easy to migrate an existing site from Heroku

Cons:

  • Maintaining your site requires the use of command line instructions, not very intuitive

  • Doesn’t include a database

Google Cloud

xDrip+

A scripted Nightscout installation in Google Cloud is a new complete solution proposed by the xDrip+ developers team. Whilst deploying Nightscout manually in Ubuntu can be complex, their approach makes is rather simple for non-technical people.

Pros:

  • Complete solution offering a large free database

  • A web interface to edit your variables

  • Tools provided to migrate the database from another platform

  • Virtually free (<5c/month)

Cons:

  • Not available for free for Australia and Cina users

  • Relying on a free DNS provider

Render

xDrip+

A free solution with little experience.

Pros:

  • No credit card required

Cons:

  • The free plan doesn’t guarantee any reliability

  • App will sleep after 15 minutes

  • Render URLs are considered unsafe by some internet providers

  • Doesn’t include a database