Strapi on Render
Render publishes its own guide for deploying Strapi.
Open-source headless CMS running as a long-lived Node server, requiring a relational database in production and an upload provider for media that must survive deploys.
What Strapi needs.
Every host claims to run Strapi, so the claim on its own decides nothing. These are the things Strapi actually requires from the platform underneath it, and what Render publishes about each. Render documents 4 of the 4.
Managed databases
Supported
Strapi's SQLite default is a development convenience. A production install needs Postgres or MySQL, and a guide that leaves you on SQLite is showing you a prototype.
Sources (1) →Sources ↓
- Render Postgres ↗
“Deploy fully managed, enterprise-grade databases that scale to any workload.”
Read 2026-09-05 · official docs
Persistent storage
Supported
Uploaded media is written to the local filesystem unless an upload provider is configured. On an ephemeral disk the media library empties at the next deploy while the content entries still reference it.
Sources (1) →Sources ↓
- Persistent Disks – Render Docs ↗
“You can attach a persistent disk to a paid Render web service, private service, or background worker. This enables you to preserve local filesystem changes across deploys and restarts.”
Read 2026-09-05 · official docs
Persistent processes
Supported
Strapi is a long-lived Node server serving both the content API and the admin panel. It is not a request-scoped function and cannot be deployed as one.
Sources (1) →Sources ↓
- Background Workers – Render Docs ↗
“Background workers are services that run continuously (like a web service or a private service), but they don't receive any incoming network traffic.”
Read 2026-09-05 · official docs
Memory (entry plan)
512 MB RAM (with 0.5 CPU) on the 0.5c-512mb instance type, the cheapest paid web service compute plan.
The admin panel is rebuilt on boot and after every content-type change. That build is the memory spike, and it is what decides whether the smallest instance survives a deploy.
Sources (1) →Sources ↓
- Compute plans — Render Docs ↗
“Web service plans CPU RAM Plan ID Legacy Plan Name 0.1 CPU 512 MB free 0.5 CPU 512 MB 0.5c-512mb starter 1 CPU 2 GB 1c-2g standard”
Read 2026-09-14 · official docs
What Render documents.
Render publishes its own guide for deploying Strapi.
Depending on how you're using Strapi, your needs will vary when you deploy your project to production. In this guide we'll describe three different methods you can use to deploy Strapi on Render [...] The simplest deployment method uses a web service with an attached persistent disk. The disk will store both a SQLite database file and uploaded media files. This approach is straightforward and inexpensive, but using a disk currently prevents horizontal scaling and zero downtime deploys.
Sources (1) →Sources ↓
- Deploy Strapi on Render — Render Docs ↗
“Depending on how you're using Strapi, your needs will vary when you deploy your project to production. In this guide we'll describe three different methods you can use to deploy Strapi on Render [...] The simplest deployment method uses a web service with an attached persistent disk. The disk will store both a SQLite database file and uploaded media files. This approach is straightforward and inexpensive, but using a disk currently prevents horizontal scaling and zero downtime deploys.”
Read 2026-09-06 · official docs
Strapi features on Render
Capabilities Render documents specifically for Strapi, with the constraint it documents alongside each.
managed_postgres
Supported
Our Strapi with PostgreSQL and Cloudinary repo is configured to use a managed PostgreSQL database for structured data and Cloudinary, a public cloud object store, for media file uploads. [...] The database you will use to store structured content.
persistent_media_disk
Supported
The simplest deployment method uses a web service with an attached persistent disk. The disk will store both a SQLite database file and uploaded media files. [...] using a managed PostgreSQL database along with block storage for media files.
managed_object_storage
Limited
There are Strapi plugins for a number of object storage providers besides Cloudinary, including MinIO, which you can self-host on Render. [...] Cloudinary, a public cloud object store, for media file uploads.
horizontal_scaling
Limited
This approach is straightforward and inexpensive, but using a disk currently prevents horizontal scaling and zero downtime deploys. [...] get zero downtime deploys and the ability to horizontally scale your Strapi web service.
strapi_template
Supported
Deploy the Strapi template on Render with PostgreSQL and Cloudinary for seamless content management and media storage. [...] Deploy Strapi with SQLite on Render using this template. Includes persistent disk storage for your database and media files.
Sources (2) →Sources ↓
- Deploy Strapi on Render — Render Docs ↗
“Our Strapi with PostgreSQL and Cloudinary repo is configured to use a managed PostgreSQL database for structured data and Cloudinary, a public cloud object store, for media file uploads. [...] The database you will use to store structured content.”
Read 2026-09-13 · official docs
- Render Templates | How to Deploy Apps, Frameworks & AI Agents ↗
“Deploy the Strapi template on Render with PostgreSQL and Cloudinary for seamless content management and media storage. [...] Deploy Strapi with SQLite on Render using this template. Includes persistent disk storage for your database and media files.”
Read 2026-09-13 · official site
What it costs to run there.
- Pricing model
- The Hobby plan does not have a monthly fee, so you only pay for usage.
- When you exceed a cap
- Pipeline minutes: overage is auto-purchased, but with no payment method or once the monthly spend limit is reached Render stops running pipeline tasks, builds included.
- Regions
- Oregon, USA; Ohio, USA; Virginia, USA; Frankfurt, Germany; Singapore
Sources (3) →Sources ↓
- Platform Features by Plan – Render Docs ↗
“The Hobby plan does not have a monthly fee, so you only pay for usage.”
Read 2026-09-05 · official docs
- Build pipeline — Render Docs ↗
“Running out of minutes If you run out of pipeline minutes during a given month, you automatically purchase a supplementary amount of minutes for your current tier, unless: You've reached your monthly spend limit, or You haven't added a payment method.”
Read 2026-09-14 · official docs
- Regions — Render Docs ↗
“You can deploy Render services to any of the following regions to minimize latency for your users: Oregon, USA Ohio, USA Virginia, USA Frankfurt, Germany Singapore”
Read 2026-09-14 · official docs
Whether it suits you.
Workloads that need real background workers and persistent processes alongside web services, deployed from a repository or a Dockerfile. Managed Postgres and static sites run on the same platform.
Consider something else if…
Free web services spin down after 15 minutes without traffic, which makes the free tier unsuitable for anything that must answer immediately.
Visit Render documentation