# Free Container Registry Hosting and Deployment Solutions: A Complete Guide > Discover free container registry hosting solutions like Docker Hub and GitHub CR. Deploy easily on platforms like Koyeb, Northflank, and Daestro. Start building for free today. - Repository: [R.I.Pienaar/free-for-dev](https://github.com/ripienaar/free-for-dev) - Tags: how-to-guide - Published: 2026-02-25 --- **You can host container images for free using Docker Hub, GitHub Container Registry, GitLab, Quay.io, Harbor-based services, and ephemeral registries like ttl.sh, then deploy them at no cost on platforms such as Koyeb, Northflank, and Daestro.** The `ripienaar/free-for-dev` repository maintains a curated index of no-cost developer infrastructure, including multiple free container registry hosting and deployment solutions suitable for CI/CD pipelines, open-source projects, and prototyping. This guide extracts the specific platforms listed in the project's README, detailing their free-tier limits, architectural roles, and practical implementation patterns. ## Free Container Registries for Image Storage Container registries store and distribute OCI-compatible images. The following services offer free tiers for hosting Docker images without requiring paid subscriptions. ### Harbor-Based Container Registry Service According to [README line 1595](https://github.com/ripienaar/free-for-dev/blob/master/README.md#L1595), a Harbor-based solution provides **1 GB of private storage** for container images. Harbor is an open-source, OCI-compliant registry that supports vulnerability scanning and role-based access control. You can push images using standard Docker CLI commands: ```bash docker tag my-app:latest /my-project/my-app:latest docker push /my-project/my-app:latest ``` ### Docker Hub Docker Hub, referenced at [README line 1596](https://github.com/ripienaar/free-for-dev/blob/master/README.md#L1596), offers **one private repository and unlimited public repositories** on its free tier. As the default registry for Docker Engine, it integrates seamlessly with CI/CD tools. ```bash # Log in to Docker Hub docker login -u # Tag and push docker tag my-app:latest /my-app:latest docker push /my-app:latest ``` ### Quay.io Red Hat's Quay.io, listed at [README line 1598](https://github.com/ripienaar/free-for-dev/blob/master/README.md#L1598), provides **unlimited free public repositories**. Private repositories require a paid plan. Quay includes automatic security scanning and build triggers. ```bash docker tag my-app:latest quay.io//my-app:latest docker push quay.io//my-app:latest ``` ### GitHub Container Registry GitHub Packages includes a container registry (GHCR) with **unlimited public and private storage for public repositories**. Free accounts have limited storage for private repositories. It integrates directly with GitHub Actions. ```bash # Authenticate using GitHub token echo $GITHUB_TOKEN | docker login ghcr.io -u --password-stdin # Push docker tag my-app:latest ghcr.io///my-app:latest docker push ghcr.io///my-app:latest ``` ### GitLab Container Registry GitLab offers free private container storage for public projects, with limited storage for private projects on free tiers. It works natively with GitLab CI pipelines. ```bash docker tag my-app:latest registry.gitlab.com///my-app:latest docker push registry.gitlab.com///my-app:latest ``` ### ttl.sh (Ephemeral Registry) Listed at [README line 1599](https://github.com/ripienaar/free-for-dev/blob/master/README.md#L1599), ttl.sh provides an **anonymous, ephemeral registry where images expire after 24 hours**. This is ideal for CI artifacts or temporary testing without storage costs. ```bash # Generate random tag TTL_TAG=$(uuidgen | tr '[:upper:]' '[:lower:]') # Tag and push docker tag my-app:latest ttl.sh/$TTL_TAG docker push ttl.sh/$TTL_TAG # Image available for 24 hours docker pull ttl.sh/$TTL_TAG ``` ### Play with Docker Referenced at [README line 1597](https://github.com/ripienaar/free-for-dev/blob/master/README.md#L1597), Play with Docker provides an **interactive browser-based sandbox** for spinning up Docker hosts. While not a persistent registry, it allows testing container builds and deployments without local installation. ## Free Container Deployment Platforms Once images are stored in a registry, these platforms provide free hosting and execution environments for running containers. ### Koyeb According to [README line 1002](https://github.com/ripienawr/free-for-dev/blob/master/README.md#L1002), Koyeb offers a **free tier with 512 MiB RAM, 2 GiB storage, and 0.1 vCPU** for deploying Docker containers globally. Koyeb provisions lightweight edge nodes and handles HTTPS, autoscaling, and health checks. Deploy using the CLI: ```bash # Install Koyeb CLI curl -sSL https://cli.koyeb.com/install | sh # Authenticate koyeb login # Deploy from Docker Hub koyeb service create \ --name my-service \ --region fra \ --runtime docker \ --image /my-app:latest \ --port 8080 ``` ### Northflank Listed at [README line 1004](https://github.com/ripienaar/free-for-dev/blob/master/README.md#L1004), Northflank provides a **free tier supporting 2 services, 2 cron jobs, and 1 database**. The platform pulls images from Docker Hub, Quay.io, or private registries (using stored credentials) and runs them on managed VMs. Example workflow using GitHub Container Registry and Northflank: ```yaml # .github/workflows/build.yml name: Build and Push on: [push] jobs: build: runs-on: ubuntu-latest steps: - uses: actions/checkout@v3 - name: Set up Docker Buildx uses: docker/setup-buildx-action@v2 - name: Log in to GHCR run: echo "${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}" | docker login ghcr.io -u ${{ github.actor }} --password-stdin - name: Build and push run: | docker build -t ghcr.io/${{ github.repository }}/my-app:latest . docker push ghcr.io/${{ github.repository }}/my-app:latest ``` Then configure Northflank to deploy from `ghcr.io///my-app:latest`. ### Daestro Referenced at [README line 996](https://github.com/ripienaar/free-for-dev/blob/master/README.md#L996), Daestro offers **compute jobs across cloud providers** with a free tier that includes **1 container registry**. You can store Docker images in Daestro's built-in registry and trigger on-demand job execution. ## Practical Implementation Examples ### Complete CI/CD Pipeline with ttl.sh For temporary testing without polluting permanent registries: ```yaml name: CI-test-ttl on: [push] jobs: build: runs-on: ubuntu-latest steps: - uses: actions/checkout@v3 - name: Build image run: docker build -t ttl.sh/${{ github.sha }} . - name: Push to ttl.sh run: docker push ttl.sh/${{ github.sha }} - name: Verify deployment capability run: | docker pull ttl.sh/${{ github.sha }} docker run --rm ttl.sh/${{ github.sha }} --version ``` ### Multi-Registry Strategy Store production images in Docker Hub or GitHub Container Registry while using ttl.sh for pull-request previews: ```bash # Production image (persistent) docker tag my-app:prod ghcr.io/myorg/my-app:prod docker push ghcr.io/myorg/my-app:prod # PR preview (ephemeral) docker tag my-app:pr-123 ttl.sh/pr-123-preview docker push ttl.sh/pr-123-preview ``` ## Summary - **Docker Hub** provides the most straightforward free tier with one private repository and unlimited public repositories, making it ideal for open-source projects. - **GitHub Container Registry** and **GitLab Container Registry** integrate natively with their respective CI/CD platforms, offering unlimited public storage and seamless authentication via repository tokens. - **ttl.sh** serves as the optimal solution for temporary CI artifacts or security-sensitive builds that should not persist in permanent storage. - **Koyeb**, **Northflank**, and **Daestro** provide zero-cost container deployment infrastructure, allowing you to run production workloads without provisioning servers. - The **Harbor-based Container Registry Service** offers 1 GB of private OCI-compatible storage suitable for teams requiring self-hosted pipeline integration. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### What is the best free container registry for private Docker images? **Docker Hub** offers the most generous free tier for private storage, providing one private repository with no storage time limits. If you require multiple private repositories without payment, **GitHub Container Registry** allows unlimited private storage for public repositories, while private repositories on free accounts have storage limits. For teams already using GitLab, the **GitLab Container Registry** provides similar integration benefits. ### How does ttl.sh differ from permanent container registries? **ttl.sh** operates as an **ephemeral, anonymous registry** where images automatically expire after 24 hours, unlike permanent registries such as Docker Hub or GHCR that store images indefinitely until manually deleted. This makes ttl.sh ideal for CI/CD pipelines testing pull requests or temporary builds where long-term storage would create unnecessary costs and security surface area. You do not need authentication to push to ttl.sh, simplifying automated workflows. ### Can I deploy containers directly from GitHub Actions without using Docker Hub? Yes, you can deploy directly from **GitHub Container Registry (GHCR)** without intermediary registries. GitHub Actions workflows can authenticate to GHCR using the built-in `GITHUB_TOKEN` secret, push images to `ghcr.io//:tag`, and then trigger deployment platforms like **Koyeb**, **Northflank**, or **Daestro** to pull from that registry. This approach eliminates Docker Hub rate limits and keeps your container infrastructure within the GitHub ecosystem. ### What are the resource limits for free container deployment on Koyeb? **Koyeb's** free tier provides **512 MiB of RAM, 2 GiB of storage, and 0.1 vCPU** per service instance. These resources are sufficient for lightweight microservices, static site generators, and small API servers. Koyeb automatically provisions SSL certificates, handles HTTP/HTTPS routing, and provides health checks without additional configuration. If your application exceeds these limits, you must upgrade to a paid tier or scale horizontally across multiple free services.