Put your browser game online before buying a server

Your game runs. Someone else should be able to open it and play. Start with that job, not a shopping list: a small browser game that runs entirely on the player's device can often ship without renting a running server.

Give the game a front door. For a straightforward playable page, itch.io can host the HTML, JavaScript and assets together. Package multiple files in a ZIP with an index.html entry point, preserve exact filename case and use relative paths. Its embedded browser player is the attraction: the visitor opens the page instead of installing your game. itch.io guide

Choose what a payment buys. In itch.io's HTML5 mode, payments are donations. Its documented workaround for selling access changes the project kind to Downloadable. Optional support and a purchase that unlocks play are different promises; choose deliberately before writing the button. Payment rules

A free host still has edges. Cloudflare Pages allows 20,000 files on its Free plan, but each asset must be no larger than 25 MiB. One oversized model or audio file can matter more than the number of files. DigitalOcean App Platform includes three free static apps with 1 GiB transfer per app. Its paid tier starts at $5 a month, but that headline is not a complete game's budget. Cloudflare limits · DigitalOcean pricing

Buy a capability when the game needs it. A custom address is a branding choice. Shared persistent worlds, authoritative multiplayer and secret-bearing AI calls create different backend requirements. A domain does not provide those capabilities, and a static host should not be mistaken for them. Keep secret API credentials out of code shipped to players. Select backend architecture against the actual feature, rather than assuming the cheapest container solves it.

The first release is a playable link. Before widening the audience, check the exported game on the intended phone or computer, from a fresh visit. Can someone begin, hear the audio after interacting, use the controls, finish or restart, and understand whether progress is saved? These are proposed release checks, not tests performed for this article. Spend when a real limit appears. Until then, let the next investment be a better game.