Netlify
Free forever
The easiest DIY option. Drag your website folder onto the page and you're live. You'll still need to handle domain setup and DNS yourself.
- Drag-and-drop deployment
- Free SSL certificate
- 100GB bandwidth/month
- Custom domain support
Hosting guide
Two ways to get online.
We can host your site for you, or you can set it up yourself for free. Here's how both options compare so you can pick what's right for you.
Compare
Our hosting vs. DIY.
Both options work. One takes a minute. The other takes an afternoon and some Googling.
| Tattoo Studio Pro hosting ($10/mo) | DIY (free hosts) | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | $10/mo | Free |
| Setup time | 60 seconds | 30-60 minutes |
| Custom domain | Connect from dashboard | Buy domain, configure DNS yourself |
| Email forwarding | Included (info@yourdomain.com) | Set up separately or pay for Workspace |
| SSL certificate | Automatic | Automatic on most platforms |
| Uptime monitoring | Included | Set up separately |
| Updates after launch | Hit publish from your template | Re-upload files manually |
| Where files live | On your computer + on our servers | On your computer + on their servers |
| Lock-in | None. Cancel anytime, files are yours. | None. Files are yours. |
DIY route
The free way (some assembly required).
These platforms host static sites for free. You'll create an account, deploy your files, buy a domain separately, and configure DNS yourself.
Cloudflare Pages
Free forever
Fastest global CDN with unlimited bandwidth. More technical to set up than Netlify, but best raw performance.
- Unlimited bandwidth
- Global CDN (275+ cities)
- Free SSL + DDoS protection
- Custom domain support
GitHub Pages
Free forever
Natural fit if you already use GitHub. Push to a repo and it deploys. Requires Git knowledge.
- 100GB bandwidth/month
- Free SSL certificate
- Version control built-in
- Custom domain support
Domain names
Get your own .com.
Whether you use our hosting or go DIY, you'll want your own domain. Domain registration is typically $10-15/yr through Namecheap, Google Domains, or similar registrars.
Our hosting subscribers can connect a custom domain right from the dashboard. We walk you through the one DNS change you need to make. DIY users will need to configure DNS records manually based on their host's instructions.
Tip: Don't have a domain yet? You can launch on yourstudio.portfolio.ink (included with our hosting) and connect a custom domain whenever you're ready.
FAQ
Common questions.
Why pay $10/month when I can host for free?
You're paying for simplicity. Free hosting works, but you have to create accounts on separate platforms, learn DNS configuration, set up email forwarding separately, handle file uploads manually, and configure monitoring yourself. Our hosting does all of that from one dashboard. If you buy a template, hosting is free for the first 3 months. After that, it's $10/month. If your time is worth more than that, it pays for itself.
Is free hosting reliable enough for a business?
Yes. Netlify and Cloudflare host millions of sites on their free tiers. The infrastructure is enterprise-grade. For a tattoo studio website, you'll never hit the free tier limits. The difference is in the setup experience and included extras, not reliability.
Can I start with DIY and switch to your hosting later?
Absolutely. Your website files are the same either way. If you start on Netlify and decide you'd rather have us handle it, just subscribe to hosting and publish your files from the dashboard. Takes about a minute to switch.
Do I need a custom domain?
For a professional tattoo business, yes. "yourstudio.com" looks much better on a business card than "random-name.netlify.app." With our hosting, you get yourstudio.portfolio.ink immediately and can connect a custom domain anytime. With DIY, you'll need to buy a domain and configure DNS yourself.
What about email? Can I get you@yourstudio.com?
Our hosting includes email forwarding, so emails to info@yourdomain.com go straight to your inbox. For DIY hosting, you'll need to set up email forwarding separately through your domain registrar, or pay for Google Workspace ($6/month).
What's SSL and do I need it?
SSL makes your site secure (https:// instead of http://). Yes, you need it. Google penalizes sites without it. Both our hosting and the free platforms include SSL automatically.
Ready?
Get your site online.
Pick your path. Both work.