HOKASHow to host a Discord bot 24/7
A Discord bot is only online while its process runs. This page explains the options for keeping it running all day, what the HOKAS free plan does and does not promise, and when to pick a paid plan.
Why a PC is a poor home for a bot
If the bot runs on your computer, it goes offline when the computer sleeps, restarts for an update or loses its connection. Your community sees the bot as down at those moments.
Moving the process to a server separates the bot from your daily use of the PC.
Your options
- Your own PC or a spare machine: free, but only as reliable as the machine and your connection.
- A free hosting plan: costs nothing and suits small bots, but free plans usually come with limits on uptime or resources.
- A cheap paid plan: a small monthly price for a container that is meant to stay on.
- A VPS: the most control and the most upkeep, since you manage the system yourself.
What the HOKAS free plan promises
The free plan gives each server 0.3 vCPU, 256 MB RAM and 512 MB disk, with up to 3 free server slots, and it does not expire or ask for a credit card.
Free servers run on an uptime allowance that you extend by watching a short ad. That makes the free plan right for learning, testing and small bots, and it is not a promise of around-the-clock uptime.
When to choose a paid plan
Paid plans start at $1 per month and go up to 4 vCPU and 6 GB RAM.
- The bot must be online all the time.
- The bot is used by a large or active server.
- The bot needs more than 256 MB of RAM, for example for music, image or database work.
- You want premium features and DDoS protection.
Tools that help a bot stay healthy
- Live console to see crashes and errors as they happen.
- Start, stop and restart from the dashboard.
- Environment variables for the bot token.
- GitHub deploy to ship fixes quickly.
Put your bot on a server in four steps
- Create an accountSign up in under a minute. No credit card is asked for.
- Create a serverChoose your runtime, such as Node.js or Python, and a free or paid plan.
- Add your botUpload the files or connect GitHub, then set the bot token as an environment variable.
- Start itPress start and watch the console. The bot shows as online in Discord.
Plans and pricing
| Plan | vCPU | RAM | Disk | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free | 0.3 | 256 MB | 512 MB | Free forever |
| Starter | 1 | 1 GB | 5 GB | $1 /month |
| Standard | 2 | 2 GB | 8 GB | $2 /month |
Billed monthly or yearly. The yearly price is ten times the monthly price. Bandwidth is unmetered on every plan. See all plans
Frequently asked questions
Can I host a Discord bot 24/7 for free?
Free servers on HOKAS run on an uptime allowance that you extend with a short ad, so round-the-clock uptime is not guaranteed. A paid plan from $1 per month is the better fit for a bot that must always be online.
Do I need a credit card?
No. The free plan needs no credit card and does not expire.
Does my bot need a public URL?
No. A Discord bot connects out to Discord, so it needs no public URL or open port.
What happens if my bot crashes?
Open the live console to read the error, fix the code and restart the bot from the dashboard.
Which languages are supported?
Node.js, Python, PHP, Bun, Java, C# and Rust.
Ready to deploy?
Create a free account, set up your server and have your project running in minutes. No credit card needed.