Updated September 2026 · Written and maintained by the Progression Agency strategy team
Google offers several ways to host a website, and ‘website hosting with Google’ can mean anything from Google Sites to a Kubernetes cluster. This guide sorts the real options (Firebase Hosting, Cloud Storage with Cloud CDN, Cloud Run, App Engine, Compute Engine, and WordPress via Marketplace or managed hosts on Google Cloud), matches each to a site type, covers cost and setup, and explains when a platform built on Google Cloud is the better choice.
On this page · 8 sections
- Google website hosting options at a glance
- Hosting a static website on Google (Firebase Hosting)
- Hosting a web app on Google Cloud (Cloud Run)
- Hosting WordPress on Google Cloud
- What Google Cloud website hosting costs
- Google Cloud vs AWS and Azure for hosting
- Common mistakes
- How Progression Agency hosts on Google Cloud
The short answerHost a static site on Firebase Hosting (simplest) or Cloud Storage behind a load balancer with Cloud CDN; host a Next.js or containerized app on Cloud Run; host WordPress on a managed host that runs on Google Cloud (Kinsta, SiteGround, Cloudways’ GCP servers) rather than a Compute Engine VM unless you have an administrator; use Compute Engine or GKE for custom or large systems. Google Sites and Google Business Profile are not web hosting for a business website.
Comparisons are based on each project’s official documentation as linked in the text. Progression Agency builds with all of the technologies compared and has no affiliate relationship with any of them.
Google website hosting options at a glance
Google Cloud hosts websites through Firebase Hosting, Cloud Storage with a CDN, Cloud Run and Compute Engine, each suited to a different kind of site. The table compares them.
| Service | What it is | Best for | Effort | Cost model |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Firebase Hosting | Static and dynamic hosting with a global CDN and free TLS | Static sites, SPAs, sites with Cloud Functions | Low | Generous free tier, then usage (pricing) |
| Cloud Storage + Cloud CDN | Static files behind a load balancer and CDN | Static sites in a GCP-native setup | Medium | Storage + CDN + load balancer |
| Cloud Run | Managed containers that scale to zero | Next.js, Django, Node, Laravel, .NET apps and APIs | Low-medium | Per request and CPU-second |
| App Engine | Managed app platform (standard and flexible) | Classic PaaS deployments | Low-medium | Instance hours |
| Compute Engine | Virtual machines | WordPress with an admin, custom stacks | High | Per second compute + disk |
| GKE | Managed Kubernetes | Multi-service systems at scale | High | Nodes + control plane |
| Cloud SQL / AlloyDB | Managed PostgreSQL, MySQL, SQL Server | Any app’s database | Low | Instance + storage |
| Google Sites | Simple page builder in Workspace | Internal or very basic pages | Minimal | Included with Workspace; not a business website platform |
Hosting a static website on Google (Firebase Hosting)
Firebase Hosting deploys from the command line or CI, serves from Google’s CDN with free TLS, supports custom domains, rewrites and previews, and pairs with Cloud Functions or Cloud Run for dynamic routes. It is the quickest Google route for a static or single-page site. Documentation: Firebase Hosting docs. Cloudflare Pages and Netlify are equivalent alternatives; see Vercel vs Netlify vs Cloudflare Pages.
Hosting a web app on Google Cloud (Cloud Run)
Package the app as a container, deploy to Cloud Run, attach a custom domain and a Cloud SQL database, and it scales from zero to many instances automatically. Next.js, Nuxt, Django, FastAPI, Laravel and ASP.NET Core all run this way. Documentation: Cloud Run docs. See backend hosting options and hosting for React and Next.js.
Hosting WordPress on Google Cloud
Google Cloud Marketplace offers click-to-deploy WordPress on Compute Engine, which gives a VM you must maintain. For most businesses the better route is a managed WordPress host that runs on Google Cloud: Kinsta and SiteGround run on Google Cloud infrastructure, and Cloudways can manage Google Cloud servers. You get Google’s network with updates, backups and support included. See WordPress hosting guide.
What Google Cloud website hosting costs
Firebase Hosting: free for small sites, then usage. Cloud Run: scales to zero, so low-traffic apps cost a few dollars; production apps with Cloud SQL $100-$500 before traffic. Compute Engine WordPress: tens of dollars a month plus your time. Use the Google Cloud pricing calculator and set budget alerts. See website hosting cost.
Google Cloud vs AWS and Azure for hosting
Google Cloud’s strengths are Cloud Run’s simplicity, GKE, BigQuery and developer experience; AWS has the broader catalog and talent pool; Azure fits Microsoft-centric organizations. For a website the differences are small; for an application they follow your team’s skills. See AWS vs Azure vs Google Cloud and cloud hosting explained.
Common mistakes
The mistakes we see with Google Cloud hosting are mostly about what was skipped: a CDN, patching and budget alerts. The list:
- Assuming Google Sites or a Business Profile is a business website.
- Deploying WordPress on a Compute Engine VM with nobody to patch it.
- Skipping Cloud CDN or Cloudflare in front of Cloud Storage or Cloud Run.
- No budget alerts on a usage-billed project.
- Using the Owner role for daily work instead of scoped IAM roles.
How Progression Agency hosts on Google Cloud
We use Cloud Run with Cloud SQL for containerized apps, Firebase Hosting or Cloudflare Pages for static sites, and Kinsta or similar for WordPress on Google’s network, with infrastructure as code and budgets in the client’s project. See DevOps services and cloud migration services.
Hosting on Google Cloud?
We will choose the right Google service for your site or app, set it up in your project and estimate the monthly bill.
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Frequently asked questions
Can I host a website on Google?
What is cloud hosting on Google for a business website?
Is Google Cloud good for website hosting?
How much does it cost to host a website on Google Cloud?
Is Google website hosting free?
Can I host WordPress on Google Cloud?
What is Cloud Run?
What is Firebase Hosting?
Can I host a Next.js app on Google Cloud?
Google Cloud or AWS for a website?
Do I need Cloudflare with Google Cloud?
Can you migrate my site to Google Cloud?
Which region should I use?
Does Progression Agency manage Google Cloud hosting?
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