Cloud deployment is the easiest and fastest way to get your Spoo.me instance running. These platforms offer generous free tiers and handle server management automatically, making them perfect for beginners or anyone who wants a hassle-free deployment.

Before proceeding, ensure you have completed the prerequisite steps:

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Platform Comparison

Choose the platform that best fits your needs:

PlatformFree TierCustom DomainProsBest For
VercelGenerous✅ FreeExcellent performance, great DXMost users
Railway$5 credit✅ FreeSimple setup, good performanceDevelopers
Render750 hours/month✅ FreeReliable, good free tierStable hosting
KoyebLimited❌ Paid onlyGood performanceTesting only

Recommended: Start with Vercel for the best combination of features and ease of use.

Vercel offers the most generous free plan and excellent performance for Spoo.me deployments.

1

Prepare Your GitHub Account

  1. Create a GitHub account if you don’t have one
  2. Sign up for Vercel and connect your GitHub account

Vercel will need access to your GitHub account to create and deploy repositories.

2

Deploy with One Click

Click the deploy button to start the deployment process:

Deploy with Vercel

This will:

  • Fork the Spoo.me repository to your GitHub account
  • Set up a new Vercel project
  • Prompt you for environment variables
3

Configure Environment Variables

In the deployment configuration, enter your environment variables:

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MONGODB_URI
string
required

Your MongoDB connection string from the MongoDB setup guide

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CONTACT_WEBHOOK
string
required

Discord webhook URL for contact form notifications

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URL_REPORT_WEBHOOK
string
required

Discord webhook URL for URL report notifications

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REDIS_URI
string

Redis connection string for caching. Optional, but recommended for production.

Double-check your environment variables before deploying. Incorrect values will cause deployment failures.

4

Complete Deployment

  1. Click “Deploy” and wait for the build process to complete
  2. Once finished, you’ll receive a deployment URL like https://your-project.vercel.app
  3. Test your deployment by visiting the URL

Your Spoo.me instance should now be live and fully functional!

5

Add Custom Domain (Optional)

To use your own domain:

  1. Go to your Vercel project dashboard
  2. Navigate to Settings → Domains
  3. Add your custom domain
  4. Configure DNS records as instructed by Vercel

Vercel provides free SSL certificates for custom domains automatically.

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Method 2: Railway Deployment

Railway offers $5 in free credits upon account verification, which typically lasts 5-7 months.

1

Set Up Railway Account

  1. Create a Railway account
  2. Verify your account with your email
  3. Connect your GitHub account for additional verification

Account verification is required to receive the $5 free credit.

2

Deploy from Template

Click the Railway deployment button:

Deploy on Railway

If prompted, configure Railway to access your GitHub account.

3

Configure Environment Variables

Railway will prompt you to fill in the required environment variables. The environment variables are the same as the ones you set up in vercel deployment.

Enter the values you prepared in the prerequisite steps.

4

Deploy and Access

  1. Click “Deploy” to start the deployment
  2. Wait for the build process to complete
  3. Copy the deployment URL from the Deployments tab
  4. Your URL will look like: https://your-project.up.railway.app

You may encounter a 502 error initially. This typically resolves within a few minutes as the service starts up.

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Method 3: Render Deployment

Render provides 750 hours of free hosting per month, which is sufficient for most Spoo.me deployments.

1

Create Render Account

Sign up for a free Render account.

2

Deploy from Blueprint

Use the Render deployment button:

Deploy to Render
3

Configure Blueprint

  1. Enter a Blueprint Name (e.g., “Spoo.me URL Shortener”)
  2. Fill in the environment variables section. The environment variables are the same as the ones you set up in vercel deployment.
  3. Click “Deploy Blueprint” to start deployment
4

Access Your Deployment

  1. Wait for the deployment to complete
  2. Your app will be available at: https://your-project.onrender.com
  3. Test the deployment by creating a short URL

Render automatically provides SSL certificates and handles scaling for you.

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Method 4: Koyeb Deployment

Koyeb offers one free deployment, though custom domains require a paid plan.

1

Create Koyeb Account

Sign up for a Koyeb account.

2

Deploy from GitHub

  1. Click the Koyeb deployment button:
Deploy to Koyeb
  1. Configure your deployment settings as needed
3

Set Environment Variables

In the deployment configuration:

  1. Scroll to Environment Variables
  2. Add your the required variables. The environment variables are the same as the ones you set up in vercel deployment.
  3. Click “Deploy”
4

Access Your App

Your deployment will be available at: https://your-project.koyeb.app

Koyeb’s free plan doesn’t support custom domains. Consider upgrading or using another platform if you need a custom domain.

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Post-Deployment Configuration

After successful deployment on any platform:

1

Test Core Functionality

  1. URL Shortening: Create a test short URL
  2. Analytics: Check that click tracking works
  3. Contact Form: Submit a test contact form
  4. URL Reporting: Test the URL reporting feature

Verify that webhook notifications appear in your Discord channels.

2

Monitor Performance

Most platforms provide built-in monitoring:

  • Vercel: Analytics tab in project dashboard
  • Railway: Metrics tab in service dashboard
  • Render: Metrics section in service dashboard
  • Koyeb: Monitoring tab in service dashboard

Set up alerts for downtime or high error rates to stay informed about your service health.

3

Set Up Custom Domain (If Needed)

If you want to use your own domain:

  1. Purchase a domain from a registrar
  2. Proxy with cloudflare or any other DNS manager for faster DNS propagation
  3. Configure DNS records as instructed
  4. Wait for DNS propagation (usually a few minutes if you use cloudflare)

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Limitations of Cloud Deployment

While cloud deployment is convenient, there are some limitations to consider:

Limited Customization: You cannot modify the application code or add custom features like analytics integrations or custom SEO elements.

  • No code modifications: The deployed version is exactly as provided in the repository, except when using vercel because they create a private fork on your gitHub account before deploying.
  • Platform dependencies: Your deployment depends on the chosen platform’s reliability and pricing
  • Resource limits: Free tiers have usage limits that may affect high-traffic deployments

If you need more control or customization, consider Docker deployment or local development instead.

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Troubleshooting Common Issues

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Cost Considerations

All recommended platforms offer generous free tiers:

  • Vercel: Free for personal projects, very high limits
  • Railway: $5 credit covers ~5-7 months of usage
  • Render: 750 free hours per month (enough for continuous hosting)
  • Koyeb: Limited free tier, paid plans start at $5/month

For most personal or small business use cases, the free tiers are more than sufficient. You can always upgrade later if needed.

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Next Steps

Docker Deployment

Need more control? Try containerized deployment

Local Development

Set up a local development environment for customization