I built a React website and deployed it using Render's free plan, but the live URL only shows the default "Welcome to Render" page instead of my actual site. The project works normally in Google Chrome during local development. Do I need to buy separate hosting or a GoDaddy domain, or is there a deployment setting I need to fix?
4 Answers
The default page usually means Render is serving the wrong service or the deployment is pointing at the wrong folder. Look through the deployment logs for build errors and verify the root directory, build command, and publish directory. If your project has separate frontend and backend folders, make sure the frontend folder is configured correctly.
You don’t need GoDaddy or separate hosting just to make the site work. Since this is a React app, check that you created the correct type of Render service. A client-side React project is usually deployed as a Static Site, with a build command such as `npm ci && npm run build`. Set the publish directory to the folder your setup generates—usually `dist` for Vite or `build` for Create React App. Also check that Render is using the correct repository, branch, and latest deployment.
Free services can take a little time to wake up after being inactive, especially if both a frontend and backend are involved. However, waking up should not permanently show the Render welcome page. If it continues appearing, the service configuration or deployed files are probably incorrect.
A custom domain is optional. The free Render URL should still display your website, so buying a domain won’t fix this issue. DNS only matters if you decide to connect your own domain later.
Got it, I’ll check the service type, build settings, and deployment logs instead of buying a domain.