What’s the cheapest way to host a TypeScript/MySQL monorepo for a few testers?

A managed platform may be easier than configuring a VPS. Render and similar services can host the frontend and API, while a managed MySQL provider supplies the database. This can be cheap or even free for light testing, but free instances may sleep, have limited storage, or impose usage limits. Scheduled jobs and persistent database storage are the parts you should check most carefully.

The AWS step you encountered probably involved configuring a particular service rather than a general requirement to buy a domain. You can deploy to a virtual machine or container service and use its public IP or generated hostname. AWS can work, but it is often more complicated than a low-cost VPS for a tiny project, and you need to watch for unexpected charges.

For only a few testers, the simplest option is a small VPS. Providers such as DigitalOcean, Linode, or Vultr offer inexpensive entry-level instances. Run your Docker Compose stack there, including the API, frontend, MySQL database, and scheduled workers. Turborepo can build the individual applications or optimized Docker images from the monorepo. You do not need to purchase a domain just to test the app; you can use the server’s public IP address, although a domain makes HTTPS and sharing the app more convenient.

You can also host it on your own computer or another machine you already have, then expose it through a service such as a Cloudflare Tunnel. That can avoid paying for a VPS and can provide a public hostname without opening inbound ports. It’s fine for a short-lived demo, but your machine needs to stay online, and you should be careful not to expose MySQL directly to the internet.