Is PlayNHost a good Render alternative for Telegram bots?
For a polling bot, yes. On Render a polling Telegram bot belongs on a background worker, which has no free instance: the smallest is $7 a month for 512 MB, and free web services spin down after 15 minutes without inbound traffic. PlayNHost runs a polling bot 24/7 from $1.99 a month for 0.5 GB, with a 72-hour money-back guarantee. Render is the better fit for webhooks, a free web service, or Postgres next to the bot.
- 72-hour money-back guarantee
- 24/7 website chat and tickets
- Prices include VAT
- 24/7Online on every plan, restarted automatically after a crash
- 72 hMoney-back guarantee on your first payment
- 8Languages for your own code
- 5Regions: Europe, the Americas, Asia and Australia
Which costs less for the same RAM?
| RAM | Render | PlayNHost Our pick |
|---|---|---|
| 0.5 GB | $7.000.5 CPU | $1.9971% lessVAT included |
| 2 GB | $25.001 CPU | $5.4978% lessVAT included |
| 4 GB | $85.002 CPU | $9.9988% lessVAT included |
| 8 GB | $135.002 CPU | $17.9986% lessVAT included |
Render's monthly compute prices for services and workers on its Hobby workspace ($0 a month plus compute). Render's terms say there are no refunds. Source: render.com, 3 November 2026.
How do Render and PlayNHost compare?
| Render | PlayNHost | |
|---|---|---|
| Cheapest 24/7 polling bot | Background worker, $7 a month for 512 MBSource | $1.99 a month for 0.5 GB |
| Free plan | Free web services only, no free background worker; they spin down after 15 minutes without inbound traffic, 750 hours a monthSource | None: every plan is paid |
| Webhooks | Yes: web services with HTTP/2 and full TLSSource | Polling only: no public HTTPS address for webhooks yet |
| Refunds | No refunds on cancellationSource | 72-hour money-back guarantee |
| Regions | Oregon, Ohio, Virginia, Frankfurt and SingaporeSource | Europe, North America, South America, Asia and Australia |
| Languages | Node, Python, Go, Rust, Ruby and Elixir, or a Docker containerSource | Your own code in Node.js, Python, Java, C# (.NET), Bun, Deno, Go or Rust |
| Support | Chat support, listed on its Hobby planSource | 24/7 website chat and tickets |
What do you get with PlayNHost?
Always online
Your bot keeps polling when your computer is off, and the server restarts it after a crash.
A Bot page made for Telegram
It checks your token with Telegram, shows the bot's @username and opens it in Telegram.
It says what went wrong
The console names the cause when a bot stops answering: a refused token or another copy running.
Your code, your language
Node.js, Python, Java, C#, Bun, Deno, Go or Rust. Upload files, use SFTP, or deploy from Git.
Backups and a database
3 backup slots and a MySQL database on every plan.
The price you see is the price you pay
VAT included, billed monthly. Pay by card, Apple Pay, Google Pay, PayPal or Link.
How do I switch from Render?
- 1
Pick a plan
Choose the RAM your bot needs. Setup starts as soon as payment clears.
- 2
Bring your bot
Take your code from Render and upload it in the file manager or over SFTP, or connect your Git repository.
- 3
Add your token and start
Paste the token from @BotFather on the Bot page, stop the old copy, then start the bot here. Not for you? Ask within 72 hours and you get your money back.
When is PlayNHost the better choice?
- You run a polling bot and want it online 24/7 for less than $7 a month: PlayNHost is $1.99 for 0.5 GB.
- You want more memory for less: 2 GB is $5.49 a month at PlayNHost and $25 at Render.
- You want a 72-hour money-back guarantee, or a region in South America or Australia.
When is Render the better choice?
- Your bot uses webhooks: a Render web service gets HTTPS, and a free one can serve a bot that may wait about a minute to wake.
- You want managed Postgres or other services next to the bot in one dashboard.
- You deploy with Docker, or in Ruby or Elixir.
Every PlayNHost Telegram bot plan includes
- Europe, North America, South America, Asia and Australia
- Online 24/7, with an automatic restart after a crash
- 72-hour money-back guarantee
- Your own code in Node.js, Python, Java, C# (.NET), Bun, Deno, Go or Rust
- A Bot page that checks your token with Telegram and shows the bot's @username
- The console says why a bot stopped answering: token refused, or another copy running
- Long polling; no public HTTPS address for webhooks yet
- File manager, SFTP, and Git deploy with an Update from Git button
- A MySQL database
- 3 backup slots included
- Cards, Apple Pay, Google Pay, PayPal and Link; BLIK in zloty
- Prices include VAT
- 24/7 website chat and tickets
Questions
Why does my Telegram bot stop on Render's free plan?
Render spins down a free web service after 15 minutes without inbound traffic, and a polling bot only makes outbound requests to Telegram. Render's free plan does not cover background workers, the service type its docs describe for work that polls.
Is PlayNHost cheaper than Render for a Telegram bot?
Yes for the same memory: Render lists $7 a month for 512 MB and $25 for 2 GB (its page, checked 3 November 2026); PlayNHost is $1.99 for 0.5 GB and $5.49 for 2 GB. Render's free web services cost nothing, and PlayNHost has no free plan.
Does PlayNHost support Telegram webhooks?
Not yet. Bots on PlayNHost use long polling, which needs no address of its own. If your code sets a webhook, the Bot page shows it and can remove it so polling works again.
How do I move my bot from Render?
Connect the same Git repository or upload your files over SFTP, paste the token from @BotFather on the Bot page and press Start. Stop the Render service first: Telegram lets only one copy of a bot read updates.
How fast is a PlayNHost Telegram bot server ready?
Setup starts as soon as payment clears. You then run everything from the PlayNHost panel: console, files, the Bot page and backups.
Can I change my plan later?
Yes. You can move to a bigger or smaller plan from the panel, and your bot's files stay where they are.
What if PlayNHost is not right for me?
Ask within 72 hours of your first payment and you get your money back.
Other comparisons
Prices and features of Render come from its own website on 3 November 2026 and may have changed since; check its site before you decide. PlayNHost is not affiliated with Render. Product names are the trademarks of their owners.