How to deploy a Next.js app for free from a ZIP

What the Free plan includes.

Sitedropper Free is a $0 plan for a small real deployment workflow. The dashboard is the source of truth for the current ZIP limit shown beside Choose ZIP.

• Up to 3 projects
• 30 deployments per month
• Draft, Password protected, and Public sharing
• Sitedropper URL

Before you build.

A successful local next build catches route, TypeScript, and server-rendering errors. Sitedropper rebuilds the source in its deployment environment; .next and node_modules should not be uploaded.

• next listed in package.json.
• Working build and production start scripts.
• A matching npm, pnpm, or Yarn lockfile.
• Runtime configuration that reads environment values instead of local secret files.

Build and check Next.js locally.

Run these commands from the project root. Finish the local check before creating the archive so the deployment is not the first place a dependency, compile, or startup error appears.

The final server command stays running. Open the local URL in another terminal or browser, complete the checks, then stop it with Ctrl+C.

npmpnpmYarn

npm

Check the Next.js project with npm

Use npm when package-lock.json is the project lockfile. If the project has no lockfile yet, run npm install once instead of npm ci and keep the generated lockfile.

Check the Next.js project with npmCopy Check the Next.js project with npm code

npm ci
npm run build
npm start

pnpm

Check the Next.js project with pnpm

Use pnpm when pnpm-lock.yaml or the packageManager field selects pnpm. Keep the lockfile and any workspace manifest with the source archive.

Check the Next.js project with pnpmCopy Check the Next.js project with pnpm code

corepack enable
pnpm install --frozen-lockfile
pnpm run build
pnpm start

Yarn

Check the Next.js project with Yarn

Use Yarn only when the checked-in release accepts --frozen-lockfile, which matches Sitedropper’s current generated build. Otherwise choose the project’s npm/pnpm lockfile or an existing Dockerfile instead of changing commands only for upload.

Check the Next.js project with YarnCopy Check the Next.js project with Yarn code

corepack enable
yarn install --frozen-lockfile
yarn run build
yarn start

Use one dependency workflow: keep the lockfile that matches the selected package manager and do not mix install commands.

Create the ZIP on your operating system.

Package reviewed source and build metadata; use the exclusions to keep local-only files out. The Windows and macOS recipes include graphical menu guidance, while the commands remain the precise archive contract.

No command line required

Directly create the ZIP in your file system.

First create and inspect a clean staging folder containing only the required source, manifest, configuration, and entry-point files. In Windows File Explorer, right-click the reviewed selection and choose Compress to → ZIP File. On macOS, Control-click the reviewed selection and choose Compress Items.

Open the resulting archive before upload. If an outer folder wraps the expected files, recreate the ZIP by selecting the folder’s contents instead.

Or create and inspect the ZIP from the command line.

macOSWindowsLinux

macOS

Compress the reviewed source in Terminal

The exclusions keep common dependencies, caches, local data, and secrets out. Finder users must first make and inspect an equivalent clean staging folder, then select its contents, Control-click, and choose Compress Items—not compress the raw project folder.

1. Run from the project root.
2. Inspect project-specific local files before upload.
3. Confirm the manifest, lockfile or requirements, source, and entry point are present.

Compress the reviewed source in TerminalCopy Compress the reviewed source in Terminal code

if [ -e site.zip ]; then echo "site.zip already exists. Move or rename it before continuing." >&2; exit 1; fi
zip -qr site.zip . -x "node_modules/*" ".venv/*" "venv/*" ".git/*" "__pycache__/*" "*/__pycache__/*" "*.py[cod]" ".next/*" "dist/*" "build/*" "out/*" ".cache/*" ".turbo/*" ".env" ".env.*" "*/.env" "*/.env.*" ".npmrc" "*/.npmrc" "*.sqlite" "*.sqlite3" "db.sqlite3" "*.log" ".DS_Store" "*/.DS_Store" "site.zip" ".sitedropper-package/*"
unzip -l site.zip | head -60

Windows

Stage and compress the source in PowerShell

A clean staging folder prevents dependencies, caches, local databases, and secrets from entering the ZIP. For File Explorer, stop after robocopy, inspect the staging contents, select them, right-click, and choose Compress to → ZIP File; never compress the unreviewed project folder.

1. Run from the folder containing the manifest or requirements.txt.
2. Review the staging folder created beside the project before upload.
3. The command intentionally leaves the staging folder in place and never deletes it automatically.

Stage and compress the source in PowerShellCopy Stage and compress the source in PowerShell code

$ProjectRoot = (Resolve-Path .).Path
$ProjectName = Split-Path $ProjectRoot -Leaf
$Stage = Join-Path (Split-Path $ProjectRoot -Parent) "$ProjectName-sitedropper-package"
if (Test-Path $Stage) { throw "$Stage already exists. Move or rename it before continuing." }
if (Test-Path .\site.zip) { throw "site.zip already exists. Move or rename it before continuing." }
robocopy $ProjectRoot $Stage /E /XD node_modules .venv venv .git .next dist build out .cache .turbo __pycache__ .sitedropper-package /XF .env .env.* .npmrc site.zip *.pyc *.pyo *.sqlite *.sqlite3 db.sqlite3 *.log
if ($LASTEXITCODE -ge 8) { throw "robocopy failed with exit code $LASTEXITCODE" }
Add-Type -AssemblyName System.IO.Compression.FileSystem
$Archive = Join-Path $ProjectRoot "site.zip"
[System.IO.Compression.ZipFile]::CreateFromDirectory($Stage, $Archive)
tar.exe -tf .\site.zip

Linux

Compress the reviewed source in a Linux terminal

The exclusions keep common dependencies, caches, local data, and secrets out. Install your distribution’s zip package first if needed.

1. Run from the project root.
2. Inspect project-specific local files before upload.
3. Confirm the manifest, lockfile or requirements, source, and entry point are present.

Compress the reviewed source in a Linux terminalCopy Compress the reviewed source in a Linux terminal code

if [ -e site.zip ]; then echo "site.zip already exists. Move or rename it before continuing." >&2; exit 1; fi
zip -qr site.zip . -x "node_modules/*" ".venv/*" "venv/*" ".git/*" "__pycache__/*" "*/__pycache__/*" "*.py[cod]" ".next/*" "dist/*" "build/*" "out/*" ".cache/*" ".turbo/*" ".env" ".env.*" "*/.env" "*/.env.*" ".npmrc" "*/.npmrc" "*.sqlite" "*.sqlite3" "db.sqlite3" "*.log" ".DS_Store" "*/.DS_Store" "site.zip" ".sitedropper-package/*"
unzip -l site.zip | head -60

Inspect before upload: compare the ZIP listing with the archive tree below and remove dependencies, caches, local data, and secrets.

Check the archive root.

Keep TypeScript declared when a TypeScript Next config needs it. Do not include .next, node_modules, .env files, or a local cache.

site.zip
├── package.json
├── package-lock.json / pnpm-lock.yaml / yarn.lock
├── next.config.js|mjs|ts (when used)
├── app/ or pages/
├── public/
└── source and TypeScript configuration

Upload the Next.js ZIP to Sitedropper.

Create a Draft project, upload site.zip, follow the deployment, and open the generated URL only after the progress reaches Ready.

The dashboard screenshots use fictional project and account data. Yellow outlines identify the documented controls.

1. 01

   Create a project

   Open Projects, choose New project, enter a name, and select the highlighted Create project action. New projects begin as Draft.

   

2. 02

   Upload the ZIP

   Open the project’s Upload and deploy card, then select the highlighted Choose ZIP control or drop the archive into the same area.

   

3. 03

   Open the deployed site

   Wait for Analyze, Build, and Deploy to finish. Then use the highlighted Open Sitedropper site action to review the generated URL.

   

Dashboard screenshot

Dashboard action

Close ×

Check the Next.js result.

Use the deployed URL like a visitor rather than relying only on the successful status.

• Open a server-rendered page and one route with dynamic rendering.
• Confirm files under public load from the generated URL.
• Exercise one route handler that does not require an unavailable database or secret.
• Restart the local production command before upload to catch runtime-only configuration errors.

Update Sitedropper Project settings.

Project settings are separate from framework configuration. Update the project name or description, keep Draft while reviewing, then choose Password protected or Public only when that matches the intended audience. Free does not include Private sharing by email, URL customization, or custom domains.

The dashboard screenshots use fictional project and account data. In the first settings image, the existing yellow outline marks Open site; the Project settings card is visible below and is identified by the instructions.

1. 01

   Review Project settings

   The Project settings card is below the project header. Update the name or description, review the generated URL, and keep the first deployment Draft while you test it.

   

2. 02

   Choose who can open the site

   Open Visibility. Free includes Draft, Password protected, and Public. Select Public only when anonymous access is intentional, then close the menu and choose Save changes.

   

Dashboard screenshot

Dashboard action

Close ×

Finish the change: close the visibility menu, select Save changes, and wait for the “Changes saved” confirmation before leaving the page.

Troubleshoot this Next.js deployment.

The build cannot load next.config.ts

Keep TypeScript declared in package.json and the matching lockfile. Do not rely on a globally installed compiler.

The deployment starts with a fixed local port

Use the normal Next production start script and do not hard-code a port that ignores the deployment environment.

Environment values are missing

Do not upload .env files. This browser guide is suitable only when the project can run with non-secret defaults or already-supported project configuration.

The app writes uploaded files locally

The local filesystem is not durable project storage. Use an external service or redesign the flow before deployment.

A static-exported app is being uploaded as source

Choose one model. A verified output: export project can upload out contents as static files; a regular Next server should upload reviewed source.

Know the Free-plan boundaries.

• The application must be stateless on its local filesystem.
• Sitedropper does not provide an application database, cron process, or background worker in this ZIP workflow.
• Keep credentials and local environment files out of the archive.

The generated Sitedropper URL remains available on Free. Check the dashboard for current usage and upload limits before starting another deployment.

Next.js deployment FAQ.