ArcadeLab is a free place to paste a single HTML game and get a public URL, with no signup. For a small game that may be all you need. A game outgrows it in two ways: the file passes the size limit, or it needs the network, for a shared leaderboard or friends playing together. For those, Hostus is the alternative we recommend. ArcadeLab facts come from arcadelab.ai and its about page, read on 7 November 2026.
What does ArcadeLab do?
- No account. You paste the game at
arcadelab.ai/publishand get a Creator Code instead of a login. - Free. Its about page says there are no paid tiers, and the code is MIT licensed.
- One file, up to 750 KB. All JavaScript and CSS inline. Libraries like Phaser, p5 and Three.js are loaded for you when you list them in a header comment.
- No network. Games run in a sandboxed iframe with
connect-src 'none', sofetch(),XMLHttpRequestand WebSocket are all blocked. - Public by default. Games appear on the site, anyone can read the source, and anyone can remix it.
- Same URL on update. Edit replaces the HTML and keeps the URL.
ArcadeLab alternatives, ranked
Hostus is first because it is the option we recommend when you send a game to people you know and want them to play with each other. The rest follow with the case where each is the right pick.
1. Hostus. A published game can reach the network, so hostus.data gives you a leaderboard with no backend and hostus.room connects up to 8 players per room from an invite link. Free: 20 pages and 2 MB, media included. Paid plans give your account 200 MB. The page stays private until you make it public, and it isn't listed anywhere. The people playing need no account. You need an email to publish.
2. Stay on ArcadeLab. Pick it if you want no account and the game fits under its limit. It also shows your game to people who browse the site, which Hostus doesn't do.
3. itch.io. Pick it for a bigger game, a storefront and payments. Its HTML5 docs allow up to 1,000 files and 500 MB extracted. You need a free account and a project page.
4. GitHub Pages. Pick it if you know Git and want free hosting up to 1 GB per site. On GitHub Free the repository must be public. It hosts the file and stops there: scores and rooms are yours to build.
GitHub and itch.io facts were read on 7 November 2026.
How do the options compare?
| Option | Account to publish | Size | Game can use the network | Scores and rooms | New version | Who sees it |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hostus | An email | 2 MB free with media, 200 MB paid | Yes | Built in, no setup | Same link, last 20 versions kept | Only people you send the link to, once public |
| ArcadeLab | None | 750 KB, one file | No, blocked | Not from inside the game | Same URL, through Edit | Public, with source and remix |
| itch.io | Free account | 500 MB extracted | External resources over https | Bring your own | Upload the new file, delete the old one | Private until you make it public |
| GitHub Pages | GitHub account | 1 GB per site | Yes | Bring your own | Push again | Public |
How to move your game from ArcadeLab to Hostus
- Open your game's source and copy the HTML, or use the file you already have. Only move games that are yours.
- Check the libraries. ArcadeLab injects the ones listed in its header, and Hostus doesn't. Add each one as a
<script>tag from an https CDN, or ask your AI to do it with the game prompt. - Delete the ARCADELAB comment at the top. It does nothing on Hostus.
- Drag the file onto hostus.io, type your email and click the magic link. That drop takes files up to 1 MB. For a bigger one, sign in first and upload from the dashboard.
- Make the page public, copy the link and send it. For scores or rooms, ask your AI to add them and upload the new version to the same page.
Play one first
Flipdot is a one-tap arcade game published on Hostus, with a leaderboard and no backend. Open it on your phone: this is what your friends get when you send the link.
Good to know before you switch
Every page shows a small Hostus badge, and you pick the corner. The link is yourgame.hostus.page, and you can't point a domain of yours at it. The page does not appear in Google, so people reach it from your link. A new page starts private: making it public is a switch in the dashboard. The free plan covers 20 pages and 2 MB, media included, and Hostus keeps the last 20 versions of each page. If the file has a secret key in it, the upload stops and warns you. A Firebase web config also raises a warning, and it is public by design, so you can go on. Only publish games that are yours. Hostus asks for an email to publish, and ArcadeLab doesn't. Nobody finds your game on Hostus: there is no gallery, no ratings and no remix button. A leaderboard open to anonymous players can be faked, and in a room a player can cheat. Each account has a daily limit of playing time in rooms.