Is there a hosting with the ability to connect to the server "from the outside"?

Question

Android

So the situation. A student project requires a server with database support. The project itself is an Android application that must connect to the server and collect data from there. Climbing on the Internet I read that free hosting means blocking external connections. That is, the application user will not be able to get data from the database from this server.
Are there free hostings with the ability to connect "from the outside"?
PS: The database is small (very small) and it would be much easier to create an XML file with all the data on a free hosting, and the application would parse it (the file) and get the necessary data. But according to the condition of the task, it is the "client-server" connection that is necessary.

Answer 1

why not organize communication between the server and the application through rest api or soap?

Answer 2

www.microsoft.com/web/hosting/hostingprovider/deta...
One dollar will do the trick for you :)
Mssql sticks out.

Answer 3

I can host myself.

Answer 4

As a variant of Google App Engine