Vercel
The deployment platform built around Next.js: fastest path from git push to production
Scorecard
overall 8.2/10The good
- 01Next.js deploys work perfectly with zero configuration: every framework feature is supported
- 02Global edge network with ~70ms TTFB and automatic CDN caching across 100+ edge locations
- 03Preview deployments on every PR with shareable URLs: the workflow other platforms have copied
- 04Vercel Analytics and Speed Insights give you production performance data out of the box
- 05Fluid Compute with active CPU pricing makes backend functions more practical than old one-request-per-instance serverless
The not-so-good
- 01Hobby plan restricts commercial use: you must upgrade to Pro for any revenue-generating project
- 02Costs can escalate quickly once you exceed included limits on data transfer, compute, image optimization, or other usage meters
- 03Tight coupling with Next.js means other frameworks work well, but the best experience is still clearly Next-first
- 04September 2025 pricing restructure moved to credits, making cost prediction harder
- →Next.js applications where zero-config deployment and full feature support matter
- →Teams that want preview deployments, analytics, and monitoring built into the platform
- →Frontend-focused projects that don't need heavy backend compute
- →Organizations willing to pay for the best developer experience in deployment
- →Hobby projects that need to serve any commercial traffic (Hobby plan restriction)
- →Backend-heavy applications that need persistent processes, databases, or worker queues
- →Cost-sensitive projects where bandwidth pricing matters (Cloudflare is cheaper)
Our take
Vercel is the deployment platform this site runs on, so we'll be upfront about that. We chose it because thisvsthat.one is a Next.js app and Vercel deploys Next.js with zero configuration. Every feature (Server Components, ISR, middleware/proxy, image optimization, and Cache Components) works out of the box without adapters, config files, or workarounds.
The developer experience is the headline. Push to git, get a preview deployment with a shareable URL in under a minute. That workflow, which Vercel pioneered, has become the standard that Netlify, Cloudflare, and every other platform now copies. The analytics integration (web vitals, visitor data) is built into the dashboard rather than bolted on.
The cost conversation is still the hard part. Pro plans start at $20/seat/month and include a monthly usage credit, but Fluid Compute, data transfer, image optimization, and other meters can still add up. Active CPU pricing is better aligned with real backend work than older serverless billing, yet it also means teams need to watch usage rather than assuming a simple flat subscription. For low-traffic apps, Pro is predictable. For high-traffic content, Cloudflare's bandwidth economics are meaningfully cheaper.
The Hobby plan's non-commercial restriction is worth noting. If your side project ever generates revenue, you technically need Pro. Some developers find this frustrating; others see the $20/month as a reasonable cost of business.
For Next.js applications, Vercel remains the path of least resistance. It is also a broader compute platform than its old frontend-hosting reputation suggests, with Fluid Compute, Marketplace storage, AI Gateway, Runtime Cache, and Routing Middleware. Still, if your main constraint is raw bandwidth cost, Cloudflare Pages is easier to justify; if your app is mostly backend services and databases, Railway or Fly.io may fit the mental model better.
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