Vercel vs Netlify
Both deploy your site in seconds. Both have generous free tiers. But one of them has a dark secret.
Vercel
If you're using Next.js (and you probably should be), Vercel is the obvious choice. They literally made it. For other frameworks, it's closer, but Vercel's DX still edges out Netlify.
The Setup
Vercel and Netlify do basically the same thing: deploy your frontend to a CDN with zero config. Git push, site updates. Magic.
So why does everyone have a strong opinion about which one to use? Let me break it down.
Quick Comparison
| Factor | Vercel | Netlify |
|---|---|---|
| Next.js Support | Best (they made it) | Good |
| Other Frameworks | Excellent | Excellent |
| Build Speed | Faster | Fast |
| Edge Functions | Excellent | Good |
| Free Tier | Generous | Generous |
| Pricing Surprises | Can happen | Spend limits available |
| Forms | Third-party | Built-in |
The Billing Thing
Let's address the elephant in the room: Vercel's billing can surprise you.
If your site goes viral (or gets hit by bots), you might wake up to a bill that makes your stomach drop. This has happened to enough people that it's a meme.
Netlify, to their credit, lets you set hard spending limits. Your site might go down if you exceed them, but you won't owe them your firstborn.
Pro tip: If you're on Vercel's Pro plan, reach out to their support and ask about spend alerts. They're more flexible than their UI suggests.
For Next.js: Vercel, Obviously
Vercel made Next.js. Their platform is designed around it. Features like ISR, Server Components, and App Router work perfectly because they literally control both ends.
Can you run Next.js on Netlify? Yes. Should you? Probably not, unless you have a specific reason. You'll always be one step behind.
For Static Sites: Either Works
If you're deploying a static site (Hugo, Astro, plain HTML), both platforms are excellent. Netlify's built-in forms and identity service might tip the scales if you need them.
For static sites, I'd say Netlify has a slight edge due to the extras. But it's close.
Developer Experience
Both have excellent DX. Deploy previews on PRs, instant rollbacks, great dashboards.
Vercel's UI is slightly cleaner. Netlify's is slightly more feature-rich. Neither will frustrate you.
The Verdict
Use Vercel if: You're building with Next.js, or you want the fastest builds and best edge function support.
Use Netlify if: You're building static sites, need built-in forms, or are paranoid about billing surprises.
Either way: Set up spending alerts. Trust me.
Both are excellent. For Next.js projects, Vercel is the obvious choice. For everything else, it's a toss-up. Pick one and ship.