Vercel vs Netlify for Solo Developers

Quick Comparison

Vercel Overview

Vercel is the company behind Next.js, and their hosting platform is built to make Next.js deployment seamless. Push to Git, and your app is live in under a minute with preview deployments for every branch. Edge functions run your code close to users globally. The DX is genuinely the best in the hosting space.

I deploy multiple projects on Vercel and the experience is hard to beat. The dashboard shows you deployment status, logs, analytics, and performance data all in one place. Preview deployments mean every pull request gets its own URL. Edge middleware runs before your pages load without cold starts. For Next.js projects specifically, Vercel supports every feature on day one because they build the framework.

The downside is pricing at scale. Vercel's free tier has bandwidth limits (100GB) and serverless function execution limits. If your project gets traction, the jump from free to $20/month is fine, but costs can escalate quickly after that with bandwidth overages and additional team members.

Netlify Overview

Netlify pioneered the JAMstack hosting model and remains excellent for static sites and simple serverless functions. Their free tier is generous. Git-based deployments work smoothly. Form handling is built in without a backend. And split testing lets you A/B test different deploy branches natively.

For simpler projects, Netlify often makes more sense than Vercel. If you're deploying an Astro site, a Hugo blog, or a static React app, Netlify handles it without any extra configuration. The form handling feature alone saves you from setting up a form backend for contact pages and feedback forms.

Netlify's serverless functions work well for basic API endpoints, but they're not as powerful or fast as Vercel's edge functions. If your project needs heavy server-side rendering or dynamic API routes, Netlify falls behind.

Key Differences

Framework optimization. Vercel is optimized for Next.js at a deep level. Server components, incremental static regeneration, middleware, image optimization. All work perfectly because Vercel controls both the framework and the platform. Netlify supports Next.js but the experience isn't as polished.

Edge functions vs serverless functions. Vercel's edge functions run on V8 isolates close to users with near-zero cold starts. Netlify's serverless functions run on AWS Lambda with noticeable cold starts. For dynamic content, this performance gap is meaningful.

Built-in extras. Netlify includes form handling, identity (basic auth), and split testing on the free tier. Vercel focuses purely on deployment and edge computing. If you need a contact form without building a backend, Netlify saves you work.

Pricing structure. Vercel charges $20/mo for Pro with 1TB bandwidth. Netlify charges $19/mo for Pro with 1TB bandwidth. Very similar. The difference shows up in serverless execution and edge function limits where Vercel can get expensive for high-traffic dynamic sites.

Static site performance. For purely static sites, both platforms deliver similar performance through their CDNs. The difference is negligible. Both are fast.

When to Choose Vercel

• You're deploying a Next.js application (this is the #1 reason)
• You need edge functions with near-zero cold starts
• You want the best preview deployment experience
• Your app uses server-side rendering or dynamic routes heavily
• You want framework-level optimization from the hosting platform

When to Choose Netlify

• You're deploying a static site (Astro, Hugo, vanilla HTML)
• You need built-in form handling without a backend
• You want A/B testing through deploy branch splitting
• Your project doesn't use Next.js and doesn't need edge functions
• You want a simpler platform with fewer features but easier setup

The Verdict

If you're using Next.js, deploy on Vercel. Period. The framework-platform integration is unmatched, and fighting it by deploying elsewhere creates unnecessary friction.

For everything else, Netlify is often the better fit for solo developers. Static sites, Astro projects, and simple JAMstack apps deploy faster on Netlify with less configuration. The built-in form handling is a genuine time-saver when you don't want to spin up a backend for a contact page.

My rule of thumb: Next.js goes on Vercel, everything static goes on Netlify (or Cloudflare Pages for unlimited bandwidth). Don't overthink it. Both platforms are excellent, and for most solo developer projects on the free tier, you'll barely notice the difference.