Vercel vs Railway for Solo Developers

Quick Comparison

Vercel Overview

Vercel is the gold standard for deploying frontend applications. Push code to Git, get a live URL in seconds. The platform handles SSL, CDN distribution, and preview deployments automatically. For frontend and Next.js projects, nothing else comes close to Vercel's developer experience.

The real magic is how tightly Vercel integrates with Next.js. Server components, API routes, edge functions, and image optimization all work without any configuration. You write code, push it, and Vercel figures out the optimal deployment strategy.

I've deployed multiple projects on Vercel and the setup experience is always the same: connect the repo, accept the defaults, done. The analytics dashboard, speed insights, and deployment logs are all polished. It genuinely feels like the future of frontend hosting.

Railway Overview

Railway is a different beast entirely. While Vercel focuses on the frontend, Railway lets you deploy anything: backends, databases, cron jobs, workers, and full Docker containers. Think of it as the modern Heroku replacement that actually works well.

Railway's Nixpacks auto-detect your project type and configure the build for you. Push a Django project, a Go API, or a Node.js server, and Railway figures out how to build and run it. Need a PostgreSQL database? Click a button. Redis? Another click. The entire backend stack deploys in minutes.

What I appreciate about Railway is the project-based UI. Each project shows all its services, databases, and their connections in one view. You can see environment variables flowing between services, logs streaming in real time, and costs accumulating per service. It makes managing a full-stack application feel manageable as a solo developer.

Key Differences

Scope of hosting. Vercel hosts frontends, serverless functions, and edge functions. Railway hosts literally anything that can run in a container. If you need a persistent backend server, a database, or a background worker, Vercel can't help. Railway handles it all.

Database support. Railway offers one-click PostgreSQL, MySQL, Redis, and MongoDB deployments within the same project. Vercel recently added Vercel Postgres and KV, but they're limited compared to Railway's full database instances. On Railway, you get actual database servers you can connect to with standard tools.

Pricing model. Vercel's free tier is generous for frontend projects with 100GB bandwidth. Railway charges $5/month as a base plus usage (compute and storage). There's no free tier beyond trial credits. For hobby projects, Vercel's free tier wins. For anything with a backend, Railway's $5/month is a bargain.

Deployment model. Vercel uses serverless and edge functions. Your code spins up on demand, runs, and spins down. Railway uses persistent containers. Your server stays running 24/7. For APIs that need WebSockets, long-running connections, or background jobs, Railway's persistent model is necessary.

Developer experience. Both platforms have excellent DX, but in different ways. Vercel's DX shines for frontend workflows: instant previews, Git integration, and zero config. Railway's DX shines for backend workflows: service connections, shared environment variables, and one-click databases.

Scaling approach. Vercel scales automatically with serverless functions. More traffic means more function invocations. Railway scales by adjusting resource limits on your containers. Vercel's model is simpler, but Railway gives you more control over exactly how much compute you're paying for.

When to Choose Vercel

• You're building a frontend-only app or static site
• Next.js is your framework and you want the best integration
• Preview deployments on every PR are critical to your workflow
• You need edge functions for global low-latency responses
• Your project doesn't need a persistent backend server

When to Choose Railway

• You need a backend server, database, or background workers
• You're building a full-stack app (API + frontend + database)
• Your backend needs WebSockets or long-running connections
• You want all your services managed in one platform
• You need PostgreSQL, Redis, or other databases alongside your app

The Verdict

Vercel and Railway aren't really competitors. They solve different problems. Vercel is a frontend platform. Railway is a backend platform. Many solo developers use both together: Vercel for the Next.js frontend, Railway for the Django or Express backend with a database.

If forced to pick one, choose based on where your complexity lives. Frontend-heavy with API routes? Vercel. Backend-heavy with databases and workers? Railway. The $5/month base cost on Railway pays for itself the first time you need a database and don't want to manage one yourself.

My recommendation: start with Vercel for frontend projects. The moment you need a real backend, add Railway. They complement each other perfectly and the combined cost stays under $25/month for most solo projects.