What is Vercel and how does its hosting work?
Vercel is a cloud platform focused on frontend web development and deployment. It is created by the team behind Next.js and has first-class support for that framework. Like Netlify, Vercel connects to your Git repository and deploys your site automatically on every commit, making it popular for modern JavaScript applications.
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Vercel's main strength is its optimized support for Next.js, the React-based framework it created. Next.js features like server-side rendering, static generation, and image optimization work seamlessly on Vercel's infrastructure. The platform is designed around the Next.js deployment model, though it supports many other frameworks including Nuxt, SvelteKit, and Astro.
Vercel's free tier (Hobby plan) includes 100GB bandwidth, continuous deployment, automatic SSL, preview deployments for every pull request, and serverless functions. Preview deployments are a standout feature: every pull request gets its own unique URL for review and testing before merging to production.
For teams and commercial projects, Vercel's Pro and Enterprise plans add collaboration features, more bandwidth and function limits, advanced analytics, and dedicated support. Vercel's analytics products (Web Analytics and Speed Insights) integrate directly with deployed projects.
Vercel is not designed for traditional server-side applications, WordPress, or databases. It hosts the frontend layer of modern web applications, with backend logic handled through serverless functions or external API services. For full-stack applications, Vercel often handles the frontend while a separate database or backend service handles data persistence.
Common questions
Is Vercel free?
Yes, for personal projects. The Hobby plan includes generous limits for personal use. Commercial projects and teams require a Pro or Enterprise plan.
What is the difference between Vercel and Netlify?
Both are Jamstack deployment platforms with similar features. Vercel has tighter Next.js integration and stronger tooling for React applications. Netlify has broader framework support and more generous free tier limits for form handling. For Next.js projects, Vercel is generally the better fit.
Can I host a PHP site on Vercel?
No. Vercel is designed for JavaScript-based frontends and serverless functions. PHP applications require a traditional web host with PHP support.