---
source_url: "https://searchpod.com/knowledge-base/deployment-platforms"
title: "Where should you host your website? | SearchPod"
mirrored_at: 2026-08-29T13:02:23.239Z
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> **Original source:** https://searchpod.com/knowledge-base/deployment-platforms

![Cloud deployment server infrastructure](https://searchpod.com/images/knowledge-base/deployment-platforms-1200w.webp)

Vercel and Netlify make deploys easy; AWS gives you control at the cost of effort. Here’s how they compare on speed, price, and upkeep.

On this page

-   [Vercel](#vercel)
-   [Netlify](#netlify)
-   [Cloudflare Pages + Workers](#cloudflare-pages)
-   [AWS (Amplify, ECS, Lambda)](#aws-amplify)
-   [Railway, Fly.io](#railway-fly)
-   [Choosing for the Long Run](#choosing-wisely)

## Vercel

Vercel is the go-to for Next.js. Zero-config Next.js deployments, global edge network, preview URLs on every PR, automatic image optimization, serverless functions. Excellent DX; deploys in seconds. Free tier handles hobby projects; Pro ($20/user/mo) handles small teams; Enterprise for big companies. Gets expensive at scale (bandwidth and function invocations). Best for: Next.js apps, marketing sites, small-to-mid SaaS.

## Netlify

Netlify pioneered the Jamstack deployment model. Great for static sites, excellent forms handling without building a backend, edge functions, split testing. Not as tightly coupled to Next.js as Vercel but still solid. Pricing similar to Vercel. Best for: Jamstack sites, Gatsby projects, Astro, Hugo, teams already using Netlify in an organization. Somewhat less Next.js-focused than Vercel.

## Cloudflare Pages + Workers

Cloudflare Pages deploys static sites with Workers for serverless functions. Unlimited bandwidth on free tier (big advantage over Vercel/Netlify). Global edge network is fastest of any provider. Workers have different programming model than Node.js Lambda functions — slight learning curve. Best for: cost-sensitive projects with high bandwidth, globally-distributed audiences, teams comfortable with Workers runtime.

## AWS (Amplify, ECS, Lambda)

AWS offers every building block: Amplify (the ‘Vercel of AWS’), ECS for containers, Lambda for functions, CloudFront for CDN, S3 for storage, RDS for databases. Maximum flexibility and scale; maximum complexity. Cost is often lower than Vercel at scale but much higher operational burden. Best for: enterprise apps, compliance-heavy industries, teams with existing AWS expertise, massive scale.

## Railway, Fly.io

Railway and Fly.io deploy containerized applications (Dockerfile-based). Great for full-stack apps that need persistent connections (websockets, long-running processes) — things Vercel/Netlify struggle with. Pay-per-resource pricing, usually cheaper than Vercel Pro. Best for: full-stack apps with backend requirements beyond serverless functions, teams comfortable with Docker, bootstrapped SaaS.

## Choosing for the Long Run

Most projects in 2026 should start with Vercel. Easy to migrate later when needs change. Moving off Vercel is harder than starting elsewhere — it pulls you into its ecosystem for previews, analytics, image optimization. For projects you expect to operate for 5+ years at significant scale, evaluate AWS or Cloudflare seriously. For everything else, pick the platform with best developer experience, ship fast, migrate if ever needed.

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## Related articles

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