# Netlify vs Vercel — workflow breadth or framework depth

> Vercel if the project is Next.js — nothing else deploys it as well. Netlify if you want the workflow extras: forms, split testing, and identity on a comparable free tier. On price they are effectively twins — both meter the free tier around 100 GB of free bandwidth and about $20 per seat on the paid tier — so the decision is framework fit and workflow, not cost. If it is not a Next.js project, Cloudflare Pages undercuts both on free bandwidth and belongs in the comparison.

Human page: https://testedactually.com/free-spa-hosting/netlify-vs-vercel/
Mirror: https://testedactually.com/free-spa-hosting/netlify-vs-vercel.md
Updated: 2026-09-18

## Netlify vs Vercel: the short version

**Netlify vs Vercel**

|  | Netlify | Vercel |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Best for | workflow extras — forms, split testing, and identity in the box | Next.js projects that want framework-native deploys and previews |
| Free tier | Free plan — 300 credits/month allowance | Hobby plan — free, non-commercial use only |
| Paid from | $9/mo | $20/user/mo |
| Free bandwidth | Metered via monthly credits (~100 GB-class) | 100 GB/mo (soft) |
| Serverless functions | Yes — included, metered via credits | Yes — included in Hobby |
| Git auto-deploy | Yes | Yes |
| AI crawler policy | open | open |

## Don't use it if

- **Vercel**: the project is commercial and you want to stay on free — the Hobby license forbids it.
- **Netlify**: build minutes dominate your cost model — heavy monorepos burn 300 free minutes fast.
- **Vercel**: your SPA is not Next.js — most of Vercel's magic is framework-specific, and the generic-hosting parts are cheaper elsewhere.

## The actual difference

Netlify and Vercel are the same product shape — git-push deploys, preview
URLs, serverless functions, a free tier, and a ~$20/seat paid tier — which
is why every comparison between them collapses into vibes. The real fork is
positioning. Vercel is a framework company: its best work assumes Next.js,
and deploys of Next.js apps are noticeably better there. Netlify is a
workflow company: forms, split testing, and identity ship in the box, and
the platform is framework-agnostic. Pick by what your project actually is,
not by which free-tier table reads nicer.

## The price gap, with numbers

There isn't one that matters. Both free tiers land around 100 GB-class of
bandwidth, both paid tiers sit near $20 per seat, and both charge for
overage beyond generous-but-finite free limits. The one asymmetric fact is
licensing: Vercel's Hobby tier is non-commercial, so for monetized projects
the effective free-tier winner is Netlify — or Cloudflare Pages, whose free
tier carries no such restriction. Verified dates and sources for every
number are in the table above.

## The license gotcha, spelled out

"Hobby" reads like "for hobbies" but is written as "non-commercial" — a
monetized side project, a client site on a free plan, a product with a
donation link: all commercial. Teams do get flagged. This is not an argument
against Vercel; Pro exists and is good. It is an argument against building
on a plan whose terms your success violates.

## Our verdict in one line each

Vercel if it is Next.js, or if preview DX carries your team. Netlify if you
want forms, splits, and identity in the box — or if the project is
commercial and free is the tier. And if neither differentiator moves you,
run the numbers on Cloudflare Pages before deciding.

## FAQ

### Which free tier is more generous, Netlify or Vercel?

On paper they are close — both meter the free tier around 100 GB-class with functions included; Netlify now expresses that cap as a 300-credit monthly allowance. The difference is the license — Vercel's Hobby tier is non-commercial only, while Netlify's free plan carries no such restriction at our last check. For commercial work on free, that makes Netlify the safer of the two.

### Is Netlify free for commercial projects?

Yes at our last check — the free plan's limits are usage-based (bandwidth, build minutes), not license-based. Verify on their pricing page before betting a business on it; these terms move quarterly, and our data carries the check date.

### Which is faster, Netlify or Vercel?

For a static SPA from a nearby edge node, you will not measure a difference a user cares about. Both serve from global CDNs. If edge latency is the deciding factor for your app, test your actual bundle from your actual markets — and note we plan to publish exactly that benchmark for this cluster.

### Can I migrate a SPA between Netlify and Vercel?

Usually in under an hour — point the git repo at the other platform, set the build command, move the DNS. The lock-in is in the platform-specific features you adopted (Netlify forms and split tests, Vercel's Next.js internals), not in the hosting.

### Why is Cloudflare Pages mentioned in a Netlify vs Vercel comparison?

Because for a plain SPA it undercuts both where they are weakest — free bandwidth is unlimited under fair use. If you do not need Next.js internals or Netlify's workflow extras, the third option is often the right answer, and comparisons that omit it are usually working around an affiliate gap.


## Sources

- https://www.netlify.com/pricing/ — checked 2026-09-18, confidence: documented
- https://www.netlify.com/pricing/ — checked 2026-09-20, confidence: documented
- https://www.netlify.com/pricing/ — checked 2026-09-18, confidence: unconfirmed
- https://www.netlify.com/ — checked 2026-09-18, confidence: unconfirmed
- https://vercel.com/pricing — checked 2026-09-18, confidence: documented
- https://vercel.com/pricing — checked 2026-09-18, confidence: unconfirmed
- https://vercel.com/ — checked 2026-09-18, confidence: unconfirmed