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Cloud & Infrastructure · head to head

Hetzner Cloud vs Vercel

Hetzner Cloud logo

Hetzner Cloud

Cloud & Infrastructure

Affordable cloud servers in Europe

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Vercel logo

Vercel

Technology

Develop. Preview. Ship.

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Hetzner Cloud cost-Optimized plans are shown as currently unavailable; Vercel usage-based pricing can spike unexpectedly during traffic surges or DDoS attacks
  • They diverge on capability: Hetzner Cloud covers Cloud servers, Vercel covers Instant deployments.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Hetzner Cloud and Vercel actually diverge.

Attributes where Hetzner Cloud and Vercel differ
AttributeHetzner CloudVercel
Pricing modelusage-basedUnknown
PlatformsWeb, Api, CliWeb, CLI
CategoryCloud & InfrastructureTechnology
Founded19972015

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Hetzner Cloud

  • Cloud servers
  • Block storage
  • Object storage
  • Load balancers
  • Networks
  • Firewalls
  • Floating IPs
  • Backups

Only in Vercel

  • Instant deployments
  • Preview deployments
  • Serverless functions
  • Edge network
  • Automatic HTTPS
  • Custom domains
  • Git integration
  • Real-time collaboration

Both cover

  • DDoS protection

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Hetzner Cloud

  • Low-cost virtual servers for development and testingnot Vercel
  • European hosting with data held in Germany or Finlandnot Vercel
  • Workloads with heavy egress, where included traffic mattersnot Vercel
  • Self-hosting applications away from the hyperscalersnot Vercel

Vercel

  • Static sitesnot Hetzner Cloud
  • JAMstack applicationsnot Hetzner Cloud
  • Serverless APIsnot Hetzner Cloud
  • E-commerce sitesnot Hetzner Cloud
  • Documentation sitesnot Hetzner Cloud

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Hetzner Cloud

  • Cost-Optimized plans are shown as currently unavailable
  • The shared-resource tiers are positioned for variable usage and development rather than sustained production workloads
  • Regions are limited to Germany, Finland, the United States and Singapore, so latency to other markets is a real constraint
  • The uptime guarantee is 99.9 percent, below what the large hyperscalers offer on comparable services
  • Support is 24/7 by email, without a phone channel

Vercel

  • Usage-based pricing can spike unexpectedly during traffic surges or DDoS attacks
  • No spending limit controls or automatic shutoff mechanisms
  • Bandwidth costs ($0.15/GB) quickly accumulate for high-traffic applications

Pricing, plan by plan

Hetzner Cloud

Free
  • CX11$3.29/month
    • 1 vCPU
    • 1GB RAM
    • 25GB SSD
  • CX21$6.59/month
    • 2 vCPU
    • 4GB RAM
    • 40GB SSD

Vercel

Free
  • HobbyFree
    • Non-commercial use only
    • 100GB bandwidth
    • Community support
  • Pro$20/user/month
    • Commercial use
    • 1TB bandwidth
    • $20 usage credit
  • Enterprise$null/custom
    • Custom infrastructure
    • Premium support
    • Compliance add-ons

Which should you pick?

Choose Hetzner Cloud if

  • You need cloud servers.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Api, Cli.
  • You also want block storage.
Hetzner Cloud review

Choose Vercel if

  • You need instant deployments.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, CLI.
  • You also want preview deployments.
Vercel review

Questions people ask

Is Hetzner Cloud or Vercel better?
Neither clearly leads. Hetzner Cloud starts at Free and Vercel at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Hetzner Cloud or Vercel?
Hetzner Cloud starts at Free and Vercel at Free.
Does Hetzner Cloud or Vercel run on more platforms?
Hetzner Cloud runs on Web, Api, Cli. Vercel runs on Web, CLI.
Can I use Hetzner Cloud for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Hetzner Cloud best used for?
Hetzner Cloud is most often used for low-cost virtual servers for development and testing, european hosting with data held in germany or finland, workloads with heavy egress, where included traffic matters, self-hosting applications away from the hyperscalers. Of those, low-cost virtual servers for development and testing and european hosting with data held in germany or finland are not what Vercel is typically brought in for.
What can Hetzner Cloud do that Vercel cannot?
Hetzner Cloud covers Cloud servers, Block storage, Object storage, Load balancers. Vercel covers Instant deployments, Preview deployments, Serverless functions, Edge network. Both handle DDoS protection.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Vercel: What are Vercel's main pricing tiers?

Vercel offers a free Hobby plan (non-commercial), Pro at $20/user/month with $20 usage credit, and Enterprise with custom pricing. Additional compliance add-ons cost $150-$350/month.

Source
Vercel: How much do bandwidth overages cost on Vercel?

Bandwidth overages cost $0.15/GB after plan limits are exceeded. Hobby plan includes 100GB free bandwidth; Pro includes 1TB. Usage-based billing can cause unexpected bills.

Source
Vercel: Is Vercel free for Next.js projects?

Yes, Vercel offers a free Hobby plan for non-commercial Next.js projects with automatic deployments from git. Commercial projects require Pro plan or higher.

Source
Vercel: Can I set spending limits on Vercel?

No, Vercel does not offer hard spending caps or automatic shutoff. High traffic, DDoS attacks, or misconfigured functions can result in unexpectedly large bills.

Source
Vercel: What is included in the Pro plan?

Pro ($20/user/month) includes $20 usage credit, 1TB bandwidth, support for commercial projects, git integration, and preview deployments.

Source
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