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Technology · head to head

Vercel vs Vultr

Vercel logo

Vercel

Technology

Develop. Preview. Ship.

From
Free
Rated
-
Vultr logo

Vultr

Cloud & Infrastructure

High performance cloud compute

From
Free
Rated
-

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Vercel usage-based pricing can spike unexpectedly during traffic surges or DDoS attacks; Vultr vultr Cloud Compute pricing as captured 31 December 2022 started at $5/month (1 vCPU, 1GB RAM, 25GB storage, 1TB transfer), scaling to $10/month and $20/month with more vCPU/RAM/storage; bandwidth overage billed at $0.01 to $0.05 per GB depending on plan
  • They diverge on capability: Vercel covers Instant deployments, Vultr covers Cloud servers.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Vercel and Vultr actually diverge.

Attributes where Vercel and Vultr differ
AttributeVercelVultr
Pricing modelUnknownusage-based
PlatformsWeb, CLIWeb, Api, Cli
CategoryTechnologyCloud & Infrastructure
Founded20152014

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 Vercel

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

Only in Vultr

  • Cloud servers
  • Bare metal servers
  • Block storage
  • Object storage
  • Load balancers
  • Kubernetes
  • Firewalls
  • Private networks

Both cover

  • DDoS protection

What people use each for

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

Vercel

  • Static sitesnot Vultr
  • JAMstack applicationsnot Vultr
  • Serverless APIsnot Vultr
  • E-commerce sitesnot Vultr
  • Documentation sitesnot Vultr

Vultr

  • High performance computingnot Vercel
  • Game serversnot Vercel
  • Streamingnot Vercel
  • Database hostingnot Vercel
  • Application serversnot Vercel

Where each one falls short

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

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

Vultr

  • Vultr Cloud Compute pricing as captured 31 December 2022 started at $5/month (1 vCPU, 1GB RAM, 25GB storage, 1TB transfer), scaling to $10/month and $20/month with more vCPU/RAM/storage; bandwidth overage billed at $0.01 to $0.05 per GB depending on plan

Pricing, plan by plan

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

Vultr

Free
  • Cloud Compute$2.5/month
    • 512MB RAM
    • 10GB SSD
    • 500GB bandwidth
  • Bare Metal$32/month
    • Dedicated hardware
    • High performance
    • Full root access

Which should you pick?

Choose Vercel if

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

Choose Vultr if

  • You need cloud servers.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Api, Cli.
  • You also want bare metal servers.

Questions people ask

Is Vercel or Vultr better?
Neither clearly leads. Vercel starts at Free and Vultr at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Vercel or Vultr?
Vercel starts at Free and Vultr at Free.
Does Vercel or Vultr run on more platforms?
Vercel runs on Web, CLI. Vultr runs on Web, Api, Cli.
Can I use Vercel for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Vercel best used for?
Vercel is most often used for static sites, jamstack applications, serverless apis, e-commerce sites. Of those, static sites and jamstack applications are not what Vultr is typically brought in for.
What can Vercel do that Vultr cannot?
Vercel covers Instant deployments, Preview deployments, Serverless functions, Edge network. Vultr covers Cloud servers, Bare metal servers, Block storage, Object storage. 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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