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Cloudflare Pages vs Vercel
Comparing two hosting & deployment platforms on pricing, features, free tier, and trade-offs.
Quick summary
Cloudflare Pages — Deploy on the world's most global network. Cloudflare Pages is a Jamstack hosting platform with unlimited bandwidth, deep Workers integration, and edge-first architecture.
Vercel — The frontend cloud. Vercel is the platform built by the creators of Next.js, offering edge-first hosting, preview deployments, and serverless functions.
Feature comparison
| Feature | Cloudflare Pages | Vercel |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Freemium | Freemium |
| Starting price | $20/mo | $20/mo |
| Free tier | Yes | Yes |
| Open source | No | No |
| Edge Network | Yes | Yes |
| Custom Domains | Yes | Yes |
| Edge Functions | Yes | Yes |
| Bandwidth (free) | Unlimited | 100GB |
| Preview Deployments | Yes | Yes |
| Build Minutes (free) | 500/mo | 6000/mo |
| Serverless Functions | Yes | Yes |
Cloudflare Pages
Deploy on the world's most global network
Pros
- Unlimited bandwidth on free tier
- Massive global edge network (300+ PoPs)
- Great for Workers apps
Cons
- Next.js support less polished than Vercel
- Workers runtime limitations
Vercel
The frontend cloud
Pros
- Best-in-class Next.js support
- Fast global edge network
- Excellent DX with Git integration
Cons
- Expensive at scale
- Vendor lock-in with Edge runtime
- Function timeout limits
Which should you choose?
Choose Cloudflare Pages if a free tier is important for your stage. Choose Vercel if a free tier is important for your stage.
Frequently asked questions
Which is better, Cloudflare Pages or Vercel?
There is no universal “better.” For most teams, Vercel is the safer default because Vercel has a larger community and more third-party integrations, which often translates to better long-term support. For edge cases, the comparison table above highlights where each tool wins.
Is Cloudflare Pages cheaper than Vercel?
Cloudflare Pages starts at $20/mo, while Vercel starts at $20/mo. Exact costs depend on usage — check both vendors' calculators before committing.
Can I migrate from Cloudflare Pages to Vercel?
Migration difficulty depends on how deeply Cloudflare Pages-specific features (APIs, SDK conventions, data schemas) are baked into your app. Most hosting & deployment migrations take days to weeks. Both vendors typically publish migration guides — check their docs.
Is Cloudflare Pages or Vercel open source?
No — both Cloudflare Pages and Vercel are proprietary managed services. If open source is a requirement, see our alternatives pages.
Does Cloudflare Pages or Vercel have a free tier?
Both Cloudflare Pages and Vercel offer a free tier.
Which is best for startups and indie hackers?
Startups usually optimize for the lowest friction to ship and the cheapest possible free tier. The one with the most generous free tier here is Vercel. For production workloads, revisit the trade-offs in the feature table above.