Deploying a web app today is nothing like it was a few years ago. What used to mean renting servers and wiring up your own pipelines has turned into choosing between platforms that do most of the heavy lifting for you. That’s great for speed, but it also means each platform has its own opinion on how apps should be built and deployed.
Some aim to make frontend performance effortless, others double down on the simplicity of static-first sites, some tie you directly into massive cloud ecosystems, and newer options try to package everything, hosting and backend, into one stack. None of these approaches is wrong, but they shape your workflow in very different ways.
So the real question isn’t just “where do I host my app?”, it’s “what kind of experience (and bill) am I signing up for?” In this blog, we’ll break down Vercel, Netlify, AWS Amplify, and Appwrite Sites to see how each fits into the way developers are shipping web apps today.
Quick overview
- Vercel: Think of Vercel as the framework-native host. It’s tightly coupled with Next.js, and its entire model revolves around serving modern frontend frameworks at the edge with minimal friction. Backend logic exists, but always as small serverless functions or external APIs.
- Netlify: The Jamstack generalist. Netlify built its reputation on static-first workflows: push code, build, deploy, done. It doesn’t lean into any one framework, instead, it’s about a consistent, git-driven pipeline that works for React, Vue, Svelte, or plain HTML.
- AWS Amplify: Amplify is built to connect your frontend with AWS services. It gives you hosting, but the main focus is making it easy to add things like authentication (Cognito), databases (DynamoDB), file storage (S3), and serverless functions (Lambda). Hosting is just one part; the bigger goal is tying your app into AWS’s cloud tools.
- Appwrite Sites: The hosting platform built on top of Appwrite. It’s designed for deploying static sites and frontends that connect directly to Appwrite’s backend services like Auth, Databases, and Functions. Unlike Vercel or Netlify, which are hosting-first providers, Appwrite Sites is an extension of the broader Appwrite open-source backend platform, giving developers hosting plus a backend in one cohesive stack.
| Platform | Best fit for | Approach | Lock-in | Open source |
Vercel | Next.js and modern frontend apps | Framework-optimized, frontend-first | Medium (proprietary infra) | No |
Netlify | Static sites & Jamstack projects | Git-based deploys, static-first | Medium (plugins, infra) | No |
AWS Amplify | Teams already in AWS ecosystem | Hosting + AWS backend services | High (AWS services) | No |
Appwrite Sites | Full-stack apps, open-source users | Hosting + built-in backend stack | Low (self-host or cloud) | Yes |
Vercel
Pricing of Vercel
- Free: Hobby projects, personal sites (limited bandwidth & function executions).
- Pro: ~$20/user/month, adds better bandwidth, analytics, and team features.
- Enterprise: Custom pricing, advanced security, scaling, and SLAs.
Key features of Vercel
- Optimized for Next.js (ISR, edge functions, fast refresh).
- Global edge network for low-latency delivery.
- Built-in CI/CD with Git integration.
- Analytics and observability baked in.
Pros and cons of Vercel
| Pros | Cons |
Best-in-class support for Next.js | Pricing grows quickly because it’s per-user and per-resource based |
Great developer experience | Limited backend, mostly serverless only |
Strong ecosystem and integrations | Proprietary platform, no self-host option |
Netlify
Pricing of Netlify
- Free: Personal projects with basic builds and bandwidth.
- Pro: ~$19/user/month, includes more team features and higher limits.
- Business/Enterprise: Custom pricing with SLAs and advanced integrations.
Key features of Netlify
- Git-based deployments with automatic builds.
- Strong Jamstack focus (static site generation).
- Netlify Functions for serverless logic.
- Plugin marketplace for integrations.
Pros and cons of Netlify
| Pros | Cons |
Very easy to use and set up | Advanced workflows often depend on community plugins, which can be hit-or-miss in quality and long-term maintenance |
Great for static and Jamstack apps | Limited backend services |
Plugin ecosystem adds flexibility | Vendor lock-in, no open-source option |
Deploy in seconds, scale globally
Host your websites and web apps with zero infrastructure headaches.
Open source and no vendor lock-in- Built-in security and DDoS protection
- Fully managed cloud solution
- Global CDN for improved performance
AWS Amplify
Pricing of Amplify
- Free tier: 12 months free with AWS (limited usage).
- Pay as you go: Charges based on hosting, storage, function invocations, and connected AWS services.
- It can get expensive depending on the scale and usage of AWS backend services.
Key features of Amplify
- Hosting for static sites and SPAs.
- Easy integration with AWS services (Cognito, DynamoDB, Lambda, S3, AppSync).
- GraphQL and REST API support.
- CLI and libraries for frontend frameworks.
Pros and cons of Amplify
| Pros | Cons |
Tight integration with AWS stack | Steeper learning curve than others |
Scales seamlessly with AWS infra | Can get expensive quickly as costs scale across multiple AWS services (hosting, storage, functions, APIs). |
Supports GraphQL and REST APIs | Heavier setup, less beginner-friendly |
Good fit for AWS-heavy teams | Strong AWS lock-in |
Appwrite Sites
Pricing of Appwrite Sites
- Free & Open Source: Self-host anywhere.
- Cloud: Free tier with limits, paid plans for scaling (transparent pricing, lower lock-in than others).
Key features of Appwrite Sites
- Static site and frontend hosting.
- Built-in backend: auth, database, storage, functions.
- Open-source and self-hostable.
- Developer-first APIs and SDKs.
Pros and cons of Appwrite Sites
| Pros | Cons |
Open-source, no vendor lock-in | Ecosystem is newer, still growing |
Combines hosting + backend | Smaller community vs Vercel/Netlify |
Flexible: self-host or cloud | Not as battle-tested at massive scale |
All-in-one stack |
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is the best open-source alternative to Vercel?
Appwrite Sites is one of the good open-source options to consider. It lets you host static sites and connect directly to built-in backend services like authentication, databases, and functions. Unlike Vercel or Netlify, you can self-host Appwrite if you want full control.
2. How does Appwrite compare to Vercel and Netlify?
Vercel is optimized for Next.js, Netlify is great for Jamstack projects, while Appwrite Sites goes beyond hosting by including backend services out of the box. If you want hosting plus authentication, database, and storage in one place, Appwrite Sites is worth considering.
3. Can I host a React app with a backend on one platform?
Yes. With Appwrite Sites, you can deploy a React frontend and connect it to Appwrite’s backend services (database, storage, authentication, and functions) without needing separate providers.
4. Are there cheaper alternatives to AWS Amplify for static hosting?
Vercel and Netlify both have generous free tiers, but scale costs differ. Appwrite Sites provides a free self-host option (since it’s open-source), making it a cost-effective alternative to Amplify if you don’t want to commit to AWS pricing.
5. Is Appwrite a good option for Git-based deployments like Netlify?
Yes. Appwrite Sites supports GitHub Actions and CI/CD pipelines, so you can deploy your frontend directly from your repo, similar to the workflows developers are used to with Netlify or Vercel.
6. What’s the most secure way to host with a custom domain?
All four platforms: Vercel, Netlify, AWS Amplify, and Appwrite Sites, support custom domains with SSL. The difference is in control: with Appwrite, you can self-host and manage certificates yourself if you prefer more security and ownership.
7. Does Appwrite Sites have enterprise support?
Appwrite offers enterprise support plans along with the open-source and cloud offerings, making it viable for both indie developers and larger organizations that need SLAs and dedicated support.
