Hey everyone!
Building my first startup and need to pick a hosting platform.
Currently torn between:
- Vercel (seems popular for Next.js)
- Netlify (been using it for a while)
- AWS (feels overkill but powerful)
- Railway (new but looks cool)
My situation:
- Building a SaaS app with Next.js
- Need PostgreSQL database
- Budget: around /mo to start
- Don’t want to deal with server config
Anyone with real experience? What’s the best pick for a startup MVP?
Thanks in advance! 🙏
Tested all three for our startup MVP. Here’s my breakdown:
Vercel:
- ✅ Best DX, instant deploys
- ✅ Amazing analytics
- ✅ Great free tier for MVPs
- ❌ Gets pricey at scale
Netlify:
- ✅ Form handling, edge functions included
- ✅ Solid for static sites
- ❌ Not as fast as Vercel for dynamic
Railway:
- ✅ Actually free for hobby, not “free for life” 😅
- ✅ Best for full-stack Node/Postgres
- ❌ Cold starts can be annoying
My pick for 2026: Vercel for frontend-heavy, Railway for backend-heavy. Netlify if you need those form submissions.