StaticHero vs Vercel
StaticHero vs Vercel
Vercel is the home of Next.js and a leading platform for full-stack frontend apps. For simple static sites, StaticHero is lighter, cheaper and includes forms.
- Best for (StaticHero)
- Drag-and-drop sites
- Best for (Vercel)
- You’re building a dynamic Next.js app
- Forms & analytics
- Built into StaticHero
- Facts checked
- October 2026
In short
Vercel is the best choice for full-stack Next.js and frontend apps that need server rendering, functions and preview deployments; its free Hobby plan is limited to personal, non-commercial use. StaticHero is designed for static sites and allows commercial use on every plan including Free, with drag-and-drop and paste-code publishing, a built-in form backend and cookieless analytics on paid plans from $5/month.
Updated
At a glance
Use Vercel when you need what a server can do. Use StaticHero when you just need pages online — especially for business sites on a small budget.
| StaticHero | Vercel | |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Static sites, landing pages, AI-built pages | Full-stack frontend apps (Next.js and more) |
| Publishing | Drag & drop, paste, editor | Git integration, CLI, Vercel Drop |
| Free plan commercial use | Allowed | Hobby is personal, non-commercial |
| Paid entry price | $5/mo flat | Pro per seat plus usage |
| Server rendering & functions | No | Yes |
| Contact forms | Built in (50/mo free) | Build your own |
| Analytics | Built in, cookieless (paid) | Web Analytics (plan-dependent) |
| Password protection | Yes (paid plans) | Deployment protection on paid plans |
Competitor details checked October 2026 from public documentation and pricing pages. Plans change — please verify on Vercel’s site.
Choose Vercel if…
- You’re building a dynamic Next.js app.
- You need preview deployments for every pull request.
- Your team works in Git and needs functions.
Choose StaticHero if…
- Your site is static and makes money (or is for a client).
- You want forms without writing an API route.
- You want the simplest possible workflow at a flat price.
Moving from Vercel to StaticHero
- 01
Export statically
Add
output: "export"to next.config and runnext build. - 02
Upload
out/Drop the folder into a StaticHero site.
- 03
Swap server actions for forms
Post forms to
/_forms/<name>instead.
Next.js on StaticHero
Static exports of Next.js (output: 'export') run perfectly on StaticHero. If your Next.js site doesn’t use request-time features, exporting it can cut costs and complexity — see Next.js hosting.
Can I use Vercel’s free plan for a business site?
+
Vercel’s Hobby plan terms restrict it to personal, non-commercial use. StaticHero allows commercial use on all plans.
Is StaticHero faster than Vercel?
+
For global audiences, Vercel’s edge network is extensive. For typical small sites, the difference is negligible; StaticHero serves files with long-term caching and HTTPS.
Your site could be live in the next minute.
One site free, forever. No credit card, no setup, no servers.