The European Vercel alternative
For Next.js, Nuxt, Remix, and SvelteKit teams that want a real long-running backend, EU data residency, and a flat invoice instead of metered function execution.
By Michael Michelsen, Founder of HostStack · Updated May 2026
Why developers choose HostStack
- Self-host Next.js (and Nuxt, Remix, Astro, SvelteKit) on a normal Node container — no serverless cold starts, no function timeouts, no per-execution billing roulette
- Real EU data residency on European infrastructure with a DPA at signup. Vercel's global edge runs through US-incorporated infrastructure regardless of region
- Background workers, cron jobs, and queues live next to your web app — no need to bolt on a separate worker provider for anything you can't squeeze into a 10-second function
- Managed PostgreSQL, MySQL, MariaDB, MongoDB, and Redis bundled in the plan; Vercel Postgres / KV are billed separately on top
- Predictable per-resource pricing — Pico €1, Micro €5, Standard €20, DB Micro €4. Your invoice doesn't spike when traffic does
- TypeScript SDK and Terraform provider — first-party, not community-maintained
Feature comparison
| Feature | HostStack | Vercel |
|---|---|---|
| Next.js auto-deploy | ||
| Nuxt / Remix / Astro / SvelteKit | ||
| Background workers (long-running) | ||
| Cron jobs | Vercel Cron (function-based, 10s) | |
| Static sites + ISR | ||
| Managed PostgreSQL | Vercel Postgres (per-row + per-GB) | |
| Managed MySQL / MariaDB / MongoDB | ||
| Managed Redis | Vercel KV (per-request) | |
| Object storage | Connect your own S3 bucket | Vercel Blob (per-GB) |
| Custom domains + SSL | ||
| GitHub auto-deploy + previews | ||
| CLI tool | ||
| TypeScript SDK | ||
| Edge functions (V8 isolates) | ||
| Global CDN with regional edge | Single-region per project | |
| Long-running requests (no 10s function ceiling) | ||
| EU data residency | Helsinki, FI | Region-pinned, US-incorporated |
| DPA included | Pro+ only | |
| Flat pricing | Per-execution + bandwidth |
Pricing comparison
| Tier | HostStack | Vercel |
|---|---|---|
| Free / Hobby | €0/mo — 1 service forever | $0/mo — non-commercial only |
| Cheapest always-on service | €1/mo Pico (128 MB) | $20/mo per seat Pro, bandwidth + functions on top |
| Production service (2 GB) | €20/mo Standard | $20/mo per seat + ~$40/mo typical compute overage |
| Team seats | Unlimited collaborators included | $20/mo per seat — quickly exceeds €100 for 5+ seats |
| Postgres / Redis / S3 | À la carte from €4/mo each | Per-row + per-request + per-GB |
| Egress | Free | ~$0.15/GB above plan |
When NOT to choose HostStack
Vercel is the better fit in some cases. Here's when we'd tell you so.
You need V8-isolate edge functions running globally with sub-50ms cold starts. We run normal Node containers in DE/FI/US — fast, but not edge.
You ship a marketing site that benefits hugely from a global CDN with regional smart routing. Vercel's CDN is genuinely state-of-the-art for static + ISR.
You're deeply invested in Vercel-specific products (Vercel Analytics, Vercel Storage, Vercel Toolbar). The migration cost is real even if our equivalents work.
You're a frontend-only team that doesn't want to think about a Dockerfile. Vercel's zero-config workflow for static + serverless is more polished today.
Migrate from Vercel
The full walkthrough — price comparison, before/after config, and the gotchas worth knowing — is in the Vercel migration guide.
Frequently asked questions
Is HostStack a good EU alternative to Vercel?
Yes, especially for full-stack teams. Vercel is US-incorporated and bills on function execution and bandwidth. HostStack runs your Next.js, Nuxt, Remix, or SvelteKit app as an always-on container in Helsinki, Finland (with Germany regions on the roadmap) with EU data residency and a DPA at signup, so you get GDPR-clean hosting and a real backend rather than just serverless functions.
Is HostStack cheaper than Vercel for a full-stack app?
For apps with steady traffic, usually by a wide margin. Vercel's bandwidth is $0.15/GB on top of function-execution charges; HostStack bandwidth is €0.01/GB (one-fifteenth of Vercel) with 200 GB/team free, and a complete always-on service starts at €1/month. Vercel can still win for very low-traffic static sites that fit comfortably inside the Hobby tier.
Can I run a real backend on HostStack instead of serverless functions?
Yes. Unlike Vercel functions, HostStack runs long-lived containers, so you can hold WebSocket connections, run background workers and cron jobs, keep database connection pools open, and execute requests longer than a serverless timeout — alongside managed PostgreSQL, MySQL, MongoDB, and Redis.
How do I deploy Next.js on HostStack without Vercel?
Use Next.js standalone output in a Dockerfile (or the framework preset), connect your Git repo, and HostStack builds and runs it as an always-on service with zero-downtime deploys and free Let's Encrypt TLS on your custom domain. Our blog has a step-by-step guide to deploying Next.js on European infrastructure without Vercel.
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