Comparison

HostStack vs Vercel

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 in Nuremberg or Helsinki 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	DE, 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

Open a HostStack account

Switch your Next.js to standalone output

Set output: 'standalone' in next.config.js. Our Next.js preset handles the Dockerfile; or use our deploy guide for Nuxt, Remix, SvelteKit, and Astro.

Carry over env vars

Export Vercel env vars (vercel env pull) and push them with hoststack env bulk svc_… KEY=VAL KEY=VAL …. Build commands carry over unchanged.

Move Postgres / KV

Provision a managed PostgreSQL + Redis on HostStack and stream pg_dump / RDB across in a single command. Compare Postgres options in our managed PostgreSQL Europe 2026 buyer's guide.

Flip DNS

Point your CNAME at HostStack and wait for the Let's Encrypt cert to provision. Rotate any Vercel-issued credentials and you are done.

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 Germany or Finland 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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