Vercel vs Railway
Verdict
Vercel wins for frontend/Next.js deploy. Railway wins for backend services and databases.
| Dimension | Vercel | Railway |
|---|---|---|
| Focus | Frontend and serverless | Full-stack: servers, workers, DBs |
| Next.js | ✓ Native (made by Next.js team) | Good via Nixpacks |
| Databases | Via partners (Supabase, etc.) | ✓ Built-in Postgres, Redis, more |
| Long-running processes | No (serverless only) | ✓ Yes, any Docker container |
| Free tier | ✓ Hobby (generous for static) | $5/mo trial credit |
| Best for | Next.js/frontend apps | Backend services and full-stack |