Deploying FlatWP: Vercel, Netlify, or Self-Hosted?

FlatWP works on any platform that supports Next.js, but the deployment choice significantly impacts performance and developer experience.

Vercel (Recommended)

Vercel created Next.js, so integration is seamless:

Pros:

• Zero-config deployment – just connect GitHub
• ISR works perfectly out of the box
• Global edge network for fast delivery
• On-demand revalidation built-in
• Excellent free tier (100GB bandwidth, unlimited builds)
• Preview deployments for every PR

Cons:

• Can get expensive at scale ($20/user/month for teams)
• Vendor lock-in (though you can export)

Best for: Most projects, especially if you value DX and don’t mind the cost at scale.

Netlify

Netlify has excellent Next.js support via their Essential Next.js plugin:

Pros:

• Strong free tier (100GB bandwidth)
• Great build performance
• Form handling built-in
• Split testing features
• Slightly cheaper than Vercel at scale

Cons:

• ISR support is newer, less battle-tested
• Some Next.js features lag behind Vercel
• Build times can be slower for large sites

Best for: Teams already on Netlify or those wanting to save costs.

Cloudflare Pages

Cloudflare now supports Next.js via their @cloudflare/next-on-pages adapter:

Pros:

• Incredibly generous free tier (unlimited requests)
• Cloudflare’s global network
• R2 storage for assets
• Very cost-effective at scale

Cons:

• Requires adapter configuration
• Some Next.js features not supported
• Newer, less documentation
• ISR implementation differs from Vercel

Best for: High-traffic sites on a budget.

Self-Hosted (Node.js)

You can deploy Next.js to any Node.js server:

Pros:

• Full control
• No platform fees
• Can use your existing infrastructure

Cons:

• You manage scaling, CDN, caching
• More DevOps overhead
• ISR requires Redis or similar for cache
• No automatic preview deployments

Best for: Enterprise with existing infrastructure or strict data requirements.

Our Recommendation

Start with Vercel. The DX is unmatched and the free tier is generous enough for most projects. Once you’re at scale and costs matter, evaluate Netlify or Cloudflare.

For the WordPress backend, use any WordPress host – FlatWP doesn’t care where WordPress lives as long as GraphQL is accessible.