Netlify, Vercel, and Cloudflare Pages are modern hosting platforms that serve static websites from a global edge network — they’re fast, often free, and ideal for sites built with frameworks like Next.js, Astro, Hugo, or Gatsby. If you’re a developer, an agency, or a tech-savvy business owner building a non-WordPress site, these platforms are worth serious consideration.
But they’re not for everyone. If you’re running WordPress or need a traditional server environment, standard hosting is still the right choice.
What Is Static/JAMstack Hosting?
Traditional hosting runs a server that generates pages on the fly — every time someone visits your site, the server executes code, queries a database, and builds the HTML. WordPress works this way.
Static hosting is different. Your site is pre-built into plain HTML, CSS, and JavaScript files during a build step. These files are then distributed to a global network of edge servers (a CDN). When someone visits your site, they get the pre-built files from the nearest server — no database queries, no server-side processing, no waiting.
JAMstack (JavaScript, APIs, Markup) is the broader approach: static sites enhanced with JavaScript for interactivity and APIs for dynamic features (forms, payments, authentication).
The result: sites that load in milliseconds, handle any amount of traffic without scaling concerns, and cost little or nothing to host.
Who This Is For (And Who It’s Not)
Good Fit
- Developers building with modern frameworks (Next.js, Astro, Nuxt, SvelteKit, Hugo, Gatsby, Eleventy)
- Agencies building client sites that don’t need a traditional CMS
- Tech-savvy business owners comfortable with code or working with a developer who uses these tools
- Documentation sites, blogs, portfolios, marketing sites — any content-focused site that doesn’t need server-side dynamic content
- Sites that need to be extremely fast — static sites served from edge networks are the fastest option available
Not a Good Fit
- WordPress sites — WordPress requires PHP and a database. It doesn’t run on static hosting. (Headless WordPress with a static frontend is possible but complex.)
- WooCommerce or e-commerce — online stores need server-side processing for carts, checkout, and payments. Use managed WordPress hosting or Shopify instead.
- Non-technical business owners — if you’re not comfortable with code or don’t have a developer, traditional hosting with a CMS is simpler.
- Sites needing traditional email hosting — static hosting platforms don’t include email services. You’d need a separate email solution like Google Workspace.
The Three Major Platforms
Netlify
The platform that popularised JAMstack hosting. Netlify was founded in 2014 and has been the default choice for static sites for years.
Key features:
- Generous free tier: 100 GB bandwidth, 300 credits per month
- Serverless functions (for dynamic features like form handling)
- Built-in form handling (no backend needed for simple contact forms)
- Branch deploys and deploy previews (every pull request gets a preview URL)
- Credit-based pricing (since September 2025) — pay for what you use
Pricing:
- Free tier: 100 GB bandwidth, 300 credits/month — sufficient for most small sites
- Personal: US$9/month per user — more credits and bandwidth
- Pro: US$20/month per user — team features, priority support
Considerations for Australians:
- Billed in USD — foreign transaction fees apply
- Edge network includes Australian points of presence (Sydney)
- No Australian servers for serverless functions (nearest: Singapore or US)
Vercel
Built by the creators of Next.js. Vercel is the default hosting platform for Next.js projects and has expanded to support other frameworks.
Key features:
- Optimised for Next.js (but supports Astro, Nuxt, SvelteKit, and others)
- Edge Functions — run code at the edge, close to your users
- Image optimisation built in
- Analytics and Web Vitals monitoring
- Excellent developer experience and deployment speed
Pricing:
- Free (Hobby): Suitable for personal projects and small sites
- Pro: US$20/month per member — commercial use, more bandwidth
- Enterprise: Custom pricing
Considerations for Australians:
- Billed in USD
- Edge network includes Sydney
- Best choice if you’re using Next.js
- Hobby tier is for non-commercial use only — businesses need Pro
Cloudflare Pages
Cloudflare’s static site hosting, integrated with their massive global network. The newest of the three but backed by Cloudflare’s infrastructure.
Key features:
- Extremely generous free tier: unlimited bandwidth, 500 builds per month
- Cloudflare Workers for serverless functions (with Australian edge locations)
- D1 database, R2 storage, KV store — a full serverless backend if needed
- Fastest global network — Cloudflare has edge locations in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, and Adelaide
- Git-based deployments from GitHub or GitLab
Pricing:
- Free tier: Unlimited bandwidth, 500 builds per month, 1 build at a time
- Pro: US$20/month — includes broader Cloudflare features, concurrent builds
- Business: US$200/month — advanced features, priority support
Considerations for Australians:
- Billed in USD, but the free tier is genuinely free and very capable
- Best Australian edge network coverage of the three platforms
- Workers run on Australian edge servers (Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide)
- If you’re already using Cloudflare for DNS, Pages is a natural fit
Comparison at a Glance
| Feature | Netlify | Vercel | Cloudflare Pages |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free tier bandwidth | 100 GB/month | 100 GB/month | Unlimited |
| Free builds | 300 min/month | 6,000 min/month | 500 builds/month |
| Australian edge | Sydney | Sydney | Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide |
| Best for | General static sites, JAMstack | Next.js projects | Speed-critical sites, Cloudflare users |
| Form handling | Built-in (free tier) | Via API routes | Via Workers |
| Billing currency | USD | USD | USD |
| Serverless functions | Netlify Functions | Edge Functions, Serverless Functions | Workers |
What About Traditional Australian Hosting?
These modern platforms are excellent for static sites, but they don’t replace traditional hosting for many use cases. Here’s when to use which:
| Use case | Modern platforms | Traditional hosting |
|---|---|---|
| Static site (HTML/CSS/JS) | Best choice | Works but overkill |
| Framework site (Astro, Next.js) | Best choice | Possible but harder |
| WordPress site | Not compatible | Required |
| WooCommerce store | Not compatible | Required |
| Site needing email hosting | Need separate email | Often included |
| Non-technical owner | Too complex | Better fit |
For WordPress sites, see our WordPress hosting guide. For help deciding what hosting you need, take the 5-minute quiz.
Getting Started
If you’re a developer or working with one, getting started with any of these platforms is straightforward:
- Build your site locally using your chosen framework
- Push your code to GitHub (or GitLab/Bitbucket)
- Connect your repository to Netlify, Vercel, or Cloudflare Pages
- Configure your build command and output directory
- Deploy — the platform builds your site and serves it globally
Every push to your repository triggers a new deployment. Your site is updated automatically within minutes.
Adding a Custom Domain
All three platforms support custom domains on every plan, including the free tier. Point your domain’s DNS to the platform, and they handle SSL automatically.
Cost for Australian Businesses
For a small business static site, these platforms are remarkably cost-effective:
| Scenario | Monthly cost |
|---|---|
| Small business site on free tier | $0 |
| Active site with team collaboration | US$19–$20/member |
| Domain name (.com.au) | $1.25–$2.08 (annual, spread monthly) |
| Professional email (Google Workspace) | $9.90/user |
| Typical total | $0–$30 |
Compare this to traditional shared hosting at $10–$20/month, and the modern platforms are competitive or cheaper — especially if a single person manages the site and qualifies for the free tier.
The trade-off: you need technical skills (or a developer) to build and maintain the site. There’s no cPanel, no one-click WordPress installer, no visual editor. The cost savings only apply if you don’t need to hire a developer specifically for this platform.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I host a WordPress site on Netlify/Vercel/Cloudflare Pages?
No, not directly. WordPress requires PHP and a MySQL database, which these platforms don’t provide. You can use WordPress as a “headless CMS” (content management only) with a static frontend, but this is a complex setup. For WordPress sites, use traditional hosting.
Are these platforms reliable enough for a business?
Yes. All three platforms serve millions of websites and have excellent uptime records. Because content is served from a global edge network with built-in redundancy, these platforms are often more reliable than a single shared hosting server.
Do I need to pay for HTTPS/SSL?
No. All three platforms include free SSL certificates on every plan, including the free tier. HTTPS is automatic — you don’t need to configure anything.
What about email? These platforms don’t include email hosting.
Correct. If you need business email ([email protected]), use a separate service like Google Workspace (~$9.90/month) or Microsoft 365 ($8.80/month). This is actually a common pattern even with traditional hosting — many businesses use Google Workspace regardless of where their website is hosted.
Which platform should I choose?
- Using Next.js? Vercel is the natural fit.
- Want the best Australian edge coverage? Cloudflare Pages has the most AU locations.
- Building a general static site? Netlify has the most mature ecosystem and built-in form handling.
- Already using Cloudflare for DNS? Cloudflare Pages integrates seamlessly.
All three are excellent. For most projects, the choice comes down to which framework you’re using and which platform’s developer experience you prefer.