Both platforms offer free hosting with git-based deploys. I've run projects on both. Here's how they compare for hobby apps and personal blogs in 2026.
At a Glance
| Vercel | Cloudflare Pages | |
|---|---|---|
| Free bandwidth | 100 GB/mo | Unlimited |
| Build minutes | 6,000 min/mo | 500 builds/mo |
| Edge functions | Serverless (Node.js) | Workers (V8 isolates) |
| Next.js support | First-class (they built it) | Good (adapter required) |
| Custom domains | Free SSL included | Free SSL included |
| Preview deploys | Per PR | Per PR |
When to Choose Vercel
- You're using Next.js - zero-config deploy, best DX
- You need serverless API routes with Node.js libraries
- You want the fastest path from git push to live URL
- Analytics and speed insights built into the dashboard matter to you
When to Choose Cloudflare Pages
- Your site is static or Jamstack (HTML, Astro, Hugo)
- You expect high traffic and want unlimited bandwidth
- You're already using Cloudflare DNS/CDN for your domain
- You need Workers for edge logic (rate limiting, A/B tests)
Real Cost Comparison
For a personal blog with ~5,000 monthly visitors:
- Vercel: $0 (well within free tier)
- Cloudflare Pages: $0 (well within free tier)
At ~100,000 monthly visitors with a static site:
- Vercel: May hit bandwidth limits —$20/mo Pro plan
- Cloudflare Pages: Still $0
My Setup
I use Vercel for Next.js apps and Cloudflare Pages for static sites. This blog (Bootstrap + static HTML) would go on Cloudflare. A Next.js SaaS would go on Vercel.
Don't overthink hosting for side projects. Both are excellent. Pick one and ship.