What is the difference between Vercel and AWS Amplify?

Vercel is best for Frontend developers deploying Next.js and modern web apps, while AWS Amplify is best for AWS developers wanting fast frontend hosting. Vercel starts at Free and AWS Amplify starts at Free.

Is Vercel or AWS Amplify cheaper?

Vercel starts at Free and is free. AWS Amplify starts at Free with a free tier.

Is there a free alternative to AWS Amplify?

Both Vercel and AWS Amplify offer free tiers.

Vercel vs AWS Amplify

Vercel is frontend cloud platform for deploying web applications with serverless functions and edge network, while AWS Amplify is full-stack hosting and CI/CD for web apps built on AWS infrastructure. Vercel is built for frontend developers deploying next.js and modern web apps, whereas AWS Amplify targets aws developers wanting fast frontend hosting.

At a glance

	Vercel	AWS Amplify
Best for	Frontend developers deploying Next.js and modern web apps	AWS developers wanting fast frontend hosting
Starting price	Free	Free
Free tier	✓	✓
Open source	—	—
Free tier available	✓	✓
Open source	—	—
API	—	✓
Analytics	✓	—
Auth	—	✓
CI/CD	—	✓
Edge Network	✓	—
Git Deploy	✓	—
Hosting	—	✓
Preview Deploys	✓	—
Serverless Functions	✓	—

Vercel

Strengths

Zero-config deployment from Git
Best-in-class Next.js support
Global edge network for fast load times
Preview deployments for every pull request

Weaknesses

Pricing can spike unpredictably with traffic
Vendor lock-in with Vercel-specific features
Limited backend capabilities
Enterprise pricing is opaque

Try Vercel → Full review

AWS Amplify

Strengths

Built-in CI/CD pipelines automate testing and deployment on every push
Includes Auth as a core feature, purpose-built for cloud hosting workflows
Generous free tier — generous enough for most small teams to get real work done
Includes api alongside the core feature set — fewer separate tools needed

Weaknesses

Free plan exists but key features are locked behind the paid upgrade
Developer-oriented tooling may not suit non-technical team members
Costs can spike unexpectedly during traffic surges if limits aren't configured
Mobile experience lags behind the desktop version in features and polish

Try AWS Amplify → Full review

The bottom line

Pricing: Both Vercel and AWS Amplify are free. You can try both without spending a dollar.

Feature gaps: Vercel offers Analytics, Edge Network and Git Deploy that AWS Amplify lacks. AWS Amplify brings API, Auth and CI/CD that Vercel does not have.

Team fit: Both tools target any size teams, so the decision hinges on features and workflow fit rather than scale.

Where each tool shines: Vercel's biggest strengths are: zero-config deployment from git. best-in-class next.js support. AWS Amplify's biggest strengths are: built-in ci/cd pipelines automate testing and deployment on every push. includes auth as a core feature, purpose-built for cloud hosting workflows.

Watch out for: With Vercel, users commonly note that pricing can spike unpredictably with traffic. With AWS Amplify, the main complaint is that free plan exists but key features are locked behind the paid upgrade.

Choose Vercel if...

You need a tool built for frontend developers deploying next.js and modern web apps
You specifically need Analytics and Edge Network
You care about best-in-class next.js support

Choose AWS Amplify if...

You need a tool built for aws developers wanting fast frontend hosting
You specifically need API and Auth
You care about includes auth as a core feature, purpose-built for cloud hosting workflows
The free tier works for you: generous free tier