Cloudflare Pages vs Netlify vs Vercel: Static Site Hosting Compared (2026)

Cloudflare Pages, Netlify, and Vercel are the three dominant platforms for static site hosting. Each has distinct strengths, and choosing between them depends on your priorities: cost, performance, developer experience, or specific framework support.

This guide provides a thorough, honest comparison to help you pick the right platform--plus an alternative that solves common pain points with all three.

Quick Verdict

Cloudflare Pages: Deep Dive

How It Works

Cloudflare Pages deploys your static site to Cloudflare's global edge network with 300+ locations. Sites are served from the nearest edge server, providing exceptional performance worldwide. Dynamic functionality is powered by Cloudflare Workers--a V8 isolate-based runtime at the edge.

Pricing

Pros

• Unlimited bandwidth on all plans--no surprise bills, ever
• Fastest global CDN with 300+ edge locations
• Workers integration for server-side logic at the edge
• Free tier is incredibly generous: unlimited bandwidth, sites, and custom domains
• Web analytics included (privacy-focused, no cookies)
• DDoS protection included automatically
• Integration with Cloudflare ecosystem: R2 storage, D1 database, KV store

Cons

• Workers is not Node.js: Many npm packages don't work in the V8 isolate environment
• Build times can be slow compared to Netlify and Vercel
• Debugging is harder: Workers logs and error messages are less intuitive
• No built-in forms or identity: Need Workers or third-party services
• No password protection on Pages without writing custom Workers code
• Global CDN means data is everywhere: Not suitable for strict EU data residency
• Build environment limitations: Less flexible than Netlify's build plugins

Best For

High-traffic static sites where bandwidth costs matter, performance-critical applications, and teams already invested in the Cloudflare ecosystem.

Netlify: Deep Dive

How It Works

Netlify pioneered the modern static hosting workflow: connect a Git repo, define a build command, and get automatic deployments. It goes beyond hosting with built-in serverless functions, form handling, authentication, and a plugins ecosystem.

Pricing

Pros

• Best developer experience in the category--intuitive dashboard, great docs
• Built-in forms: Add netlify attribute to any HTML form--no backend needed
• Netlify Identity: User authentication without writing auth code
• Deploy previews: Every PR gets its own preview URL automatically
• Split testing: A/B test different branches natively
• Plugins ecosystem: Extend builds with community plugins
• Instant rollbacks: One-click revert to any previous deploy
• Edge Functions: Deno-based edge compute

Cons

• Per-member pricing: $19/member/month means a 5-person team pays $95/month
• Bandwidth overages are expensive: $55/100GB after your limit
• Build minutes can run out: 300 on free, and complex sites burn through them fast
• Vendor lock-in: Netlify Forms, Identity, and Functions are proprietary
• US-based data: Primary infrastructure in the US, not ideal for GDPR
• Password protection requires Pro: Not available on free tier
• Function cold starts: Serverless functions have noticeable latency spikes

Best For

Marketing teams, JAMstack projects, and teams that value developer experience and built-in features over raw performance or cost optimization.

Vercel: Deep Dive

How It Works

Vercel is built by the creators of Next.js and optimized for the React ecosystem. It deploys to an edge network and provides deep integration with Next.js features like ISR, Server Components, and Middleware.

Pricing

Pros

• Best Next.js support: ISR, Server Components, Middleware, Image Optimization all work natively
• Excellent developer experience: Clean dashboard, great CLI
• Preview deployments: Every push gets a unique URL
• Edge Functions: Low-latency server-side logic
• Speed Insights: Real User Monitoring (RUM) for Core Web Vitals
• Framework auto-detection: Supports 35+ frameworks out of the box
• More build minutes: 6,000 on free (vs Netlify's 300)

Cons

• Per-member pricing: Same problem as Netlify--$20/member/month
• Free tier is non-commercial: Can't use Hobby plan for business
• Vendor lock-in: Some Next.js optimizations only work on Vercel
• Bandwidth overages: $40/100GB on Pro
• Spending limits can be confusing: Default limits may block your site unexpectedly
• US-based primary infrastructure: Not ideal for GDPR
• Password protection only on Enterprise
• Overkill for static-only sites: Paying for SSR/edge infrastructure you don't need

Best For

Next.js applications that use SSR, ISR, or Server Components. React-heavy teams that need native framework optimization.

The Alternative: DanubeData Static Sites

If none of the Big Three fully fits your needs--especially around pricing, GDPR compliance, or missing features like password protection--DanubeData Static Sites offers a compelling alternative.

How It Works

DanubeData uses containerized builds (Kaniko) to build your static site and deploys it as an nginx container on Kubernetes. All infrastructure runs on dedicated servers in Falkenstein, Germany.

What It Solves

DanubeData Pricing

Feature Comparison Matrix

Cost Comparison at Different Scales

Real-world monthly costs for a team of 5 developers:

Key takeaway: Cloudflare wins on raw cost. DanubeData offers the best value when you need features like password protection and EU hosting without per-member fees. Netlify and Vercel get expensive with team growth.

Decision Guide

Use this to pick the right platform for your situation:

Choose Cloudflare Pages If:

• Bandwidth costs are your primary concern
• You need the fastest global performance
• You're comfortable with Workers for dynamic features
• You don't need password protection or EU data residency
• You're already using Cloudflare DNS or CDN

Choose Netlify If:

• Developer experience is your top priority
• You need built-in forms, identity, or A/B testing
• Per-member pricing isn't a concern (small team or solo)
• You want the most mature static hosting ecosystem
• Your team values plugins and build customization

Choose Vercel If:

• You're building with Next.js and need ISR/SSR/Server Components
• Edge Functions and Middleware are important to your architecture
• You want the best React/Next.js developer experience
• Budget allows for per-member pricing

Choose DanubeData Static Sites If:

• You need EU-only data hosting (GDPR compliance)
• You want password protection without paying $19+/member/month
• You prefer flat-rate pricing with no per-member fees
• You want Git, ZIP, and CLI deployment options
• You're an agency managing multiple client sites
• Simple, predictable pricing matters more than a global CDN

Conclusion

There's no single "best" platform--it depends on what you value most:

• Performance + free bandwidth = Cloudflare Pages
• Developer experience + features = Netlify
• Next.js native = Vercel
• EU compliance + simple pricing + password protection = DanubeData Static Sites

For teams tired of per-member pricing, surprise bandwidth bills, or GDPR complexity, DanubeData offers a refreshing alternative at a fraction of the cost.

Get Started

Try DanubeData Static Sites -- Free plan available, no credit card required.

• Deploy from GitHub, GitLab, or Bitbucket
• Password protection on every plan
• EU data hosting (Germany)
• Starting at €0/month

Need help choosing or migrating? Contact our team.