AWS vs. Vercel: Where Should You Host Your Startup?
Start on Vercel. It allows you to ship fast. Move to AWS (or Railway/Render) only when your bill hits $500/month. Optimize for developer velocity first.
What is Developer Velocity?
Developer Velocity is The speed at which you can ship code. Vercel optimizes for this (Git push -> Deploy).
The 3 Core Benefits
Vercel Pros
Zero config. Preview environments (every PR gets a URL). best for Next.js. Global CDN included.
AWS Pros
Infinitely scalable. Cheaper for high-compute workloads. Access to everything (S3, RDS, Lambda, SQS).
The Middle Ground
Platforms like Railway and Render offer the "PaaS" experience of Vercel with the flexibility of Docker. Great for backends.
The Hosting Lifecycle
Stage 1: The MVP (Vercel)
Host frontend on Vercel. Host database on Supabase/Neon. Cost: $0. Speed: Max.
Stage 2: Traction (Vercel Pro)
Pay the $20/user. Get better limits. Still cheaper than hiring a DevOps engineer to manage AWS.
Stage 3: Scale (Hybrid)
Keep frontend on Vercel. Move heavy backend/workers to AWS or Railway. Optimize the expensive parts.
Stage 4: IPO (AWS)
Hire a platform team. Move everything to AWS/GCP for maximum margin control. (You are probably not here yet).
Stage 5: Optimization
Once stable, optimize your images, caching, and database queries to reduce the bill.
AWS EC2 vs. Vercel / PaaS
| Feature | AWS EC2 | Vercel / PaaS |
|---|---|---|
| Setup | Hours (SSH, Nginx) | Seconds |
| Scalability | Manual Scaling Groups | Auto-scaling |
| Cost | Low (Raw Compute) | Premium (Convenience) |
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Vercel expensive?
Only if you use it wrong. Don't host heavy video processing or crypto mining on Vercel Functions. Use it for UI serving.
What about vendor lock-in?
Next.js runs anywhere (Docker). You can self-host it on a VPS if Vercel bans you. The risk is low.
Do I need Kubernetes?
NO. Unless you are Google, you do not need K8s. It is complexity porn. Stick to PaaS.
What makes a launch channel high intent?
High-intent channels have users actively searching for solutions, not just browsing a feed.
How many channels should I launch on?
Start with 3-5 strong channels, measure conversions, then expand to 10-12 over time.
How do I avoid launch fatigue?
Stagger your launches and reuse assets so each channel gets a focused push.
What should I measure after launch?
Track qualified signups, backlinks, and demo requests, not just raw traffic.
How does Mesh of Growth fit with other platforms?
Use Mesh for compounding reviews and backlinks while other platforms provide short-term spikes.
Ready to get instant traffic from trusted founders?
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