Vercel vs AWS Amplify vs Firebase Hosting (2026)
Three approaches to hosting frontend apps with serverless backends. Vercel is developer-focused, Amplify is AWS-integrated, Firebase is Google's all-in-one.
Quick Comparison
| Feature | Vercel | AWS Amplify | Firebase Hosting |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best For | Next.js | AWS ecosystem | Google ecosystem |
| Framework Support | All (Next.js native) | All | All (Angular native) |
| Serverless Functions | Edge + Node.js | Lambda | Cloud Functions |
| Database | None (BYO) | DynamoDB, Aurora | Firestore, Realtime DB |
| Auth | None (BYO) | Cognito | Firebase Auth |
| Free Tier | Generous | Generous | Generous |
| Pricing Model | Per-request | Per-request | Per-request |
| CDN | Vercel Edge Network | CloudFront | Google CDN |
| Git Deploy | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Preview Deploys | ✅ Excellent | ✅ | ⚠️ Basic |
Vercel — The Developer Experience Leader
Best for: Next.js apps and teams that want the best DX.
Key strengths:
- Best-in-class preview deployments
- Edge Functions and Middleware
- Instant rollbacks
- Analytics and Speed Insights built-in
- Framework detection and zero config
Pricing: Free tier → Pro: $20/user/month → Enterprise
Pros: Best DX, fastest deploys, excellent preview URLs, native Next.js support. Cons: No built-in database or auth. Can get expensive with high traffic. Vendor lock-in with Next.js optimizations.
AWS Amplify — The AWS Native
Best for: Teams already in AWS who want a higher-level abstraction.
Key strengths:
- Full AWS integration (Cognito, DynamoDB, S3, Lambda)
- Amplify Studio for visual development
- Backend-as-a-service with Amplify
- Pay only for what you use (AWS pricing)
Pricing: Free tier (12 months) → pay-per-use (typically cheaper than Vercel at scale)
Pros: Full AWS ecosystem, cheaper at scale, Cognito auth built-in, backend included. Cons: AWS complexity, slower deploys than Vercel, weaker preview deploys, steeper learning curve.
Firebase Hosting — The Google Ecosystem
Best for: Apps using Firestore and Google Cloud services.
Key strengths:
- Firestore (real-time NoSQL database)
- Firebase Auth (easiest auth setup)
- Cloud Functions for serverless
- Firebase Extensions for common patterns
- Real-time listeners out of the box
Pricing: Free (Spark plan) → pay-as-you-go (Blaze plan)
Pros: Best real-time database, easiest auth, good for mobile (Flutter/React Native), generous free tier. Cons: NoSQL only (Firestore), vendor lock-in, Cloud Functions cold starts, Firebase Console UX.
Pricing Comparison (1M page views/month)
| Vercel | AWS Amplify | Firebase | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hosting | ~$20/mo | ~$5-10/mo | ~$5/mo |
| Functions | ~$20-50/mo | ~$10-20/mo | ~$10-20/mo |
| Total | ~$40-70/mo | ~$15-30/mo | ~$15-25/mo |
AWS and Firebase are cheaper at scale. Vercel charges a premium for DX.
Decision Guide
| Need | Choose |
|---|---|
| Best DX / Next.js | Vercel |
| Already on AWS | Amplify |
| Real-time database | Firebase |
| Cheapest at scale | Amplify or Firebase |
| Preview deploys | Vercel |
| Backend included | Amplify or Firebase |
| Mobile + web | Firebase |
FAQ
Can I use Vercel with a Firebase backend?
Yes. Vercel for hosting, Firebase for database and auth. Common pattern.
Is AWS Amplify easier than raw AWS?
Much easier. Amplify abstracts Cognito, DynamoDB, and Lambda behind a simpler API. Still more complex than Vercel or Firebase.
Which has the best free tier?
Firebase Spark plan is the most generous for small apps (1GB hosting, 50K reads/day, 10GB bandwidth).
Bottom Line
Vercel for the best developer experience and Next.js. AWS Amplify for AWS teams and cost efficiency. Firebase for real-time apps and the Google ecosystem. Start with Vercel for simplicity, consider Amplify or Firebase when you need backend services included.