Vercel vs Arweave

A comparison of Vercel's serverless deployment platform and Arweave's permanent decentralized storage network, for teams deciding between fast iterative hosting and permanent censorship-resistant hosting.

Updated 2026-09 · 2026

Vercel

Deploy web apps with zero config and global edge delivery

Free (Hobby) / $20 per usermonth

Strengths

+Zero-config deployments for Next.js, React, Vue, Svelte and more
+Global edge network with automatic CDN caching
+Built-in serverless and edge functions

Weaknesses

-Costs scale fast with bandwidth and build minutes on Pro/Enterprise
-Sites go down if billing lapses - no permanence guarantee
-Serverless function limits on the free Hobby tier

Best for

Teams building and iterating on modern web apps who need fast global delivery and CI/CD out of the box.

Arweave

Pay once, store data permanently on a decentralized network

Pay-per-upload (one-time, in AR tokens)GB stored permanently

Strengths

+Pay once, data is stored permanently under Arweave's endowment model
+Fully decentralized - no single company can take your site down
+Immutable, censorship-resistant hosting

Weaknesses

-No serverless functions, dynamic backend, or server-side rendering
-No built-in CI/CD, preview deployments, or team dashboard
-Requires an AR wallet and token purchase, steeper learning curve

Best for

Projects needing permanent, censorship-resistant static hosting rather than actively iterated web apps.

Feature Comparison

Feature	Vercel	Arweave
Deployment model	Git-push deploys to serverless/edge platform	One-time upload to permanent decentralized storage
Hosting type	Centralized (owned by Vercel Inc.)	Decentralized blockchain-based storage network
Pricing model	Monthly subscription per seat	One-time pay-per-upload in AR tokens
Serverless functions	Yes - Node.js and Edge Functions	No native compute, static content only
Framework support	Auto-detects Next.js, React, Vue, Svelte, etc.	Any static build output, uploaded manually
Global delivery	Built-in edge network across 100+ regions	Gateway network, less optimized for raw speed
Data permanence	Sites removed if billing lapses	Stored permanently under a 200+ year endowment
Team collaboration	Dashboard, roles, comments on preview deployments	None built-in, requires third-party tooling
Custom domains	Yes, free automatic SSL	Yes, via ArNS or gateway redirect, extra setup
CI/CD integration	Native GitHub, GitLab, Bitbucket auto-deploy	Requires custom scripting (arkb, Turbo SDK)
Free tier	Hobby plan free for personal projects	No free tier - pay per byte uploaded

The Verdict

Vercel and Arweave solve different problems, not the same one. Vercel is the fastest way to deploy and iterate on dynamic web apps; Arweave is for storing static content permanently without ongoing fees. If your app needs backends, rapid redeploys, or team review workflows, stay on Vercel - if you just need a static site or archive to survive forever without a subscription, Arweave is genuinely cheaper long-term.

How to switch from Vercel to Arweave

1Run your framework's static export command (e.g., `next export`, or `npm run build` for a static site generator) to produce a local build folder - this is your 'export' since Vercel has no data-export button, it just serves what's in your git repo.
2Install an Arweave upload tool like arkb, ArDrive CLI, or the Turbo SDK, and create/fund an Arweave wallet with AR tokens to pay for storage.
3Upload the exported static build folder to Arweave using your chosen tool (e.g., `arkb deploy ./out`), which returns a permanent transaction ID/URL for your site.
4Set up ArNS or a gateway alias to map your custom domain to the new Arweave transaction ID, replacing Vercel's domain settings.
5Recreate any CI/CD automation by scripting the build-and-upload step in GitHub Actions or similar, since Arweave has no native git integration like Vercel's auto-deploy on push.
6Update your team's workflow docs and remove the Vercel project once DNS has fully propagated, keeping in mind any dynamic features will need a separate backend since Arweave only serves static content.

Vercel vs Arweave: common questions

How do I export my site from Vercel before moving to Arweave?+

Vercel doesn't have a single 'export' button since it deploys directly from your git repo, but you can generate the static build output locally with your framework's export command (e.g., `next export` for a static Next.js site, or `npm run build` for most static site generators). That output folder is what you'll upload to Arweave.

What do I lose by moving from Vercel to Arweave?+

You lose serverless functions, ISR, edge middleware, and any server-side rendering - Arweave only stores static files. You also lose Vercel's preview deployments and team dashboard, so you'll need separate tools for code review and deploy previews.

Is Arweave actually cheaper than Vercel for a small team long-term?+

For low-traffic static sites, yes - you pay once (often a few cents to a few dollars per MB) instead of a recurring $20/month per seat on Vercel Pro. But if your team needs dynamic features, frequent redeploys, or CI/CD automation, the per-upload costs and manual tooling can offset the savings.

Can I still use GitHub Actions or CI/CD with Arweave?+

Yes, tools like arkb, Irys, or the Turbo SDK let you script uploads from GitHub Actions, but you'll need to build this pipeline yourself since Arweave has no native git integration like Vercel's auto-deploy on push.

Does Arweave support custom domains and SSL like Vercel?+

Yes, you can point a custom domain at your Arweave transaction using ArNS (Arweave Name System) or a gateway redirect, but SSL and CDN behavior depend on the gateway you use rather than a single unified system like Vercel's automatic HTTPS.