Vercel created Next.js and offers the smoothest deployment. AWS offers raw power, total control, and cost efficiency at scale. For a SaaS, the right choice depends on your stage and team.
Criterion 1: deployment simplicity
Vercel: git push and it's deployed. Automatic preview deployments per PR. Zero configuration.
AWS: Amplify, ECS Fargate, or EC2 + Coolify. More complex, requires DevOps skills. But with Docker + ECR, manageable.
Criterion 2: pricing
Vercel Free tier is generous but Edge bandwidth and Serverless Function executions add up fast. At 10k unique visitors/day, expect $50-100/month.
AWS costs less at scale: EC2 t3.medium + RDS + S3 around $60/month for the same traffic. But requires more setup.
Criterion 3: performance
Vercel Edge Functions run in 30+ regions. AWS CloudFront + Lambda Edge offers the same latency but takes configuration.
Criterion 4: lock-in
Vercel optimizes for Next.js but uses proprietary formats for some features (Image Optimization, ISR). Partial migration to AWS requires adjustments.
Criterion 5: team
Vercel for product/full-stack teams without DevOps. AWS for teams with an SRE or a senior technical founder.
Criterion 6: alternative — self-hosted Coolify
Coolify on a Hetzner VPS (€4 to €30/month) offers automated Docker deployment with PR previews. For $20-50/month, you get the Vercel equivalent with full control.
Verdict
Vercel: MVP, fast launch, up to ~$20k MRR no sweat.
AWS / Coolify: past $50k MRR or when regulatory control is needed.
Whatever the host: Boilerplate-Stack ships with an optimized multi-stage Dockerfile (Vercel, Coolify, AWS ECS) + docker-compose + /api/health check + documented env vars. Deploy anywhere.
Conclusion
Vercel for velocity at launch, AWS / Coolify for control at scale. Boilerplate-Stack works with both and saves you hours of Docker setup.