5 Ways to Deploy a Next.js App in 2026 (With Real Cost & Time Comparisons)

Deploying a Next.js application in 2026 gives you more choices than ever. From managed platforms to self-hosted solutions, each option has distinct trade-offs in cost, complexity, and control. This guide compares 5 deployment methods with real pricing, actual deployment commands, and specific recommendations based on your use case.

Quick Comparison Table

1. Vercel — The Default Choice

Vercel created Next.js, making it the most tightly integrated deployment option. Zero-configuration deployments work immediately for any Next.js app.

Deploy to Vercel

npm i -g vercel
vercel

That's it. Your app is live with HTTPS and preview deployments.

Pricing Reality

Best For

• Rapid prototyping where speed matters most
• Marketing sites with predictable traffic
• Teams already invested in Vercel's ecosystem

Watch Out For

• Per-seat pricing: $20/user/month adds up with larger teams
• Function cold starts: 200-500ms latency on first request
• Bandwidth costs: Charges accumulate with media-heavy sites

2. Temps — Production-Ready Self-Hosting

Temps delivers Vercel's developer experience on your own infrastructure. You get git push deployments, automatic HTTPS, and preview environments — without per-seat fees or bandwidth charges.

Deploy to Temps

# Connect your GitHub repo to Temps dashboard
# Configure environment variables
# Push to deploy

# Or use CLI
bunx @temps-sdk/cli deploy

Pricing Reality

Infrastructure costs only. No per-seat fees. No bandwidth overages.

Best For

• Production SaaS applications
• Teams wanting predictable costs that don't scale with success
• Companies with data sovereignty or compliance requirements
• High-traffic apps where Vercel bills would spike

What Makes Temps Different

Included without extra cost:

• Built-in analytics (privacy-friendly, GDPR compliant)
• Error tracking (Sentry-compatible)
• Session replay
• Uptime monitoring
• Custom domains with automatic SSL

A Vercel setup with equivalent features (team seats + Sentry + analytics + monitoring) typically costs $200+/month. Temps covers all of this for infrastructure cost alone.

Migration from Vercel

# No code changes required for standard Next.js apps
# 1. Export env vars from Vercel
# 2. Import to Temps
# 3. Update DNS
# 4. Deploy

3. Railway — Full-Stack Freedom

Railway excels when your Next.js app needs a database, Redis, or background workers alongside it. Everything deploys from a single dashboard.

Deploy to Railway

npm i -g @railway/cli
railway login
railway init
railway up

Pricing Reality

Best For

• Full-stack applications needing databases
• Apps requiring Redis, queues, or worker processes
• Projects wanting everything in one place

Watch Out For

• No edge deployment: Requests route to a single region
• Database connection limits: Can hit ceiling under high concurrency
• Hobby tier sleeps: Apps spin down after inactivity

4. Docker + VPS — Maximum Control

Self-hosting with Docker gives complete infrastructure control. Best for teams with DevOps experience who want to optimize costs at scale.

Deploy with Docker

1. Add standalone output to next.config.js:

/** @type {import('next').NextConfig} */
const nextConfig = {
  output: "standalone",
};
module.exports = nextConfig;

2. Create Dockerfile:

FROM node:20-alpine AS builder
WORKDIR /app
COPY package*.json ./
RUN npm ci
COPY . .
RUN npm run build

FROM node:20-alpine AS runner
WORKDIR /app
ENV NODE_ENV=production
COPY --from=builder /app/.next/standalone ./
COPY --from=builder /app/.next/static ./.next/static
COPY --from=builder /app/public ./public
EXPOSE 3000
CMD ["node", "server.js"]

3. Deploy to VPS:

docker build -t my-app .
docker run -d -p 3000:3000 my-app

Pricing Reality

Best For

• Cost optimization at scale
• Specific compliance requirements
• Custom server configurations
• Teams with dedicated DevOps resources

Watch Out For

• No automatic scaling: Must configure manually
• SSL setup required: Let's Encrypt or similar
• Security responsibility: You manage updates and patches
• No built-in CI/CD: Need GitHub Actions or similar

5. Cloudflare Pages — Edge-First Static

Cloudflare Pages runs on one of the world's largest edge networks. Exceptional for static-heavy Next.js sites needing global performance.

Deploy to Cloudflare Pages

npm i -g wrangler
wrangler login
wrangler pages project create my-app
wrangler pages deploy .next

Pricing Reality

Best For

• Static-first sites with limited dynamic features
• Global audiences requiring low latency everywhere
• Budget-conscious projects at massive scale

Watch Out For

• Limited Node.js APIs: Some features don't work in Workers runtime
• Build timeout: 20-minute limit
• Workers cold starts: First function request can lag

Decision Framework

Choose Vercel if:

• You're prototyping and need maximum deployment speed
• Budget isn't a primary concern
• You want the "official" Next.js experience

Choose Temps if:

• You're running production applications
• You want predictable costs without surprises
• You need built-in analytics, monitoring, and error tracking
• Data sovereignty or compliance matters

Choose Railway if:

• Your app needs databases and backend services
• You want everything in one dashboard
• Regional (non-edge) deployment is acceptable

Choose Docker + VPS if:

• You have DevOps expertise in-house
• You need maximum infrastructure control
• You're optimizing costs at very high scale

Choose Cloudflare Pages if:

• Your site is primarily static
• Global edge performance is critical
• You're on a tight budget

Cost Comparison: Real Scenarios

Scenario: SaaS with 5 developers, 100K monthly visitors

Scenario: Marketing site with 500K monthly visitors

Getting Started with Temps

Ready to deploy with predictable costs and built-in observability?

# Quick start
curl -fsSL https://temps.sh/deploy.sh | bash
bunx @temps-sdk/cli deploy

Or connect your GitHub repository directly from the Temps dashboard.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I migrate from Vercel to another platform?

Yes. Next.js is portable. Standard apps work without code changes on any platform. The main tasks are migrating environment variables and updating DNS.

Which platform has the fastest cold starts?

Vercel and Cloudflare both use edge functions with sub-second cold starts. Temps runs containers that stay warm, avoiding cold starts entirely for active apps.

What about Netlify?

Netlify is solid for static sites but has limited SSR support compared to these options. For Next.js apps using SSR, ISR, or API routes, the platforms above provide better compatibility.

How do I choose between Temps and self-hosted Docker?

If you have dedicated DevOps resources and want maximum control, Docker + VPS saves the most money. If you want production infrastructure without managing servers, Temps gives you the same economics with less operational overhead.

Pricing accurate as of January 2026. Always verify current pricing on each platform's website.