Vercel is the best platform for deploying Next.js frontends. Arxentra is a general-purpose cloud platform for full-stack applications. These platforms overlap when you need to host a complete application with frontend, backend, and database. At the hobby tier, Vercel is often cheaper. At production scale with significant backend workloads, Arxentra becomes 40-65% less expensive because Vercel's serverless pricing scales with invocations rather than flat compute.
This comparison helps you decide which platform to use based on your application architecture and expected scale.
Frontend deployment
Q: Which platform is better for frontend deployment?
For Next.js applications, Vercel is the clear winner. Vercel was built by the creators of Next.js, and the integration is seamless. Features like Incremental Static Regeneration (ISR), Edge Middleware, and Image Optimization work out of the box with zero configuration. The global edge network delivers static assets with sub-50ms latency worldwide.
Arxentra deploys frontends as containers. For static sites and SPAs, it serves files through a CDN with edge caching. For SSR frameworks like Next.js, it runs the Node.js server in a container. This approach gives you full control over the runtime but does not match Vercel's edge-native optimizations for Next.js specifically.
| Feature | Arxentra | Vercel |
| Static site deployment | CDN-cached containers | Global edge network |
| Next.js SSR | Container-based | Edge-native |
| ISR support | Via container | Native (automatic) |
| Edge Middleware | Not supported | Native |
| Image optimization | Via CDN | Built-in (next/image) |
| Deploy preview | Per PR | Per commit |
| Build time (avg) | 90 seconds | 45 seconds |
| Cold start | None (always-on) | 250ms-5s (serverless) |
| Custom framework | Any framework | Next.js, Nuxt, SvelteKit, Astro |
Vercel optimizes specifically for frontend frameworks. Arxentra supports any framework that runs in a container, including frontend frameworks that Vercel does not support.
Backend capabilities
Q: Can Vercel handle real backend workloads?
Vercel's backend runs as serverless functions with a maximum execution time of 60 seconds on the Pro plan (300 seconds on Enterprise). This works well for API routes that respond quickly: authentication, CRUD operations, webhook handlers. It does not work for long-running processes: video transcoding, large file processing, WebSocket connections, or background job workers.
Arxentra runs backends as long-running containers with no execution time limits. You can run WebSocket servers, background workers, cron jobs, and any process that needs persistent state or long execution times.
| Capability | Arxentra | Vercel |
| Execution model | Long-running containers | Serverless functions |
| Max execution time | Unlimited | 60s (Pro), 300s (Enterprise) |
| WebSocket support | Native | Not supported |
| Background workers | Yes (separate service) | Vercel Cron (limited) |
| Persistent connections | Yes | No |
| Custom runtimes | Any Docker image | Node.js, Python, Go, Ruby |
| File system access | Full read/write | Read-only (/tmp, 512 MB) |
| Outbound connections | Unlimited | Limited by concurrency |
| GPU access | Planned Q3 2026 | Not available |
For applications with significant backend requirements -- SaaS platforms, real-time features, data processing pipelines -- Arxentra provides capabilities that Vercel fundamentally cannot offer due to its serverless architecture.
Database options
Q: What database options does each platform provide?
Vercel offers Vercel Postgres (powered by Neon), Vercel KV (Redis via Upstash), and Vercel Blob (object storage). These are managed third-party services integrated into the Vercel dashboard. Pricing is usage-based.
Arxentra offers managed PostgreSQL (powered by CloudNativePG), MongoDB (Community Operator), and Redis. These run as dedicated instances in your project namespace. Pricing is flat monthly.
| Database | Arxentra | Vercel |
| PostgreSQL | Managed (CNPG), dedicated | Vercel Postgres (Neon), serverless |
| MongoDB | Managed, dedicated | Not offered |
| Redis | Managed, dedicated | Vercel KV (Upstash), serverless |
| Connection model | Persistent connections | Connection pooling required |
| Storage included | 10-100 GB by plan | 256 MB-100 GB by plan |
| Compute time limit | None | 100-1000 hours/mo by plan |
| Branching | Not supported | Database branching (Neon) |
| Price (starter) | $7/mo (PostgreSQL) | $0 (limited free), $20/mo (Pro) |
Vercel Postgres is serverless and scales to zero, which is ideal for hobby projects and development. Arxentra databases are always-on dedicated instances, which provide consistent performance and no cold starts. For production workloads with consistent traffic, dedicated instances are more cost-effective and predictable.
Pricing at hobby scale
A personal project or MVP with low traffic (under 10,000 monthly visitors):
| Component | Arxentra | Vercel |
| Frontend hosting | $5/mo | $0 (Hobby) or $20/mo (Pro) |
| Backend / API routes | Included | Included in plan |
| PostgreSQL | $7/mo | $0 (limited) |
| Bandwidth | Included (1 TB) | 100 GB free (Hobby), 1 TB (Pro) |
| Custom domain | Included | Included |
| SSL | Included | Included |
| Monthly total | $12/mo | $0-$20/mo |
At hobby scale, Vercel's free tier is hard to beat. You get frontend deployment, serverless functions, and a small Postgres database for $0. Arxentra's minimum viable stack is $12/month. If you are building a side project with minimal traffic, Vercel's free tier makes more sense.
Pricing at production scale
A production SaaS with 100,000 monthly active users, 5 million API requests/month, and 500 GB bandwidth:
| Component | Arxentra | Vercel |
| Frontend (2 vCPU, 4 GB) | $20/mo | $20/mo (Pro base) |
| Backend compute | $20/mo (dedicated) | $90/mo (function invocations) |
| PostgreSQL (4 GB, multi-AZ) | $30/mo | $46/mo (Vercel Postgres Pro) |
| Redis (1 GB) | $10/mo | $20/mo (Vercel KV) |
| Bandwidth (500 GB) | $5/mo | Included (Pro) |
| Edge Middleware | N/A | Included |
| Background workers | $10/mo | Not available (external service needed) |
| Monthly total | $95/mo | $176+/mo |
At production scale, Arxentra is 46% less expensive. The primary cost driver is backend compute: Vercel charges per function invocation, and 5 million requests/month at ~300ms average execution adds up quickly. Arxentra's flat $20/month for a dedicated backend container is dramatically cheaper for consistent workloads.
The crossover point
Q: At what scale does Arxentra become cheaper than Vercel?
The crossover depends on your backend usage. For frontend-only applications (static sites, JAMstack), Vercel remains cheaper at all scales because its edge network is included in the Pro plan.
For full-stack applications with API routes and databases, the crossover occurs at approximately:
- 500,000 serverless function invocations per month (roughly 50,000 daily active users)
- $60-80/month in total Vercel spend (when you exceed Pro tier limits)
- Any workload requiring WebSockets, background workers, or execution times over 60 seconds
If your application is frontend-heavy with simple API routes that execute in under 1 second, Vercel is likely the better choice up to $100/month in spend. If your application has significant backend logic, persistent connections, or background processing, Arxentra is the better choice from day one.
When to use both
A common architecture is deploying your Next.js frontend on Vercel and your backend API and databases on Arxentra. This gives you Vercel's edge-native Next.js optimizations for the frontend and Arxentra's dedicated compute for the backend. Configure your Next.js API routes to proxy to your Arxentra backend, or use direct API calls from the client.
This hybrid approach costs roughly the same as all-Arxentra but provides better frontend performance for Next.js specifically. The tradeoff is managing two platforms instead of one.
Frequently asked questions
Q: Does Vercel support Docker containers?
No. Vercel is a serverless-only platform. You cannot deploy Docker containers, custom runtimes, or long-running processes. If your application requires Docker, use Arxentra, Railway, or a similar container-native platform.
Q: Can I run Next.js on Arxentra?
Yes. Arxentra runs Next.js as a Node.js server inside a container. SSR, API routes, and static generation all work. You do not get Vercel-specific features like Edge Middleware or the Vercel Image Optimization CDN, but standard Next.js features work as expected. See the Next.js deployment guide for step-by-step instructions.
Q: What about Vercel's Edge Runtime?
Vercel's Edge Runtime runs JavaScript at CDN edge locations with sub-10ms cold starts. This is ideal for personalization, A/B testing, and geolocation-based routing. Arxentra does not offer an edge compute equivalent. If edge computing is critical to your architecture, Vercel (or Cloudflare Workers) is the better choice.
Q: How does build performance compare?
Vercel optimizes builds for supported frameworks with remote caching and incremental builds. Average build time for a medium Next.js app is 45 seconds. Arxentra builds Docker images using layer caching, with average build times of 90 seconds. Vercel is consistently faster for builds.
Q: Which platform is better for a SaaS application?
For a full SaaS application (multi-tenant, background jobs, real-time features), Arxentra is the better fit because it supports long-running processes, WebSockets, and dedicated databases. See our SaaS hosting guide for architecture recommendations. For a content-heavy marketing site with a simple backend, Vercel is excellent.
Q: Can I use Vercel with an external database?
Yes. Vercel works with any external database including PlanetScale, Supabase, Neon (direct), and self-hosted databases. You are not locked into Vercel Postgres. However, you need to manage connection pooling carefully because serverless functions create new database connections on every invocation.