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It's a split decision.
Choose Cloudflare Pages if you want a free starting point alongside Cloudflare’s CDN, security services and global network. Choose Vercel if you want deployment tools aimed at apps and AI agents, including an API, CLI, MCP and access to 400+ models. Vercel lists concrete Hobby limits; Cloudflare emphasizes network reach and lists compute separately from its website plans. For either platform, check how usage-based charges and platform-specific features fit your production workload.
01Side by side
| Cloudflare Pages | Vercel | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Free tier; compute starts at $5 monthly | Pro starts at $20 monthly; usage-priced add-ons |
| Free tier | Free plan; unmetered DDoS, CDN, Universal SSL | Hobby: 1M CDN requests and 100 GB transfer |
| Workflow integrations | Git, GitHub Actions, VS Code, any framework | API, CLI, MCP, Skills; 400+ models |
| Deployment model | Global network platform with Workers and Pages | Deploy apps and AI agents with environments |
| Global delivery | 335+ cities; reaches 95% within 50ms | Global delivery for apps at scale |
| Compute and AI | Workers, Durable Objects, KV, R2 and SQL | Sandboxed VMs, durable backends, 400+ models |
| Scaling | No capacity planning; global network reach | Designed to scale from zero to millions |
| Security | DDoS protection, CDN, SSL, WAF and bot protection | Firewall rules and Web Application Firewall |
Cloudflare Pages Choose Cloudflare Pages if
- Choose Cloudflare Pages if you want a free starting point.
- Choose Cloudflare Pages if CDN and DDoS protection matter.
- Choose Cloudflare Pages if you want Cloudflare's broader compute platform.
Vercel Choose Vercel if
- Choose Vercel if you want its API, CLI, MCP and Skills.
- Choose Vercel if you are building apps and AI agents.
- Choose Vercel if its listed Hobby limits fit your project.
02Pricing at real usage
Cloudflare lists a Free plan, Pro at $20 per month billed annually or $25 monthly, and Business at $200 annually billed per month or $250 monthly. Its compute pricing is separate: the homepage lists paid compute starting at $5 per month, and Workers Builds at $0.005 per build minute. Check which Cloudflare product and plan apply to your Pages workload before estimating a bill. Vercel’s Hobby plan is free and includes 1M CDN requests and 100 GB of data transfer per month. Pro costs $20 monthly and includes a $20 usage credit; Enterprise has custom pricing. Vercel lists additional charges for compute, builds, storage, requests and other services, so usage can add to the plan price. For example, basic build minutes are $0.007 per minute, and Fluid Active CPU starts at $0.128 per hour.
03API, SDKs and integration
Cloudflare says its platform fits existing workflows, including Git, GitHub Actions, VS Code and any framework. Its homepage describes Workers, Durable Objects, Workers KV, R2 and SQL storage as parts of its compute and storage offering. That makes Cloudflare a broader platform choice when an app needs to combine delivery, security and compute services. Vercel presents a more explicit set of developer interfaces for deploying apps and agents: its API, CLI, MCP and Skills. Its homepage also says the platform supports 400+ models, sandboxed environments, durable backends and deployment environments. Neither homepage names language-specific SDKs, so check the vendor’s current documentation for supported SDKs and examples before selecting an integration path. The listed interfaces differ: Cloudflare highlights workflow compatibility, while Vercel names tools designed for coding agents and deployment.
04Open source, self-hosting and lock-in
Neither vendor publishes an open-source licence or self-hosting option for these platforms. Cloudflare describes a network platform for running applications and code without managing infrastructure; Vercel describes cloud infrastructure for deploying apps and AI agents. Treat both as managed-platform choices, and confirm contract terms with the vendor if self-hosting or licence rights are requirements. Neither vendor describes a data-export path on its homepage. Before committing, ask how to export project configuration, stored data, logs and deployment history, and which formats are supported. Migration effort will depend on how much of your app relies on platform-specific services: Cloudflare lists Workers, Durable Objects and storage products, while Vercel lists Fluid Compute, sandboxes and other deployment services. Keep application code and data portable where practical, and test a migration plan against the services your production app actually uses.
Questions people ask
What percent of sites use Cloudflare?
Cloudflare’s homepage says its network powers 20% of the Internet, but that is not a percentage of websites. It also says Cloudflare powers 45% of the Fortune 500. Those figures describe different measures; the homepage does not give a share of sites using Cloudflare.
Who are Cloudflare's main competitors?
Vercel is one alternative for teams deploying web apps and AI agents. The two platforms differ in emphasis: Cloudflare highlights its network, CDN, security and compute services, while Vercel foregrounds deployment environments, developer interfaces and agent infrastructure. Compare the services your app needs rather than treating either as a direct match for every workload.
Is there anything better than Vercel?
That depends on your workload. Cloudflare may fit better if you prioritize its global network, CDN, security services and free starting tier. Vercel may fit better if its API, CLI, MCP, Skills and AI-agent features match your deployment workflow. Compare plan limits and usage charges against your expected traffic and compute.
Who are Cloudflare's top customers?
Cloudflare’s homepage names Shopify, Intercom, DoorDash, Discord and Zendesk among the teams using its services. Vercel’s homepage features Notion, Zapier and Mintlify. These are examples highlighted by the vendors, not a ranked list of customers or a basis for comparing their deployment workloads.