Cloud Hosting Options Explained: AWS, Vercel, and Beyond
The main ways to host modern applications, from managed platforms to full cloud providers, and how to choose for your stage.
Where your software runs affects its speed, reliability, cost, and how much effort it takes to operate. Today, most applications run in the cloud, but "the cloud" covers very different options.
Managed application platforms
Platforms such as Vercel host web applications with minimal setup. You deploy code; they handle servers, scaling, and global delivery.
- Fast to set up and easy to operate
- Excellent for web frontends and many full-stack apps
- Costs can rise with heavy usage
- Less control over low-level infrastructure
Full cloud providers
Providers such as AWS offer a huge range of services: servers, databases, storage, queues, AI services, and more.
- Maximum flexibility and control
- Suitable for complex systems and specific compliance needs
- Requires more expertise to configure securely and cost-effectively
Edge and content delivery networks
Services such as Cloudflare deliver content from locations close to users, improving speed and protecting against attacks. They complement other hosting choices.
Containers
Packaging applications in containers, often with Docker, makes them portable between environments and providers, reducing lock-in.
How to choose
- Early products often benefit from managed platforms that minimise operational work.
- Growing products may combine a managed frontend with cloud services for data and background processing.
- Complex or regulated systems may need the control of a full cloud provider.
Keep control
Whatever you choose, accounts should be in your company's name, with access managed carefully and costs monitored.
The best hosting is the simplest option that meets your reliability, security, and cost needs.
MOKRIN works with AWS, Docker, Cloudflare, and Vercel, and recommends hosting that fits your stage, budget, and requirements.
