Netlify vs Railway
A detailed comparison to help you choose the right hosting & deployment solution for your project.
Quick Verdict
Netlify has a feature edge based on documented capabilities, but the best choice depends on your constraints. Netlify is best for static sites, while Railway excels at full-stack apps. See methodology for how we compare tools.
Netlify
Feature edgeBuild and deploy modern web projects
Best for
Railway
Deploy anything, anywhere
Best for
Feature Comparison
| Feature | Netlify | Railway |
|---|---|---|
| Static Hosting | Yes | Yes |
| Serverless Functions | Yes | No |
| Edge Functions | Yes | No |
| Preview Deployments | Yes | Yes |
| Custom Domains | Yes | Yes |
| CI/CD | Yes | Yes |
| Docker Support | No | Yes |
Pricing Comparison
Netlify
Railway
Netlify Pros & Cons
Pros
- +Great for static sites
- +Good forms and identity features
- +Framework agnostic
- +Generous free tier
Cons
- -Build times can be slow
- -Functions less mature than Vercel
- -Less optimized for Next.js
Railway Pros & Cons
Pros
- +Supports any stack (Docker)
- +Great for databases
- +Simple pricing
- +Good DX
Cons
- -No true free tier
- -Less optimized for static/edge
- -Smaller ecosystem
Netlify Verdict
Netlify is excellent for static sites and non-Next.js projects. Great free tier and framework flexibility.
Railway Verdict
Railway is perfect when you need containers, databases, or non-serverless workloads. The Heroku successor many were waiting for.
More options in Hosting & Deployment
Looking for different tradeoffs? Explore alternatives to each tool.
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Frequently Asked Questions: Netlify vs Railway
Is Netlify or Railway better?
It depends on your use case. Netlify is best for static sites and jamstack projects. Railway is best for full-stack apps and backend services. Netlify is excellent for static sites and non-Next.js projects. Great free tier and framework flexibility.
Is Netlify free?
Yes, Netlify offers a free tier. Paid plans start at $19/mo.
Is Railway free?
Yes, Railway offers a free tier. Paid plans start at $5/mo.
Can I migrate from Netlify to Railway?
Yes, you can migrate from Netlify to Railway, though the complexity depends on how deeply integrated your current solution is. Most developers recommend evaluating both tools in a test environment before committing to a migration.
Which is more popular, Netlify or Railway?
Both Netlify and Railway are popular choices in their category. The best choice depends on your specific requirements, team expertise, and budget rather than popularity alone.