Migrate from Netlify to Vercel
Move your deployments to Vercel for first-class Next.js support, edge middleware, and build performance that scales with your codebase.
Migration: Netlify to Vercel
From Netlify to Vercel
Why Migrate
- First-Class Next.js Support: Vercel is built by the creators of Next.js. You get ISR, App Router, Server Actions, and edge middleware working perfectly out of the box.
- Edge Middleware: Vercel's edge middleware runs before requests hit your application, enabling authentication, A/B testing, and geo-routing at the CDN layer.
- Faster Builds: Vercel's build infrastructure uses remote caching and parallel builds to deliver significantly faster CI/CD pipelines for large monorepos.
Migration Roadmap
- Configuration Audit (3–5 days): Map Netlify configuration (netlify.toml, redirects, headers, environment variables, plugins) to Vercel equivalents.
- Configuration mapping document
- Environment variable migration plan
- Redirect and header rules
- Build & Deploy Migration (1–2 weeks): Set up Vercel project, configure build settings, migrate serverless functions from Netlify Functions to Vercel API routes or edge functions.
- Vercel project configuration
- Migrated serverless functions
- Build verification report
- DNS & Domain Cutover (2–3 days): Transfer custom domains, update DNS records, configure SSL, and validate deployment previews for all branches.
- DNS migration complete
- SSL certificate provisioned
- Branch preview validation
Risks & Mitigation
- Netlify plugins have no Vercel equivalent: We replace Netlify Build Plugins with Vercel's build pipeline hooks or custom scripts. Most plugin functionality maps to Next.js features or Vercel integrations.
- Netlify Forms and Identity have no direct Vercel counterpart: We replace Netlify Forms with a serverless API endpoint and a form service, and Netlify Identity with NextAuth.js or Clerk for authentication.
Estimated Scope
Hours: 40–80 | Cost: $80–$160 | Timeline: 1–3 weeks
Frequently Asked Questions
- Will my site have downtime during migration?
- No. We run both platforms in parallel, verify the Vercel deployment fully, then switch DNS. The cutover itself is near-instant with zero downtime.
- Can you migrate Netlify Functions to Vercel?
- Yes. Netlify Functions are AWS Lambda-based. We migrate them to Vercel Serverless Functions or Edge Functions depending on latency requirements.
- What about Netlify CMS?
- Netlify CMS (now Decap CMS) is Git-based and platform-independent. It works on Vercel without changes, just point it at your repo.