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Cost comparison guide

VPS vs Vercel + Supabase: when one server is cheaper

VPSVercelSupabase

Short answer

A simple way to decide whether to stay managed or consolidate modest apps onto one production VPS.

Why this matters

Each service starts cheap, but frontend hosting, database, analytics, logs, storage, and backups add up across multiple small apps.

Walkthrough

  1. 01

    Add the whole stack, not just hosting

    Do not compare VPS only against frontend hosting. Compare the whole production stack.

    • Frontend hosting, database, storage, analytics, logs, backups, and team seats all count.
    • Multiply per-app costs if you run multiple MVPs or client projects.
    • Keep payment processing, email, and DNS external unless you have a strong reason.
  2. 02

    Know when VPS is the wrong choice

    VPS is not automatically better. It is only better when control and predictable cost outweigh platform convenience.

    • Stay managed if you need platform support, previews, edge features, or zero ops.
    • Use VPS when traffic is modest and several apps can share one server.
    • Budget for backups, updates, monitoring, and occasional maintenance.
  3. 03

    Use a calculator before migrating

    Rough numbers prevent bad decisions. The right answer changes by traffic, team, and app count.

    • Estimate monthly and yearly cost for both paths.
    • Include one-time setup cost for manual or done-for-you migration.
    • Recalculate when traffic grows enough to split services.

Where RepoAssistant fits

Use the VPS cost calculator or let RepoAssistant estimate whether a production VPS makes sense for your app.