The short answer
You cannot run classic WordPress on Vercel. WordPress is a PHP + MySQL application, and Vercel is a JavaScript/edge platform — it has no PHP runtime and no persistent database. But "hosting WordPress on Vercel" is still a real thing in two forms:
- Static WordPress export — build your site once, deploy the HTML to Vercel
- Headless WordPress — WordPress as a CMS/API, Vercel rendering the frontend
Both are legit, and both get Vercel's famous performance: 32ms TTFB from its edge network (see the Vercel review). But you trade away most of WordPress's dynamic features to get there.
Option 1: Static WordPress export on Vercel
The simplest route. If your WordPress site is a blog or brochure site, you can export it as static files:
- Install Simply Static or WP2Static on your WordPress site
- Generate the full static export (HTML, CSS, JS, images)
- Push it to a git repo or upload via Vercel CLI
- Vercel deploys it globally with preview URLs, ISR-style caching, and free SSL
What you lose: WordPress logins, comments, search, forms, and any dynamic behavior — unless you rebuild them with JavaScript.
Option 2: Headless WordPress + Vercel frontend
The modern route used by agencies:
- WordPress stays on a host (the CMS + REST/GraphQL API)
- A Next.js frontend on Vercel pulls content from WordPress via its API
- Vercel's edge network serves the site at 32ms TTFB
This gives you the WordPress editing experience with Vercel performance. It's more setup than classic WordPress but powerful. It's also exactly the architecture this site's Next.js hosting guides cover.
What works, what doesn't
| Feature | Classic WordPress host | WordPress on Vercel | | --- | --- | --- | | Plugins | Yes | No (static) / limited (headless) | | Themes | Yes | Build from scratch | | Comments/search | Built-in | Rebuild in JS | | Speed | 100–600ms TTFB | 32ms TTFB | | Cost | $3–35/mo | Free tier available | | Setup effort | 15 minutes | Significant |
Vercel vs a real WordPress host
If your goal is "I want WordPress", Vercel is the wrong tool — a classic host like Hostinger installs WordPress in a minute at $2.99/mo with 142ms TTFB, and Kinsta offers premium managed WordPress at 98ms.
If your goal is "I want a blazing-fast site and am happy to learn Next.js", then WordPress-on-Vercel (headless) is genuinely compelling. But note that in our benchmarks, the fastest WordPress hosting already gets under 100ms — the Vercel advantage is mainly for server-side complexity, not raw WordPress.
Frequently asked questions
Can I host WordPress on Vercel for free? Static WordPress exports and headless WordPress frontends run on Vercel's free tier. Classic WordPress cannot run on Vercel at all.
Is WordPress on Vercel fast? Yes — 32ms TTFB from the edge, faster than any PHP host. The catch is that dynamic WordPress features (plugins, comments, forms) must be rebuilt in JavaScript.
WordPress on Vercel vs Hostinger? If you want actual WordPress, Hostinger — one-click install, 142ms TTFB, $2.99/mo. Vercel only makes sense for headless or static WordPress architectures.
How do I deploy WordPress to Vercel? You don't deploy WordPress itself — you export it to static files (Simply Static/WP2Static) or build a Next.js frontend that consumes WordPress's API, then deploy that to Vercel.
What is the best hosting for headless WordPress? A managed WordPress host for the CMS (Kinsta, WP Engine) plus Vercel for the frontend. Both are covered in the managed WordPress hosting guide.