Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Vercel VS Shadow

Compare Vercel VS Shadow and see what are their differences

Vercel logo Vercel

Vercel is the platform for frontend developers, providing the speed and reliability innovators need to create at the moment of inspiration.

Shadow logo Shadow

Transform any device into a supercharged gaming machine.
  • Vercel Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-08-05
  • Shadow Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-10-04

Shadow

Pricing URL
-
Release Date
2015 January
Startup details
Country
France
City
Paris
Founder(s)
Asher Kagan
Employees
100 - 249

Vercel features and specs

  • Easy Deployment
    Vercel offers a straightforward and user-friendly process for deploying static sites and serverless functions. It integrates seamlessly with platforms like GitHub, GitLab, and Bitbucket, allowing developers to deploy directly from their repositories.
  • Fast Performance
    Vercel optimizes delivery through its global CDN, which ensures fast load times for users all around the world. It provides edge caching and real-time purging that contribute to high-performance web applications.
  • Serverless Functions
    Vercel supports serverless functions, enabling developers to build and deploy backend functionality without needing to manage server infrastructure. This can save time and resources, particularly for smaller projects.
  • Integration with Next.js
    Vercel is the creator of Next.js, a popular React framework, and offers seamless integration with it, providing advanced features like static site generation, server-side rendering, and API routes.
  • Scalability
    Vercel can handle increased traffic automatically, scaling web applications to accommodate a growing number of users without additional configuration.
  • Preview Deployments
    Every pull request can generate a unique preview deployment, allowing teams to preview changes in a live environment before merging. This enhances collaboration and speeds up the development process.

Possible disadvantages of Vercel

  • Cost
    While Vercel offers a free tier, the pricing can become expensive for larger projects or enterprises, particularly if they require more bandwidth, build minutes, or advanced features.
  • Serverless Limitations
    Serverless functions on Vercel have limits on execution time and computational power. This can be a constraint for compute-heavy tasks or long-running processes.
  • Vendor Lock-in
    Deploying heavily integrated projects with Vercel's proprietary features may make it difficult to migrate to another platform without significant rework.
  • Limited Backend Customization
    While Vercel supports serverless functions, it does not offer the same level of backend customization and control as traditional server hosting environments.
  • Learning Curve for Beginners
    Although easy deployment is a pro, beginners might find it complex to understand concepts like serverless architecture, environment variables, and project structure in the beginning.
  • Limited Language Support
    Vercel primarily supports JavaScript/TypeScript for serverless functions, potentially limiting the use for developers who prefer other programming languages for backend development.

Shadow features and specs

  • High-Performance
    Shadow provides a high-performance virtual computer with dedicated resources, ensuring smooth operation for demanding applications and games.
  • Accessibility
    Users can access their Shadow PC from various devices including Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS, making it versatile and highly accessible.
  • Cost-Effective
    For users who require high-end hardware but cannot afford the upfront cost, Shadow's subscription model provides access to powerful technology for a manageable monthly fee.
  • Security and Updates
    The service includes regular updates and security measures, so users don’t need to worry about maintaining their hardware or software.
  • Storage
    Shadow offers substantial cloud storage, which can be a significant advantage for users needing large amounts of space for their projects and files.

Possible disadvantages of Shadow

  • Internet Dependency
    Shadow requires a stable and fast internet connection to function properly. Poor connectivity can result in lag and reduced performance.
  • Bandwidth Usage
    Streaming a virtual computer can consume a lot of data, which may be an issue for users with limited bandwidth or data caps.
  • Subscription Cost
    Although cost-effective for some, the subscription fee can become expensive over time compared to owning your own hardware outright.
  • Latency
    Despite high performance, users may still experience latency issues, especially in high-speed applications like competitive gaming.
  • Limited Offline Use
    The reliance on cloud means that there is no offline mode, so users can’t access their virtual machine without an internet connection.

Vercel videos

Zeit Now - What is it?

More videos:

  • Review - Gorillaz - The Now Now ALBUM REVIEW
  • Review - Deploy Node.js Application to Zeit Now - FreeCodeCamp - Timestamp Microservice 04
  • Review - Now 100 Hits Forgotten 70's - The NOW Review
  • Review - AT&T TV Now 2020 Review - Is it GOOD now??
  • Review - Serverless Fullstack made easy with Next.js, Prisma 2, and Zeit Now #3: Set up Zeit Now

Shadow videos

Shadow - Movie Review

More videos:

  • Review - Shadow Cloud Gaming Review
  • Review - Shadow - Movie Review

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Vercel and Shadow)
Developer Tools
100 100%
0% 0
Games
0 0%
100% 100
Cloud Computing
84 84%
16% 16
Game Streaming
0 0%
100% 100

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare Vercel and Shadow

Vercel Reviews

Top 10 Vercel v0 Open Source Alternatives | Medium
First things first, let’s talk about Vercel v0. You might be wondering, “What exactly is Vercel v0, and why should I care?” Well, my friend, Vercel v0 is a game-changing AI-powered development platform that’s been turning heads in the tech world. It’s designed to revolutionize the way we build and deploy web applications, making the process faster, smoother, and more...
Source: medium.com
5 Best Vercel Alternatives for Next.js & App Router
Vercel has become the go-to platform for hosting modern web applications built with frameworks like Next.js. However, as your application scales, Vercel's pricing model and lack of flexibility can become limiting.
Source: il.ly
Best Serverless Backend Tools of 2023: Pros & Cons, Features & Code Examples
Vercel is a platform for frontend developers for deploying code to an optimized production environment. Even though it doesn’t offer stateful features you’d expect from a BaaS like authentication or databases, it is trivial to copy/paste code from a third-party service like Auth0 for authentication and MongoAtlas for API development.
Source: www.rowy.io
Exploring alternatives to Vercel: A guide for web developers
In recent years, Vercel has emerged as a leading platform for deploying modern web applications, especially those built with frameworks like Next.js. Its seamless integration with Git, automatic deployments, and serverless functions have made it a go-to choice for many developers. However, Vercel can be quite expensive, especially for projects that scale, making it important...
Source: fleek.xyz
5 Free Heroku Alternatives with Free Plan for Developers
Vercel is last in my list and it is more like leys you host JavaScript based web apps and static websites. Since JS apps are in so much demand these days; you will find this platform easier to deploy your apps directly from GitHub/GitLab. It can even act as CI/CD pipeline for your projects. If you created a front end of an app then you can use it for deploying it. It lets...

Shadow Reviews

11 Best Parsec Alternatives & Similar Apps
Still, it can consume your battery. All in all, Shadow is a worth-trying app for those who love games and want to always connect with their games regardless of the location.
7 Best Cloud Gaming Services for 2020 (No. 3 is My Favorite)
Although games are a popular use of Shadow, and work well on it, Shadow’s core service is more than just games. While that’s a pro for some, it may be extra weight for people who want to keep things simple.
Source: hostingpill.com
Stream games with these Google Stadia alternatives
The Shadow cloud gaming model is about to be updated, and it will make it quite the formidable foe. For the basic monthly investment of £13, you gain access to a timeshare comprised of an Intel Xeon CPU, an Nvidia GTX 1080 equivalent graphics card, 12GB of DDR4, a 256GB SSD, and an internet connection that’ll make you weep in awe. It’s 1Gbps, so you absolutely don’t need to...
15 game streaming services you can try before Google Stadia arrives
You might not have heard of Shadow, but it’s a real cloud game streaming service based in the United States. Like other similar platforms, Shadow works by giving you a virtualized computer with the means to play 3D games. Currently, Shadow is operational in 38 out of the 50 states, with more on the way.
The Best Cloud Gaming Services for Streaming Video Games
Shadow: Cloud gaming at a fixed price. Shadow functions as a subscription service, with a price of $35 a month no matter how much time you spend playing. For those of you that play way more than you should, this service may be for you. It’s also similar to Parsec in that it’s essentially a computer in the cloud, so you can run any app you want in it.

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Vercel should be more popular than Shadow. It has been mentiond 601 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

Vercel mentions (601)

  • Build an AI-Powered Meditation App with Genkit, Flutter, and ElevenLabs Voice
    Before going to the Flutter code, publish this code to GitHub. Then open vercel.com, connect your repository, and deploy it. - Source: dev.to / 8 days ago
  • Deploying a MERN full-stack web application on vercel.com (with Express and Vite as a monorepo)
    Create an account at Vercel with GitHub and authorize Vercel to see your private repo(s). - Source: dev.to / 17 days ago
  • Build a Personal Portfolio Website (2-Minute Tutorial)
    Upload your folder to Netlify, GitHub Pages, or Vercel — and boom, your portfolio is online! - Source: dev.to / 21 days ago
  • How to Build a simple REST API with Node, Express and MongoDB
    For deployment, you can host your server on platforms like Heroku and Vercel. Both platforms offer free tiers, making it easy to deploy your REST API. - Source: dev.to / 28 days ago
  • ArNext - Next.js framework that supports Arweave and Vercel simultaneously
    ArNext is a NextJS-based framework that lets you deploy the same codebase both on Vercel and Arweave. - Source: dev.to / 27 days ago
View more

Shadow mentions (320)

  • 🚀 Get a 5€ Discount on Your ShadowPC Subscription with Code: 80EDA79
    Upgrade your gaming experience with ShadowPC! Use my referral code "80EDA79" at checkout to snag a cool 5€ off your first subscription. Game on! 🚀. Source: over 1 year ago
  • PCVR on Mac?
    I had Shadow. There quite affordable when I registered and the hardware was top line. I was using it as my gaming PC for a long time (mainly for PCVR). I live in Spain and these days there wasn't dedicated servers here so I connected through Paris nodes (and that increased a bit the latency) but I play HL Alyx and a lot of games that way with good graphics (in that moment Shadow has a GTX1080 GPU) and great... Source: almost 2 years ago
  • Journeyperson save on a potato? Or stuck to one large nation/several small ones?
    Https://shadow.tech/ It’s a cloud PC. I used to use it until I got my current laptop. Not cheap but very good. Source: almost 2 years ago
  • Apple's game porting toolkit is fantastic. Cyperbunk 2077 at Ultra on an M1 MBP
    > But then Apple doesn't ship devices with actually powerful GPUs, so it can never compete with the gaming PCs which are far less expensive and far more powerfull graphics-wise. It is still expensive to have to use Windows just so you can game. Or put all the effort into dual booting Linux. Most people just use a Macbook and then get an Xbox/Ps5/Switch/Quest2. For games I can't use on those you can get Shadow PC... - Source: Hacker News / almost 2 years ago
  • Stream pirated Games
    There is shadow.tech, which just gives you a full Windows Desktop with a little persistent disk. This should in theory work the way you want to. Source: about 2 years ago
View more

What are some alternatives?

When comparing Vercel and Shadow, you can also consider the following products

Next.js - A small framework for server-rendered universal JavaScript apps

Parsec - Streams games locally or over the internet

Netlify - Build, deploy and host your static site or app with a drag and drop interface and automatic delpoys from GitHub or Bitbucket

Geforce Now - Underpowered PC can now pack the punch of high-performance GeForce GTX GPUs with GeForce NOW.

GitHub Pages - A free, static web host for open-source projects on GitHub

Stadia - A new gaming platform from Google