Netlify is a specialized static site hosting platform with built-in CI/CD, serverless functions, and advanced deployment features, while GitHub Pages is a free, simpler hosting solution integrated directly into GitHub repositories. Netlify offers more power and features for modern web applications, while GitHub Pages is ideal for documentation and simple static sites.
Netlify vs GitHub Pages — Side-by-side comparison on A Versus B
Cloud platform for deploying and managing modern web applications with built-in CI/CD and serverless functions.
Free static site hosting service integrated directly with GitHub repositories, ideal for documentation and portfolio sites.
Pricing Model. Built-in CI/CD Pipeline. Serverless Functions Support. Form Handling. Custom Domain Setup. Build Time Limits. Edge Functions (Global CDN)
Choose Netlify if you need a modern, feature-rich platform with built-in serverless functions, form handling, and automatic deployments for dynamic applications. Choose GitHub Pages if you want a completely free solution for static sites, documentation, or portfolio projects with zero additional cost and no build time constraints.
Netlify: San Francisco, California, USA | GitHub Pages: N/A
Netlify: Budget & SMB challenger | GitHub Pages: N/A
Netlify: Not natively supported | GitHub Pages: N/A
Netlify: React, Vue, Next.js, Gatsby, Hugo, Jekyll, etc. | GitHub Pages: N/A
Netlify: No native database (third-party integrations) | GitHub Pages: N/A
Netlify: OAuth providers, third-party integrations | GitHub Pages: N/A
Netlify: Unlimited with automatic git integration | GitHub Pages: N/A
Netlify: 5-10 minutes | GitHub Pages: N/A
Netlify: 50+ locations | GitHub Pages: N/A
Netlify: Netlify Functions (native, 125k/month free) | GitHub Pages: N/A
Netlify: Automatic for every pull request | GitHub Pages: N/A
Netlify: Deployment & hosting platform | GitHub Pages: N/A
Netlify: Not applicable (not a repo host) | GitHub Pages: N/A
Netlify: Deployment, traffic, and performance analytics | GitHub Pages: N/A
Netlify: 300 minutes | GitHub Pages: N/A
Serverless Function Cost (per 1M invocations)
Netlify: Yes, with notifications and spam filtering | GitHub Pages: N/A
Netlify: 300+ official integrations | GitHub Pages: N/A
Netlify: Basic protection | GitHub Pages: N/A
Netlify: 100 GB/month | GitHub Pages: N/A
Netlify: None (requires external integration) | GitHub Pages: N/A
Netlify: Pro plan ($19/month) and above | GitHub Pages: N/A
Netlify: Limited (Functions only) | GitHub Pages: N/A
Netlify: N/A (static-first) | GitHub Pages: N/A
Netlify: 125,000 invocations | GitHub Pages: N/A
Netlify: 220+ points of presence | GitHub Pages: N/A
Netlify: Role-based access control, audit logs, team management | GitHub Pages: N/A
Netlify: Built-in with traffic, performance metrics | GitHub Pages: N/A
Netlify: 2-5 minutes (Git setup required) | GitHub Pages: N/A
Netlify: Yes, with serverless functions | GitHub Pages: N/A
Netlify: Yes, 100/month free | GitHub Pages: No
Netlify: $0 (free tier) | GitHub Pages: $0 (free forever)
Netlify: 100 GB | GitHub Pages: Unlimited*
Serverless Function Invocations (Free Tier)
Netlify: 2-3 minutes (UI-based) | GitHub Pages: 5-10 minutes (requires config)
Netlify: Unlimited | GitHub Pages: Limited (via Actions)
Netlify: 40+ (broad support) | GitHub Pages: N/A
Netlify: 50-100ms average | GitHub Pages: N/A
Netlify: 300 minutes/month | GitHub Pages: N/A
Netlify: $19/month (covers unlimited sites) | GitHub Pages: N/A
Netlify: Not supported natively | GitHub Pages: N/A
Netlify: 10 seconds (most tiers) | GitHub Pages: N/A
Netlify: 60-120 seconds (with build) | GitHub Pages: N/A
Netlify: Yes (Netlify Functions, AWS Lambda, Deno) | GitHub Pages: N/A
Netlify: Yes (GitHub, GitLab, Bitbucket) | GitHub Pages: N/A
Netlify: Yes (real-time dashboard, Lighthouse) | GitHub Pages: N/A
Netlify: Moderate (6/10) | GitHub Pages: N/A
Netlify: 30-60 seconds (with build) | GitHub Pages: N/A
Netlify: Yes (automated Git-connected builds) | GitHub Pages: N/A
Netlify: Yes (traffic, performance, errors, uptime) | GitHub Pages: N/A
Setup Complexity (1=simplest, 5=complex)
Netlify: 3 (requires Git repo setup) | GitHub Pages: N/A
Netlify: Yes (primary use case) | GitHub Pages: N/A
Netlify: $0 (free tier) | GitHub Pages: $0 (free tier)
Netlify: 300 minutes | GitHub Pages: Unlimited
Netlify: Yes, included | GitHub Pages: No
Netlify: 50+ global regions | GitHub Pages: GitHub infrastructure
Netlify: Static + dynamic/serverless | GitHub Pages: Static only
Netlify: 30-60 seconds | GitHub Pages: 30-90 seconds
Netlify: Moderate (configure build settings) | GitHub Pages: Simple (minimal setup)
How to choose between Netlify and GitHub Pages
Netlify vs GitHub Pages — Structured Comparison Data
Machine-readable comparison dataset for Netlify vs GitHub Pages. Contains 92 attribute comparisons, 5 FAQ pairs.
Netlify vs GitHub Pages — Attribute Category Vocabulary
Taxonomy of attribute categories used to classify comparison data for Netlify vs GitHub Pages.
What happens when I exceed build minutes on Netlify's free tier?
When you exceed 300 build minutes per month on Netlify's free tier, builds are queued and delayed until the next month. To remove this limitation, you need to upgrade to a paid plan starting at $19/month. GitHub Pages has no such limits on the free tier.
Can I use Netlify or GitHub Pages for a blog with dynamic features?
Netlify supports dynamic features through Netlify Functions (serverless backend logic) and form handling, making it suitable for blogs requiring comments, contact forms, or dynamic content. GitHub Pages is limited to static HTML/CSS/JavaScript and requires third-party services for any dynamic functionality like forms or comments.
Is there a cost difference between Netlify and GitHub Pages for a simple portfolio site?
Both are free for simple portfolio sites. GitHub Pages is always free with no limitations on build time, while Netlify's free tier includes 300 build minutes per month. For a portfolio with infrequent updates, both are equally cost-effective.
Which platform deploys faster and has better performance?
Netlify typically deploys faster (30-60 seconds) and has edge functions deployed across 50+ global locations, providing lower latency globally. GitHub Pages has solid performance but lacks edge function capability and may be slower for international users. For performance-critical applications, Netlify's edge network is superior.
Can I use custom domains on both platforms?
Yes, both Netlify and GitHub Pages support custom domains at no additional cost. Both provide free HTTPS and DNS management, making domain setup equally straightforward on either platform.
How to Choose Between Netlify and GitHub Pages
Pricing Model: Netlify has Free tier + paid plans from $19/month, while GitHub Pages has Always free.
Built-in CI/CD Pipeline: Netlify has Yes, automatic with git push, while GitHub Pages has Basic, requires GitHub Actions setup.
Serverless Functions Support: Netlify has Yes, Netlify Functions included, while GitHub Pages has No native support.
Form Handling: Netlify has Native forms with 100 submissions/month free, while GitHub Pages has Not included, requires third-party service.
Custom Domain Setup: Netlify has Simple DNS management included, while GitHub Pages has Simple DNS management included.
Build Time Limits: Netlify has 300 minutes/month on free tier, while GitHub Pages has Unlimited on free tier.
Edge Functions (Global CDN): Netlify has Yes, 50+ global edge locations, while GitHub Pages has No edge functions available.