The Best Netlify Alternative for the AI Era
The Best Netlify Alternative for the AI Era
Netlify pioneered the JAMstack movement and made static site deployment accessible. But recent pricing changes and a famous billing incident have many developers reconsidering. Here's what you need to know.
What's Happening with Netlify?
The $104,000 Bill Incident
In February 2024, a developer received a $104,000 bill for a simple static site after a DDoS attack. The site had no spend limits, and traffic overages led to this astronomical charge.
While Netlify's CEO personally forgave the bill, it exposed a serious problem: free plan users had no automatic protection against traffic spikes.
Netlify has since changed their policy—free plan sites now get suspended instead of charged—but the trust damage was done.
The Credit System Confusion
In late 2024, Netlify moved to a credit-based pricing model:
- Build minutes became "deployment credits"
- The free tier was reduced from ~300 build minutes to roughly 20 deployments
- Many hobbyist users reported being "priced out"
"The new credit system is so abstract I can't predict my bill anymore. I'm moving my personal projects elsewhere." — Developer on Hacker News, 2024
Per-Member Billing Complexity
Netlify counts active Git contributors as "team members"—even if they never log into Netlify. This has caused confusion and unexpected costs for open-source projects and teams with external contributors.
Enterprise Focus Shift
Long-time users have noticed Netlify increasingly targeting enterprise customers, with features and pricing that don't serve hobbyists and small teams as well as before.
How FlyPloy Does It Differently
No Surprise Bills—Ever
| Scenario | Netlify | FlyPloy |
|---|---|---|
| DDoS Attack | Could result in huge charges (pre-2024) | Automatic protection, no extra charges |
| Traffic Spike | Overage fees or site suspension | Included limits, clear alerts |
| Build Limits | Credit-based, abstract | Unlimited deployments on paid plans |
Clear, Simple Pricing
- No credit system to decipher
- No per-contributor billing
- Fixed monthly pricing based on resources you choose
- Full visibility into what you're paying for
For Everyone, Not Just Enterprise
FlyPloy remembers that many great projects start as hobby sites:
- Generous free tier for personal projects
- Smooth upgrade path when you grow
- No sudden pricing changes that break your workflow
AI-Native Platform
Beyond fixing Netlify's pain points, FlyPloy adds what Netlify doesn't offer:
- GPU support for AI model deployment
- One-click AI agent deployment
- Built-in templates for LangChain, ChatGPT integrations, and more
Migrating from Netlify
If you're on Netlify and considering a switch:
- Export your site settings—FlyPloy can import most configurations
- Connect your GitHub repo—no code changes needed
- Deploy—we auto-detect static site generators like Hugo, Jekyll, Gatsby
Most migrations take under 15 minutes.
The Bottom Line
Netlify is still a solid platform for many use cases. But if you've been frustrated by:
- Fear of unexpected bills
- Confusing credit-based pricing
- Feeling like you're not the target customer anymore
...then FlyPloy offers a simpler, more transparent alternative that's built for the AI era.