A ChaiBuilder site is a standard Next.js application, so it deploys anywhere Next.js + Payload runs - on hosting you own. There is no ChaiBuilder-hosted option in this model: you're shipped code, and the deployment target is your choice.

pnpm run build
pnpm run start   # Node targets; managed platforms run their own equivalent

What every target must provide

Whichever host you pick, the same four things matter:

1. A server runtime. Pages are built on first visit and revalidated on publish (SSG + ISR), and the builder and CMS are server-backed. Static-only hosting does not work.
2. ISR / response caching support. The rendering model leans on Next.js caching - managed platforms support this natively; on a self-managed Node server it works out of the box via the filesystem cache. See Caching & Revalidation.
3. A reachable database. Remote (Turso or Postgres) for serverless and multi-instance targets; a local SQLite file only works on a single persistent server.
4. Object storage for media. Local filesystems are ephemeral on every managed platform - uploads need S3/R2/MinIO. See Storage Configuration.

Picking a target

Target	Best for	Watch out for
Vercel	Fastest path to production; native Next.js support, zero server management	Use a pooled database connection; serverless filesystem is ephemeral
Netlify	Teams already on Netlify; Next.js runtime applied automatically	Set SITE_URL explicitly; pooled database connection required
Cloudflare	Edge-heavy sites already on Cloudflare; pairs naturally with R2 + D1/Turso	Workers runtime differences; more setup than Vercel
Node / Docker	Full control, fixed cost, existing VPS/Kubernetes infra	You own the OS, TLS, scaling, and updates

Rules of thumb:

• Default to Vercel if you have no infrastructure preference - it is the path of least resistance for Next.js and what the starter is tuned for first. It is also the platform behind the one-click path in the Quickstart: deploy the starter unconfigured and finish setup in the browser via /setup.
• Choose Netlify when your team already builds and hosts there - the experience is close to Vercel's, with the Next.js runtime handling ISR automatically.
• Choose Cloudflare when your stack is already there (DNS, R2, Workers) and you want edge delivery with usage-based pricing.
• Choose Node/Docker when you need data residency, a fixed monthly cost, or you're deploying inside an existing container platform. The starter ships a production Dockerfile.

One app, one deployment

Everything deploys as a single Next.js app: the public site, the visual builder, and the Payload admin panel are one build artifact served from one origin. There is no separate "builder server" or "CMS server" to host - which also means one set of environment variables and one database to manage. See How It Works.

And one deployment doesn't mean one site: a single database can host unlimited sites, each scoped to its own row in the apps table - see Database Setup.

Related

• Requirements - what to check before deploying.
• Environment & License - variables every target needs.
• Caching & Revalidation - how the rendering model interacts with hosting.