Discover why Next.js is our go-to framework for startup MVPs, including its benefits and trade-offs.
January 25, 2025 9 min read
We've shipped over 40 MVPs for startups. Next.js is the foundation for about 85% of them.
That's not because we're locked into one framework. We've built with Vue, Remix, and vanilla React. We've evaluated SvelteKit, Astro, and the new wave of meta-frameworks. Next.js wins for most startup projects because of specific, practical reasons—not framework loyalty.
This post explains our decision framework. When Next.js is the obvious choice, when it's wrong, and what the actual trade-offs look like in production.
The Core Value Proposition
Next.js solves three problems that every startup faces:
Rendering flexibility. You need some pages to load fast for SEO (server-rendered). You need other pages to feel responsive during interactions (client-rendered). You need some data to update in real-time. Next.js handles all three patterns in the same codebase with the same mental model.
Deployment simplicity. Vercel—the company behind Next.js—provides one-click deployments with preview URLs for every pull request. No DevOps knowledge required. For a startup preserving runway, this matters more than most technical decisions.
Full-stack capability. API routes and server actions mean your frontend team can build backend functionality without switching contexts. For a 2-4 person startup, this reduces coordination overhead significantly.
These aren't theoretical benefits. They translate to faster shipping, lower infrastructure costs, and simpler debugging. For the foundational approach, see our step-by-step guide to building an MVP for startups.
Where Next.js Excels for MVPs
Speed to First Deploy
A skilled developer can go from idea to deployed application in hours with Next.js. The framework handles routing, bundling, and deployment configuration. You focus on business logic.
Stop planning and start building. We turn your idea into a production-ready product in 6-8 weeks.
This matters because MVPs need to reach users quickly. Every week spent on infrastructure is a week not learning from customers.
The typical timeline we see:
Day 1: Project scaffolded, authentication working, basic data model in place
Week 1: Core user flows functional, deployed to staging
Week 2: Edge cases handled, production launch
Compare this to setting up a separate frontend and backend with custom deployment pipelines. That infrastructure work alone often takes 2-3 weeks.
SEO Without Complexity
Many startups need organic search traffic. Landing pages, blog content, and product pages need to be indexable.
With Next.js, you get server-side rendering without thinking about it. The same React components that power your interactive dashboard can render static marketing pages. No separate static site generator. No content duplication.
This matters especially for:
Marketplaces: Category and product pages need SEO
Content platforms: Blog and article pages drive acquisition
B2B SaaS: Competitors are bidding on the same keywords
The React Ecosystem
Next.js builds on React, which means access to the largest ecosystem of UI components, patterns, and developer knowledge.
When you need:
Component libraries: Shadcn, Radix, and hundreds of others drop in directly
State management: Zustand, Jotai, or just React context work as expected
Form handling: React Hook Form integrates seamlessly
Hiring: React developers are easier to find than specialists in smaller frameworks
The ecosystem isn't just about libraries. It's about answers. Every problem you encounter has been solved by thousands of developers before you. Stack Overflow, GitHub discussions, and AI coding assistants all have more React context than alternatives.
When Next.js Is Wrong
We don't use Next.js for everything. Specific project types call for different tools.
Highly Interactive Applications
If your entire product is a real-time collaborative tool—think Figma or Miro—Next.js's server-side rendering adds complexity without benefit. Your users load the app once and interact for hours.
For these applications:
Consider Vite with React for faster development builds
Server-side rendering provides minimal value
You'll fight against Next.js patterns more than you benefit from them
Simple Marketing Sites
If you're building a 5-page marketing site with no dynamic content, Next.js is overkill. Astro produces faster static sites with less JavaScript. Hugo or 11ty generate sites that load in milliseconds.
The team already knows React and wants to move fast
Mobile-First with Heavy Native Features
If your startup's core product is a mobile app that uses camera, GPS, accelerometer, and push notifications extensively, start with React Native (or Expo) instead.
Next.js works well as a web companion to a mobile app. It's not a mobile development framework.
The Vercel Relationship
Next.js is developed by Vercel. This creates both advantages and concerns.
The Advantages
First-class deployment: Vercel's platform is optimized for Next.js. Features like Incremental Static Regeneration, Edge Functions, and Image Optimization work without configuration.
Active development: Next.js releases major improvements every few months. React Server Components, the App Router, and Turbopack all shipped because Vercel invests heavily in the framework.
Production-grade infrastructure: Vercel handles CDN distribution, serverless function scaling, and SSL certificates. One less thing to manage.
The Concerns
Vendor coupling: Some Next.js features work best—or only—on Vercel. Running Next.js on AWS or Google Cloud requires more effort. For most startups, this doesn't matter. For enterprises with specific cloud requirements, it can be a blocker.
Feature complexity: Recent Next.js versions have added significant complexity. The App Router, while powerful, has a steeper learning curve than the Pages Router. Server Components require understanding new mental models.
Lock-in considerations: If you're building something that might need to run on-premises for enterprise customers, evaluate this carefully. Vercel's pricing also scales with traffic—at very high volumes, self-hosted alternatives become more cost-effective.
For MVP-stage startups, these concerns rarely outweigh the benefits. Ship fast, validate the market, optimize infrastructure later.
The Stack We Pair with Next.js
Next.js is the framework. It needs supporting technologies.
Data Layer: Convex
For new projects, we use Convex as our backend. It provides:
Real-time sync: Data updates push to clients automatically
TypeScript throughout: End-to-end type safety from database to UI
No infrastructure management: Serverless by default
Built-in file storage: No separate S3 configuration
The main trade-off: Convex is a newer platform with vendor lock-in. For MVPs, the development speed advantage outweighs this concern. For more on this comparison, see our post on Convex vs. traditional databases.
Authentication: Clerk or WorkOS
For consumer-facing products, Clerk provides fast integration with social logins, passwordless auth, and user management UI.
For products targeting enterprises—where you'll need SAML SSO, directory sync, and audit logs—WorkOS is the better foundation.
Both integrate cleanly with Next.js middleware for route protection.
Hosting: Vercel
No surprise here. Vercel's Next.js integration is seamless. Preview deployments for every PR, automatic HTTPS, and built-in analytics.
We've used Netlify and self-hosted options. They work. Vercel is just easier for Next.js projects.
Common Challenges and How We Handle Them
Building with Next.js isn't without friction. Here's what trips teams up and how we address it.
App Router Complexity
Next.js 13+ introduced the App Router, which changes fundamental patterns around routing, data fetching, and component organization.
Our approach:
New projects: Use App Router from the start. The learning curve is front-loaded but the patterns are cleaner
Existing projects: Don't migrate unless there's a specific feature you need
Hybrid approach: The Pages Router still works. You can adopt incrementally
Mobile-first with web companion: React Native + Next.js for web
Purely internal tooling: Consider simpler options
2. How important is SEO?
Critical for acquisition: Next.js server rendering is valuable
Not relevant (B2B SaaS, logged-in experience): Could use lighter frameworks
3. What's the team's background?
React experience: Next.js is natural
Vue experience: Consider Nuxt
No framework experience: Next.js has best learning resources
4. What's the timeline?
4-8 weeks: Next.js + Convex + Vercel gets you there
2 weeks: Consider no-code/low-code instead
5. What are the data requirements?
Real-time sync needed: Convex pairs well with Next.js
Heavy analytics: Might need additional data infrastructure
Simple CRUD: Any stack works
For most startups, this framework leads to Next.js. The exceptions—mobile-first, highly interactive, or simple static—are clear enough that you'll know when they apply.
What About Alternatives?
Quick takes on other frameworks:
Remix: Solid framework with great data loading patterns. We'd use it for projects requiring aggressive caching strategies or complex nested routing. The community and ecosystem are smaller than Next.js.
SvelteKit: Excellent developer experience, smaller bundle sizes. We'd use it if the team already knows Svelte or if bundle size is unusually critical. Finding Svelte developers is harder.
Astro: Best for content-heavy sites where JavaScript should be minimal. Great for marketing sites and documentation. Not suited for interactive applications.
Vue/Nuxt: Strong option if the team knows Vue. Comparable to Next.js in capability. We default to Next.js because React knowledge is more common.
Key Takeaways
Next.js is our default because it solves the common problems startups face:
Speed: Scaffold to deploy in hours, not weeks
Flexibility: SSR, SSG, and client rendering in one framework
Ecosystem: Largest library of components and solutions
It's not universally right. Highly interactive applications, mobile-first products, and simple static sites have better options.
For the typical startup building a web application that needs to launch in 4-8 weeks, iterate based on user feedback, and eventually scale? Next.js provides the foundation that doesn't need to be replaced.
At NextBuild, we use Next.js, Convex, and Vercel to ship MVPs in 4-8 weeks. If you're planning a web application and want to discuss whether this stack fits your project, reach out to our team.
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