Stormkit is a self-hostable application platform for web apps, built by Stormkit OU as an alternative to hosted providers such as Vercel and Netlify. You deploy from Git and get previews, custom domains, a PostgreSQL database, end-user auth, a mailer, scheduled jobs, and analytics in one place. I assessed it from the official site, docs, repository README, license file, and repo metadata observed on 12 October 2026.[1][2][3]
Quick verdict
Self-hostable Vercel-class platform with previews, database, and auth. Stormkit is a self-hostable application platform that deploys web apps from Git with per-branch previews, custom domains, an attached PostgreSQL database, built-in auth, mailer, jobs, and analytics. The open core is AGPL-3.0 with a commercial Enterprise Edition, and the fullest feature set lives in the self-hosted install.[1][2][3]
Key features
Push to Git, upload through the UI or zip file, or call the API, and every branch gets its own preview URL with status checks gating what gets published.[1]
Custom domains come with automatic TLS, alongside multiple environments that each carry their own configuration.[1]
Each environment can attach a PostgreSQL database, and migrations run as part of the deploy.[1]
Stormkit Auth handles end users with email and password, magic links, Google, and X logins, with sessions managed for you.[1]
A transactional mailer wires to an SMTP provider of your choice, and periodic triggers replace a separate cron box for scheduled jobs.[1]
Runtimes come from mise, so long-lived servers can run in Node.js, Go, Python, Ruby, or anything else it supports, with system packages from a flake.nix and server-side analytics that avoid client tracking.[1]
The whole platform is exposed over MCP, so a coding agent can provision a server, deploy, publish, and read logs; an OAuth 2.1 server lets apps you host authorize MCP clients as your end users.[1][2]
Volumes, serverless API routes and SSR, redirects and rewrites, custom headers, snippet injection, an auth wall, and teams with roles round out the platform surface.[1]
Who will love it
Teams that like the Vercel workflow of previews and per-environment config but need the workload on infrastructure they control will feel at home.[1][2]
Organizations with security or compliance reasons to keep code, data, and deploys inside their own boundary get the self-hosted option plus an enterprise plan with SLAs.[1][2]
Shops already letting coding agents do operational work can hand the agent the MCP interface instead of dashboard clicks.[1][2]
Who should avoid it
The database, Stormkit Auth, the OAuth 2.1 server, and long-lived application runtimes are self-hosted only, so the managed Cloud is a subset of the platform.[1]
Self-hosting means operating two Docker images plus PostgreSQL and Redis, which is real operational responsibility compared with a fully managed host.[1]
The Enterprise Edition is commercially licensed and exact Cloud pricing tiers need checking on the site, so budget-conscious teams should confirm the paid boundary before committing.[1][2]
Alternatives and compatibility
Coolify is the closest published catalogue alternative: both are self-hosted, git-driven deployment platforms with previews, databases, and TLS, differing in stack and feature packaging rather than in job to be done.[1][2]
An official Vercel migration guide and vs-Vercel and vs-Netlify comparisons document the intended switch path off hosted providers.[1][2]
GitHub, GitLab, and Bitbucket integrations cover the major forges for connected repositories and automated deployments.[1]
Questions worth asking
Is Stormkit open source?
It is open core. The Community Edition in src/ce is licensed AGPL-3.0, while Enterprise Edition components in src/ee need a commercial license from Stormkit OU. Commercial use of the community code is allowed under AGPL terms, including the network-service source disclosure rule.[1]
What does it take to self-host Stormkit?
How is Stormkit different from Vercel?
The official comparison frames the difference as hosting approach: Stormkit can run on infrastructure you own, with git-push deploys, previews, database, auth, and analytics included, while Vercel is a fully managed cloud. A managed Stormkit Cloud exists for teams that prefer not to operate servers.[1][2]
Does Stormkit include a database and user auth?
Yes. Each environment can attach a PostgreSQL database with migrations run on deploy, and Stormkit Auth covers email and password, magic links, Google, and X logins with sessions handled. A transactional mailer connects to an SMTP provider of your choice.[1]
Sources and editorial review
Source research. Reviewed on October 13, 2026. Written by Sanjib Sah. AI assisted; reviewed by a human editor.
We have not run or tested this product.
- Stormkit - Deploy, Scale, and Own Your Web Apps
official · Observed October 12, 2026
Homepage positioning, Cloud vs self-hosted split, integrations, and enterprise case study drove the identity, hosting, and fit claims.
- stormkit-io/stormkit-io README
official · Observed October 12, 2026
Feature table, MCP support, Docker images, Cloud scope, and install command drove the capability, API, and deployment claims.
- Stormkit LICENSE
official · Observed October 12, 2026
CE AGPL-3.0 vs commercial EE split drove the license, pricing-model, and open-core FAQ claims.
- stormkit-io/stormkit-io repository metadata
official · Observed October 12, 2026
Public repo identity, owner, and description drove the repository and naming evidence.
- stormkit-io/stormkit-io language breakdown
official · Observed October 12, 2026
Go-first, TypeScript-second breakdown drove the stack claim.
- Stormkit vs Vercel comparison
official · Observed October 12, 2026
Self-hostability, control, and migration positioning drove the Vercel-switch and competitor claims.
- Stormkit enterprise solutions
official · Observed October 12, 2026
Dedicated management, SLAs, and custom features drove the enterprise-support claim.
- Stormkit self-hosting guide
official · Observed October 12, 2026
Self-hosting guide structure drove the self-hosted setup and difficulty claims.
Compared with these products
No explicit proprietary baseline is recorded.