Platform Settings Overview
Zero-code optimizations. Most take 2 minutes to change.
Most developers deploy and never touch project settings again. That's leaving money on the table.
The Big Three
| Setting | Time | Typical Savings |
|---|---|---|
| Fluid Compute | 2 min | 40-85% on functions |
| Build Settings | 10 min | 20-50% on builds |
| Memory Config | 15 min | 10-25% on functions |
Quick Checklist
Compute
Enable Fluid Compute The biggest single optimization for function costs.
Right-size function memory per route Match memory allocation to actual route requirements.
Set max duration appropriately Don't pay for timeout headroom you don't need.
Builds
Enable auto job cancellation Stop wasting build minutes on superseded commits.
Configure branch filtering Only build branches that matter.
Set ignored files pattern Skip builds when only docs or config change.
Add-Ons
Disable unused services Turn off services you enabled but stopped using.
Evaluate alternatives for high-usage services Third-party options often cost less at scale.
Add-On Audit
Vercel services are excellent for convenience. At scale, alternatives often win:
| Service | Alternative | When to Switch |
|---|---|---|
| Vercel KV | Upstash, Redis Cloud | High volume ops |
| Vercel Postgres | Neon, Supabase | Need more than 256MB |
| Vercel Blob | Cloudflare R2 | Large file storage |
Start with Fluid Compute - it's usually the biggest win.