We're not going to tell you every other tool is bad. They're not. They solve real problems, just not always the same one Pubby solves.
What Vercel is for
Vercel is a deployment platform built around modern JavaScript frameworks, Next.js, React, Svelte, and similar. It connects to your Git repository, runs your build process on every push, and handles global CDN delivery with preview deployments per branch. It's excellent at what it does.
Where Vercel shines
Where Pubby fits better
Vercel assumes you have a framework, a repo, and a build step. If your goal is "I have HTML and I want it live," Vercel is overkill by a wide margin. Connecting a repo, configuring build settings, waiting for the first deploy, that's 10-20 minutes minimum for a first-time project. Pubby is under 10 seconds. There's also a skill floor. Vercel is genuinely powerful, but navigating its interface, understanding deploy logs, and managing environment variables require comfort with developer tooling. Not everyone has that, and not every task requires it.
Choose Vercel when
You're deploying a JavaScript framework app, you need serverless functions, or you want automatic Git-based deployments in a production workflow.
Choose Pubby when
You have HTML and want a live URL now, without setting up a project, repo, or build pipeline.
What GitHub Pages is for
GitHub Pages publishes static HTML directly from a GitHub repository. It's free, reliable, and used heavily by developers for project documentation and personal portfolios. You push files to a specific branch, configure a few settings, and GitHub serves the site.
Where GitHub Pages shines
Where Pubby fits better
GitHub Pages has a meaningful setup cost: you need a GitHub account, a repository, some understanding of how branches work, and optionally a _config.yml file if you're using Jekyll. You'll also wait a few minutes for DNS propagation after initial setup. For non-developers, this is a wall. For developers who just want something live quickly, it's still a few minutes of clicking around GitHub's UI.
Choose GitHub Pages when
You're a developer, your content already lives in a GitHub repo, and you want a permanent, version-controlled home for it.
Choose Pubby when
You don't have a GitHub repo, you're not a developer, or you need the page live in under a minute and don't want to manage another repo.
What Netlify is for
Netlify is probably the closest comparison to Pubby in intent. It started as a "deploy static sites easily" product and has grown into a full platform with forms, identity, edge functions, and CMS integrations. Its drag-and-drop deploy option (drop a folder, get a URL) is genuinely good for quick deploys.
Where Netlify shines
Where Pubby fits better
Netlify's quick deploy experience is good but the platform has grown complex around it. The free tier has function limits and build minute caps. The interface has layers of configuration options that make the "just paste HTML" moment harder to find. Pubby is built entirely around the paste-and-go moment. There are no detours into edge functions or identity configuration unless you want them. The publish flow is the product, not a feature buried under a broader platform.
Choose Netlify when
You want a static site with built-in forms, serverless functions, or you're running a JAMstack project that benefits from Netlify's wider ecosystem.
Choose Pubby when
You want the fastest possible path from HTML to live URL and you don't need the surrounding platform features.
What Google Sites is for
Google Sites is Google's no-code website builder. You create pages using a visual editor (drag text blocks, insert images, embed Docs or Sheets) and publish to a free Google subdomain or custom domain. It's free with a Google account.
Where Google Sites shines
Where Pubby fits better
Google Sites is a builder: you construct your page inside Google's editor. Pubby is a publisher: you bring something you've already made and put it live. If you've designed something in another tool and want to share it, Google Sites doesn't help. You'd have to rebuild it in their editor. Pubby just takes what you have. Google Sites also doesn't accept arbitrary HTML. You can't paste custom code and have it render as-is (beyond limited script embeds). Pubby publishes whatever HTML you give it.
Choose Google Sites when
You want a drag-and-drop editor, you're deeply in the Google Workspace ecosystem, or you need a simple page built entirely within Google's tools.
Choose Pubby when
You have HTML ready to go and want it live without rebuilding it in another editor.
| Pubby | Vercel | GitHub Pages | Netlify | Google Sites | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Time to live URL | ~3 seconds | 10-20 min setup | 5-15 min setup | 2-10 min | 5-10 min |
| Requires Git | No | Yes | Yes | Optional | No |
| Accepts raw HTML paste | Yes | No | No | No | No |
| Drag-and-drop files | Yes | No | No | Yes | No |
| Custom domains | Yes (paid) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes (paid) |
| Free tier | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Built for frameworks | No | Yes | No | Yes | No |
| Non-dev friendly | Yes | No | No | Partially | Yes |
| API publishing | Yes | Via CLI | No | Via CLI | No |
Vercel, Netlify, and GitHub Pages are excellent tools built around developer workflows. If you're a developer with an existing Git workflow, all three are worth using for the right projects.
Pubby exists for a different moment: you have something ready and you want it live without ceremony. No repos, no pipelines, no build config. That moment is underserved by every other tool on this list.
If you're not sure which one to use, try Pubby first. The free plan takes 30 seconds to test. If your use case outgrows it, you'll know exactly what to look for in the alternatives.
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