ServerlessWP vs HostlessWP
Both run WordPress without a server; they start from different places. ServerlessWP deploys a new WordPress to Vercel, Netlify or AWS Lambda, with a SQLite database stored in object storage or a MySQL database, and suits new small sites. HostlessWP moves a WordPress site that is already running onto Cloudflare Workers and keeps its existing MySQL database, theme and plugins.
Side by side
| ServerlessWP | HostlessWP | |
|---|---|---|
| Starting point | A new site from a deploy button or a repository | Your running site, from the folder with wp-config.php |
| Platforms | Vercel, Netlify, AWS Lambda | Cloudflare Workers |
| Database | SQLite in Vercel Blob or S3, or MySQL/MariaDB | Your existing MySQL, through Hyperdrive |
| Media | S3 or Vercel Blob | Any S3-compatible bucket (R2, S3, B2, MinIO) |
| Adding plugins and themes | Commit them to the repository and push | Install them on the source site, then npx hostlesswp deploy |
| WordPress updates | Arrive as pull requests | Update the source site, then deploy |
| Status | "An experimental project"; around since 2017 | Early preview, v0.1 |
| License | GPL-3.0 | GPL-2.0-or-later |
ServerlessWP details from its README, read October 16, 2026. Vercel's free Hobby plan is for personal, non-commercial projects, as the README notes.
The database question
The biggest practical difference is the database. ServerlessWP's default keeps a SQLite file in object storage, which needs no database server. Its README is clear about the trade-off: "some plugins are incompatible and competing database writes can fail", and for "multiple active editors, frequent form submissions, ecommerce, membership sites, or forums", use MySQL or MariaDB.
HostlessWP always uses MySQL, and specifically the one your site already has. Nothing is exported or converted, so the move does not touch your data, and going back is a DNS change. The cost is that you keep a database somewhere, and it must accept SSL connections from Cloudflare or sit behind a Cloudflare Tunnel.
Which one to pick
ServerlessWP fits when
- You are starting a small new site
- You already deploy to Vercel, Netlify or Lambda
- You do not want a database server at all
- You like plugins and updates managed in git
HostlessWP fits when
- You are moving a site that already runs
- It has a shop, members, forms or several editors
- You want to keep the MySQL you have
- You want it on Cloudflare
Moving a site that already runs?
Check yours first. The report is read-only and lists your plugins against the tested ones.