βοΈ Next.js Hosting vs Website Studio
π What this article covers
Search Atlas does not host a full custom Next.js application the way Vercel does. Website Studio publishes Search Atlas
marketing sites. A separate app with Payload CMS, a database, environment variables, and server routes stays on your own
application host.
π οΈ What Website Studio is
Website Studio is the built-in site builder for SEO-focused pages that you create and publish inside Search Atlas. It is
meant for brochure, landing, and content sites managed in the platform, not for arbitrary application code.
- Pages, content, and design are edited in Website Studio.
- Publishing and hosting for those Studio sites are handled by Search Atlas.
- You do not upload a Next.js repository, set build commands, or manage server runtime there.
π What is not included
Website Studio is not a general Next.js platform. These items are outside its scope:
- Hosting a full Next.js app, including the App Router and custom project structure.
- Payload CMS or any other self-hosted headless CMS running beside the site.
- Your own database, connection strings, or data migrations.
- Environment variables, secrets, server routes, API handlers, cron jobs, or serverless functions.
- Preview deployments, custom build pipelines, or Vercel-style project settings.
If your site needs those capabilities, keep it on an application host such as Vercel, and connect that live site to
Search Atlas for SEO work.
π Feature status
Full Next.js application hosting is not a Website Studio feature. There is no setting that turns a Studio site into a
Node server for Payload, a database, or custom server routes. Studio remains a managed site builder. Product updates
appear in the platform. Do not plan a launch on unreleased hosting.
π‘ Pricing
Website Studio availability follows your Search Atlas subscription. Search Atlas does not bill like a usage-based
Next.js host. There is no separate meter for server compute, databases, or environment secrets, but Website Studio has
its own Website Studio Credits quota. Those credits are consumed when you build or publish Studio pages, and you can top
them up. Review inclusions under your plan in the billing area of the platform. Application hosting, CMS, and database
costs stay with the provider you choose for that app.
π Migration choices
Pick the path that matches the site you actually have:
1. Studio site only. Build or rebuild marketing pages in Website Studio and publish them there. This fits content you
can manage in the builder.
2. Existing Next.js app. Leave the app, Payload, database, environment variables, and server routes on your current
host. Point your domain as that host requires.
3. Split setup. Use Website Studio for selected marketing pages only when you can route those hostnames or paths
cleanly. Do not expect Studio to run the app behind them.
Moving a Studio site out can include a React/Vite source ZIP after the site is published, using Download ZIP (source).
That ZIP is for self-hosting the Studio project. It is not a ready-to-deploy Next.js codebase, and it does not include a
database or server. Moving a Next.js app in does not import its repo, CMS, or environment into Studio. Plan content and
DNS changes before you switch public URLs.
β
Ownership
You keep ownership of the content you add. For a Studio site, day-to-day editing and publishing happen inside Search
Atlas, and Search Atlas hosts that published site. For a custom Next.js app, you own and operate the repository, CMS,
database, secrets, and hosting account. Connecting a property to Search Atlas for SEO does not transfer application
ownership to Search Atlas, and publishing in Studio does not give you Vercel-style infrastructure control.
βοΈ How OTTO fits
OTTO does not require Website Studio hosting. It can work with a Studio site or with an external site that is connected
to Search Atlas, including a Next.js site on Vercel. OTTO automates supported SEO fixes on the connected property. It
does not deploy your app, provision a database, store environment variables, or replace server routes. Use Studio when
you want Search Atlas to host the marketing site. Use your own host when you need a full Next.js stack, then connect
that domain so OTTO can run against it.
π¬ Need a hand
If you need further assistance, open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform and send your message. A
member of our support team will reply in the chat.