Can you use WebSockets on Vercel? Yes now, and here's how they're billed
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Source checked 1 Nov 2026 · Published 1 Nov 2026 · Last reviewed 1 Nov 2026 · By Ctrl+Z Therapy (how we test)
The short answer
Vercel's changelog of October 20, 2026: WebSocket support in Vercel Functions is generally available. Vercel's docs say WebSockets are available on all plans and require Fluid compute, which is the default for new projects created on or after April 23, 2025. WebSocket connections follow the same limits and pricing as other Function invocations, and with Active CPU pricing, CPU is billed only for the time spent processing messages.
What to do
- Check that Fluid compute is on for your project.
- Plan for disconnects: WebSocket connections close when a Vercel Function reaches its maximum duration.
- Ask your AI tool: "Make this app's WebSocket client reconnect when the connection closes: recreate the connection, resubscribe to its channels, and reload the state it needs to continue."
Good to know
- Billing includes Function usage while the connection is active, plus data transfer for data sent over the connection.
Source
Checked on 1 Nov 2026. Prices, limits and settings change, so check the source before you rely on them.