Quick answer
Google Cloud Run is a serverless platform that runs your website in containers which scale automatically with traffic. You get HTTPS by default, global load balancing, and pay for compute used — without managing servers. At Pettifer Works we deploy client sites on Cloud Run with managed hosting from £15/month.
Who this applies to
UK business owners comparing hosting options who want better performance than cheap shared hosting without running their own servers.
Main explanation
Traditional shared hosting packs hundreds of sites on one server. Cloud Run isolates each deployment in a container that starts on demand and scales under load. For business websites built with Next.js, this means strong performance during campaigns and press coverage without manual server upgrades.
Why it suits business websites
- Auto-scales during traffic spikes
- Automatic SSL certificate management
- Google's enterprise infrastructure
- Works excellently with Next.js standalone output
- Isolated containers improve security vs shared hosting
- Pay-per-use compute — efficient for typical SME traffic
Comparison table
| Feature | Cloud Run | Typical shared hosting |
|---|---|---|
| Scaling | Automatic | Fixed server capacity |
| SSL | Managed automatically | Often manual or addon |
| Isolation | Container per deployment | Shared with many sites |
| Performance | Consistent under load | Degrades when neighbours spike |
| Management | Handled by your developer | You manage cPanel/plugins |
Common mistakes
- Assuming you need your own Google Cloud account — we manage it for clients
- Comparing Cloud Run monthly cost to £3 shared hosting without comparing speed
- Deploying WordPress to Cloud Run without optimising — wrong tool for the job
Recommended next step
See our Google Cloud Run hosting and managed website hosting pages for how we deploy and support client sites.
