If you are a developer, startup, or business owner in Chennai or anywhere in India, you might think hosting a Next.js website requires VPS, AWS, or expensive cloud servers. But the truth is, if your website is a static Next.js site, you can host it easily on cPanel shared hosting without any complicated setup.

In this blog, we’ll explain how to host a Next.js Static Site on cPanel hosting without using VPS or cloud platforms, using a simple and cost-effective method. This guide is perfect for freelancers, agencies, and businesses who want fast deployment at affordable pricing.

---

Why Static Next.js is Perfect for cPanel Hosting

Next.js is popular because it supports both dynamic server-side rendering (SSR) and static website generation (SSG).

If your website is:

• Business website
• Portfolio
• Landing page
• Blog website
• Product showcase
• Company profile website

Then Static Export is the best choice because it generates plain HTML, CSS, and JavaScript files which can be hosted anywhere, including cPanel shared hosting.

Benefits of Hosting Static Next.js on cPanel

✅ No need for VPS or AWS
✅ Low-cost hosting plans
✅ Easy deployment like normal HTML websites
✅ Faster loading performance
✅ Better SEO performance
✅ Secure hosting with SSL
✅ Works smoothly for Indian business websites

For Chennai-based businesses, this is one of the most affordable ways to launch a professional modern website.

---

What You Need Before Hosting Next.js on cPanel

Before starting, make sure you have:

• A Next.js project ready
• cPanel hosting account (like ChennaiHost cPanel Hosting)
• Domain name (example: yourbusiness.in)
• FTP access or cPanel File Manager access

At ChennaiHost.com, you can get both domain + cPanel hosting in one place with quick setup support in India.

---

Step 1: Prepare Your Next.js Project for Static Export

Static hosting works only if you export your Next.js project as static files.

Open your Next.js project folder and run:

npm install
npm run build

Now export the static website:

npm run export

After this, Next.js will generate a folder named:

📁 out

This folder contains all the static files needed for hosting.

---

Step 2: Check Your Next.js Configuration (Important)

In your next.config.js, make sure export is enabled properly.

Example configuration:

/** @type {import('next').NextConfig} */
const nextConfig = {
  output: 'export',
  images: {
    unoptimized: true,
  },
};

module.exports = nextConfig;

Why images: unoptimized?

Because Next.js image optimization requires a server environment. Since we are hosting in shared hosting without Node.js server, we disable it.

---

Step 3: Generate the Static Website Files

Now run:

npm run build
npm run export

After export, your static website is ready inside:

📁 out/

---

Step 4: Login to cPanel Hosting

Now login to your cPanel hosting account.

Go to:

✅ File Manager
or
✅ Use FTP (FileZilla recommended)

Inside cPanel, open the folder:

📁 public_html

This is the main root folder for your domain.

---

Step 5: Upload Next.js Static Files to public_html

Now open your out/ folder and upload all files inside it to:

📁 public_html

Your folder structure should look like:

• public_html/
  • index.html
  • _next/
  • assets/
  • about/
  • contact/
  • etc…

Once uploaded, your Next.js static site will be live instantly.

---

Step 6: Fix 404 Error for Page Routes (Very Important)

In Next.js, pages like:

• /about
• /contact
• /services

are stored as folders with index.html.

But sometimes on Apache hosting, direct routing may show 404 error.

To fix this, you must create an .htaccess file inside public_html.

Add this .htaccess code:

RewriteEngine On

RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !-f
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !-d
RewriteRule ^(.*)$ /$1.html [L]

If your Next.js export creates folder-based routes, then use:

RewriteEngine On

RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !-f
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !-d
RewriteRule ^(.*)$ $1/index.html [L]

This ensures all page routes load properly.

---

Step 7: Enable HTTPS (SSL) in cPanel

Most hosting providers in India support free SSL.

In cPanel:

✅ Go to SSL/TLS Status
✅ Enable SSL for your domain
✅ Force HTTPS redirection

You can also add this in .htaccess to force HTTPS:

RewriteEngine On
RewriteCond %{HTTPS} off
RewriteRule ^ https://%{HTTP_HOST}%{REQUEST_URI} [L,R=301]

Now your website will open securely with:

🔒 https://yourdomain.com

---

Step 8: Improve Speed Using Caching (Recommended)

Next.js static sites are already fast, but you can make them even faster using browser caching.

Add this to .htaccess:

<IfModule mod_expires.c>
  ExpiresActive On
  ExpiresByType text/css "access plus 1 month"
  ExpiresByType application/javascript "access plus 1 month"
  ExpiresByType image/jpg "access plus 1 year"
  ExpiresByType image/jpeg "access plus 1 year"
  ExpiresByType image/png "access plus 1 year"
  ExpiresByType image/webp "access plus 1 year"
</IfModule>

This improves speed for visitors across India, including Chennai, Bangalore, Mumbai, Delhi, and other cities.

---

Step 9: Best Practices for Hosting Next.js Static Site in India

If you are targeting Indian customers, follow these tips:

✅ Choose India-Based Server Location

Hosting your site in India reduces latency and improves loading speed.

✅ Use Lightweight Images

Compress images before uploading.

✅ Use CDN (Optional)

If you expect traffic from multiple locations, CDN helps.

✅ Optimize SEO Titles & Meta Tags

Next.js supports excellent SEO even for static sites.

✅ Enable GZIP Compression

Add this in .htaccess:

<IfModule mod_deflate.c>
  AddOutputFilterByType DEFLATE text/html text/plain text/xml text/css text/javascript application/javascript application/json
</IfModule>

---

When You Should NOT Use Static Hosting

Static export is not suitable if your website requires:

❌ Server-side authentication
❌ Real-time database queries
❌ Admin panel with server API
❌ Dynamic SSR pages
❌ Complex user dashboards

For such projects, you need VPS or cloud hosting.

But for 90% of business websites, static Next.js hosting is perfect.

---

Why ChennaiHost is Best for Hosting Next.js Static Sites

If you are searching for affordable hosting in Chennai, ChennaiHost provides:

✅ Reliable cPanel hosting plans
✅ Free SSL certificate support
✅ Fast performance for Indian visitors
✅ Domain + hosting packages
✅ Email hosting support
✅ Affordable pricing for startups & businesses
✅ Chennai-based support team

If you are a freelancer or web agency in Chennai, you can host multiple client websites easily using cPanel.

---

Conclusion

Hosting a Next.js static website on cPanel without VPS or cloud is the smartest option for businesses in Chennai and India. It is affordable, fast, SEO-friendly, and simple to deploy.

If your Next.js site is static, you can simply export it and upload it like a normal website. No need for expensive AWS or dedicated servers.

---

Host Your Next.js Static Website with ChennaiHost

If you are looking for the best cPanel hosting solution in India, ChennaiHost is the right choice.