DigitalOcean App Platform alternative for PHP hosting
🐙
fortrabbit vs DO App Platform.
fortrabbit is a DigitalOcean App Platform alternative — a managed PHP PaaS with native MySQL, persistent storage, and predictable per-app pricing.
DigitalOcean App Platform alternative for PHP at a glance
fortrabbit is a managed PaaS built exclusively for PHP. DigitalOcean App Platform sits on top of DO's Droplets and Kubernetes infrastructure, offering managed deployments for many languages and frameworks. For PHP specifically, the experience is generic — you assemble app spec files, manage container resources, and handle MySQL as a separate managed-database product with its own pricing tier.
If you want a PaaS where PHP is the default rather than one option of many, fortrabbit gives you git-push deployments, integrated MySQL, atomic releases, and PHP-tuned defaults (opcache, version pinning, Composer) — without app spec YAML or separate database billing. Hosting is in EU data centers, support is direct from the engineers running the platform, and pricing is per-app and predictable. Plans start at €2.50 per month; the trial doesn't require a credit card.
DO App Platform vs fortrabbit — feature comparison
| Feature | DO App Platform | fortrabbit |
|---|---|---|
| Focus | Polyglot, buildpacks | PHP only |
| Deployment | git + app spec | git push, atomic |
| Managed MySQL | Separate paid product | Native |
| Managed Redis | Separate paid product | Native |
| App configuration | YAML app spec | Dashboard + git |
| SSH access | Console only | Full SFTP + SSH |
| Region | Many DO regions | EU (Germany) |
| Pricing model | Per-component hourly | Per-app, monthly |
| Free tier | Static sites only | 30-day trial, no card |
| Support | Tiered, paid for fast | Human chat, all plans |
| Company | NYSE: DOCN | Independent, bootstrapped |
Pricing comparison
| Use case | DO App Platform | fortrabbit |
|---|---|---|
| Small site / dev | Basic $5 + DB $15 ≈ $20 / mo | €5 / mo |
| Production app | Pro $25 + DB $30 ≈ $55 / mo | €30 / mo |
| Scaled app | Pro 2x $50 + DB $60 + Redis ≈ $120+ / mo | €60–€120 / mo depending on tier |
Numbers are illustrative — exact App Platform pricing varies with component size and database tier. See fortrabbit pricing for the current matrix.
Migrating from DO App Platform to fortrabbit
- Provision the app on fortrabbit. Pick a region (EU) and a plan. The free trial is enough to validate the move.
- Add the MySQL component. Export from DO's managed MySQL, import via fortrabbit's SSH tunnel — see MySQL import guide.
- Drop the app spec. fortrabbit deploys PHP source via git push directly; no app spec YAML to maintain.
- Connect your git provider. Install the fortrabbit GitHub App (or connect GitLab / Bitbucket) and link your existing repo to the new fortrabbit app — see deployment intro. Pushes to your branch trigger an automatic deploy; Composer install runs as part of it.
- Move environment variables. DO App Platform env vars map 1:1 to fortrabbit env vars — set in the dashboard or via the CLI.
- Move static files. rsync uploads and assets into your fortrabbit app's persistent storage via SFTP / SSH.
- Cut over DNS. Add the domain in the fortrabbit dashboard, update the CNAME, and watch the certificate issue automatically via Let's Encrypt.
Why teams switch
- No app spec YAML. Push PHP source, not configuration files.
- PHP-first ergonomics. Composer, OPcache, version pinning, integrated MySQL — all defaults.
- Predictable bills. Per-app monthly pricing, no per-component stacking.
- Owner-run support. You talk to the engineers who run the platform.
For background on DigitalOcean as a hosting provider, see our DigitalOcean Droplets entry.
Start a free trial — no credit card