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Where did the uploads go?

DigitalOcean App Platform alternative for PHP hosting

Q: Do uploads survive a deploy on fortrabbit?

Yes - Every app has persistent storage for uploads and generated files. On App Platform the local filesystem is replaced with each container, so files have to go to Spaces object storage.

Q: How is MySQL priced compared to App Platform?

One bill - On App Platform the database is a separate product, from $7 for a dev database or $15.15 for managed MySQL. On fortrabbit MySQL is a component of the app, sized on its own and billed on the same invoice.

Q: Is there root access?

SSH yes, root no - fortrabbit is a platform, not a VPS. Every plan has SSH and SFTP for console commands, database tunnels and file transfer; the operating system stays ours.

On App Platform, uploads written to disk are gone after the next deploy. fortrabbit is built for PHP and keeps them.

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Built what

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About DigitalOcean

DigitalOcean Holdings, Inc. is a cloud company traded on the American stock market (DOCN). It started with VPS, called Droplets, and as it grew, it expanded into a broader cloud to capture a share of the larger client market. App Platform is its PaaS. DigitalOcean also acquired Cloudways.

Why not App Platform?

App Platform builds PHP with a buildpack and runs it in containers that get thrown away all the time. Anything written to the local disk is gone after the next deploy, and volumes are not supported. So the Craft CMS assets, the WordPress media library and the Laravel storage folder need rewiring to Spaces object storage. Forget one path and a client's images disappear on a Tuesday afternoon.

Then there is the database, a separate product, and an app spec in YAML that a single PHP app never asked for.

And the Droplet next door? It may seem like an affordable option, but it requires a significant investment of time and skills to set up and manage. Being a Linux sysadmin is a time-consuming job.

Why fortrabbit

Enjoy a clutter-free hosting experience. fortrabbit is not a hosting giant, but a small provider with a track record. We value you as a client. Every app gets persistent storage, so uploads stay where the CMS put them. MySQL is a component of the app, the PHP version is a setting, and SSH works on every plan. No YAML.

App Platform and fortrabbit

Feature	DO App Platform	fortrabbit
Runtimes	Many, buildpacks	PHP only
Files	Ephemeral, use Spaces	Persistent storage
MySQL	Separate product	Component
Config	YAML app spec	Dashboard
Company	NYSE: DOCN	Independent, bootstrapped

# Different by design

Pay in arrears

Daily prorated, post-paid billing. No upfront payment, no yearly commitment.

Modular pricing

Pay per component and scale each one from xs to 2xl on its own.

No dark patterns

No vendor lock-in, no upselling, no misleading messages.

Humans in support

Eye-level developer chat over the support bubble. No sales calls.

Developer-first

Git-push deploy, SSH access, bring your own code. No 1-click bloat.

Managed platform

A hardened, service-oriented PHP stack. Deploy code, skip the server admin.

# Frequently asked

Do uploads survive a deploy on fortrabbit?

Yes

Yes - Every app has persistent storage for uploads and generated files. On App Platform the local filesystem is replaced with each container, so files have to go to Spaces object storage.

How is MySQL priced compared to App Platform?

One bill

One bill - On App Platform the database is a separate product, from $7 for a dev database or $15.15 for managed MySQL. On fortrabbit MySQL is a component of the app, sized on its own and billed on the same invoice.

Is there root access?

SSH yes, root no

SSH yes, root no - fortrabbit is a platform, not a VPS. Every plan has SSH and SFTP for console commands, database tunnels and file transfer; the operating system stays ours.

# What customers say

Having fortrabbit is like having a dedicated DevOps engineer on the team, taking care of the infrastructure so we can focus on writing code. We've used many PaaS providers, but none come close to fortrabbit's mix of features, reliability, predictable and fair pricing, and fast, genuinely helpful support. Their service has been rock solid, giving us the confidence that our apps are in good hands.

Len van Essen

CTO at Fitwinkel

2026 — Direct feedback

Unmatched performances and ease-of-configure. I really like what fortrabbit is doing for the modern PHP hosting ecosystem, and I'd suggest anyone to have a try with them.

Federico Magnani

CTO at glueglue