Fly.io alternative for PHP hosting
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fortrabbit vs Fly.io.
fortrabbit is a Fly.io alternative — a managed PHP PaaS without the CLI-and-Docker overhead, with native MySQL and persistent storage.
Why pick fortrabbit over Fly.io for PHP hosting?
fortrabbit is a managed PaaS built exclusively for PHP. Fly.io runs Firecracker microVMs in regions around the world — powerful infrastructure if you need global edge distribution, but everything is configured through the flyctl CLI and a Dockerfile you maintain. For most PHP teams, that's lower-level than they want.
If you don't need a global edge fleet — most PHP sites and applications don't — fortrabbit gives you the upper layer of abstraction: git push deploys, atomic releases, integrated MySQL, PHP-tuned runtime defaults (opcache, version pinning, Composer), and a dashboard instead of a CLI. Hosting is in EU data centers; support comes from the engineers who run the platform. Plans start at €2.50 per month; the trial doesn't require a credit card.
Start a free trial — no credit card# Frequently asked
Do I need Fly.io's global edge for a typical PHP app?Probably not
Probably not - Most PHP applications — internal tools, marketing sites, Laravel apps with one user base — do not benefit from a global edge fleet. Fly.io's Firecracker microVMs and worldwide regions are a real advantage if your users are evenly distributed across continents. If they are not, the additional complexity of a Dockerfile, flyctl, and multi-region state management is overhead you pay every deploy without a payoff.
#Can I deploy PHP to fortrabbit without writing a Dockerfile?Yes
Yes - fortrabbit accepts a PHP repository directly — push to your branch, Composer runs as part of the build, and the app starts on the PHP version you pinned in the dashboard. No Dockerfile, no flyctl, no machine config file. The trade-off is less control over the base image; the upside is no Docker step in the middle.
#Is fortrabbit cheaper than Fly.io for a single-region PHP app?Usually
Usually - For a small to mid-sized single-region PHP app with MySQL, fortrabbit's per-app plan is usually less than running equivalent Fly Machines plus a managed Postgres or MySQL on Fly. Pricing is a flat monthly plan rather than per-second machine billing, so you do not need to chart usage to predict the invoice.
#How do I migrate a PHP app from Fly.io to fortrabbit?Self-service
Self-service - Strip the Dockerfile and `fly.toml` from the migration path — they are not used. Push the repo to fortrabbit so the git-push triggers Composer install, transfer environment variables, and import the database from your Fly Postgres or MySQL dump via the SSH tunnel into the new MySQL component. Persistent volumes on Fly map to fortrabbit's persistent storage; rsync the contents in.
#Can I try fortrabbit before moving off Fly.io?Yes
Yes - The free trial runs for 7 days and needs no credit card, one trial per new app. That is enough to provision an app, import a database, and validate a deploy before committing. Pricing afterwards is component-based and billed in arrears, with a one-day minimum.
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