Vultr alternative for PHP hosting
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Reviewedbyfl
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fortrabbit vs Vultr.
fortrabbit is a Vultr alternative for PHP teams who want a managed platform instead of a raw VPS to administrate.
Should you move from Vultr to fortrabbit for managed PHP?
fortrabbit is a managed PaaS built exclusively for PHP. Vultr is a competitive cloud-infra provider — VPS, bare metal, GPU, object storage, with data centers around the world and aggressive pricing on raw compute. But Vultr gives you a Linux server and root access; everything above the OS is your job: web server, PHP-FPM, MySQL, SSL, patches, monitoring, and the constant pressure of keeping the stack current.
If you want to skip the server-administration layer entirely, fortrabbit gives you a tuned PHP environment on top — git push deploys, integrated MySQL, atomic releases, persistent storage, SSL by default, and direct human support. You trade some flexibility for far less operational overhead. Plans start at €2.50 per month; the trial doesn't require a credit card.
Start a free trial — no credit cardHow does fortrabbit compare to Vultr?
| Feature | Vultr | fortrabbit |
|---|---|---|
| Abstraction | VPS, root access | Managed PaaS |
| PHP runtime | DIY | Pre-tuned, version-pinned |
| Web server | DIY | Managed |
| Managed MySQL | Paid service | Native |
| Deployment | SSH, own scripts | git push |
| SSL certificates | DIY | Automatic Let's Encrypt |
| Patching / updates | DIY | Managed |
| Backups | Paid add-on, DIY | Built-in |
| Region | Global | EU (Ireland) |
| Support | Tiered, paid for fast | Human chat, all plans |
| Pricing model | Per-VPS, hourly | Per-app, monthly |
| Time-to-first-deploy | Hours | Minutes |
Pricing comparison
| Use case | Vultr (DIY) | fortrabbit |
|---|---|---|
| Small site / dev | $6 VPS + your time setting it up | €5 / mo |
| Production app | $24 VPS + managed DB + backups ≈ $50+ / mo | €30 / mo |
| Scaled app | $96+ VPS + add-ons + sysadmin hours | €60–€120 / mo depending on tier |
Vultr's monthly fee is competitive — until you count the engineering hours spent on stack setup, patching, monitoring, backups, and incident response. See fortrabbit pricing for the current matrix.
Migrating from Vultr 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. From your Vultr server,
mysqldumpand import via fortrabbit's SSH tunnel — see MySQL import guide. - 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 and secrets. Set them in the fortrabbit dashboard.
- Move uploads and assets. rsync from your Vultr server into your fortrabbit app's persistent storage via SFTP / SSH.
- Cut over DNS. Add the domain in the fortrabbit dashboard, update the DNS record, and watch the certificate issue automatically via Let's Encrypt.
- Decommission the VPS. Once cutover is verified, retire the Vultr server.
Why teams switch
- No server maintenance. No patches, no firewall rules, no NGINX configs to debug at 11pm.
- PHP-first ergonomics. Composer, OPcache, PHP version pinning, integrated MySQL.
- Human support. You talk to engineers, not a ticket queue.
- Predictable bills. Per-app monthly pricing, no per-hour math, no add-on stacking.
For background on Vultr itself, see our hosting guide entry.
# Frequently asked
Why use fortrabbit instead of a Vultr VPS for PHP hosting?Less server admin
Less server admin - A Vultr VPS gives you a Linux host with root access at competitive prices. Everything above the OS is yours to run: web server, PHP-FPM, MySQL, SSL certificates, security patches, monitoring, backups. fortrabbit removes that layer — git-push deploys, integrated MySQL, atomic releases, SSL by default, all on a managed platform. You trade some flexibility for far less operational overhead.
#How do I move my PHP app from a Vultr VPS to fortrabbit?Self-service
Self-service - Put the codebase in a Git repo if it is not already there, push it to the new fortrabbit app, and Composer install runs as part of the deploy. Dump the MySQL database from the VPS and import it via the SSH tunnel into the new MySQL component; rsync uploaded files into the app's persistent storage. Cron jobs configured in the OS map to fortrabbit's cron jobs feature.
#Is fortrabbit more expensive than a Vultr VPS?It depends
It depends - For raw monthly cost on the smallest tier, a Vultr VPS is cheaper. fortrabbit's plans cover a managed PHP runtime, MySQL component, SSL, and persistent storage with no admin work. The honest comparison includes your time — patches, MySQL tuning, certificate renewal, backups — which is what the managed plan replaces.
#Which PHP frameworks can I run on fortrabbit instead of self-hosting on Vultr?Most of them
Most of them - All the common ones: Laravel, Symfony, Statamic, Craft CMS, Kirby, WordPress, and plain PHP. The constraint is that PHP runs the app — no separate Node processes, no system daemons next to it. If your stack needs anything outside that envelope, a VPS is still the right call; for everything that fits, the managed platform avoids the maintenance work.
#Which PHP version runs on fortrabbit?You decide
You decide - Pick the PHP version per app from a range of current and older releases. Composer handles dependencies on each deploy, and there is no root access — fortrabbit is a Platform as a Service, not a VPS, so code ships via git push rather than SSH provisioning.
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