Servd alternative
Created
Reviewed
🍽️
More than one dish on the menu.
Consider fortrabbit an alternative to Servd, specifically when you are looking to host Craft CMS aside with other PHP projects.
About Servd
Servd.host is a hosting service specialized in Craft CMS. It is uniquely made for Craft and has therefore a high grade of abstraction for doing just that. Run by a small, independent, UK-based team and publisher of its own Craft plugin, Servd has a strong reputation in the Craft community as the original Craft-focused platform. Just like fortrabbit, Servd is a small hosting provider — we really like what they are doing over there, it is a genuinely good service.
Under the hood, Servd runs containers on Kubernetes with atomic git-push deploys, a Craft-tuned stack (Nginx, PHP 8, Redis, static caching), and data centers in the US, EU, UK, and Canada. The Craft-specific features are the draw: off-server image transforms, a global asset CDN, automated backups with one-click restore, and staging on every plan. SSH is available through short-lived sessions, and the database is reached over an SSH tunnel. Each plan hosts a single Craft install.
Servd compared to fortrabbit
| Feature | Servd | fortrabbit |
|---|---|---|
| Made by | Small independent UK team | Independent, bootstrapped |
| Runs | Craft CMS only | Any PHP, Craft CMS included |
| Deployment | git push, atomic | git push, Composer builds, atomic |
| SSH / SFTP | Short-lived SSH sessions | Full SSH + SFTP |
| Sites / plan | One Craft install | Multiple apps per account |
| Staging | Included | Optional component |
| Assets | Craft-native asset CDN | Persistent storage, CDN via Cloudflare |
| Regions | US, EU, UK, CA | EU (Dublin), US (N. Virginia) |
| Pricing model | Per-plan tiers | Per component, billed in arrears |
| Support | Craft specialists | Human chat, all plans |
Why fortrabbit
fortrabbit is also a specialized hosting service, but with a more general approach. It is thus more open to different workflows and, as mentioned, other PHP software such as Laravel and even WordPress. Compared to Servd, fortrabbit is less magic — more of the Craft-specific tuning is left to the developer or a third-party service, in exchange for a more open, standard platform.
Prices with fortrabbit are generally more competitive than Servd. While Servd includes staging in its base plans, fortrabbit offers it as an optional component, allowing a more tailored selection of resources for better cost efficiency. Both services are fully managed and run on premium hardware. Both Servd and fortrabbit are less expensive than Craft Cloud, the first-party managed Craft CMS option. For more economical but less advanced routes, shared hosting or a VPS remain alternatives.
Try both services and see what fits. What suits you depends on your needs and skills — some prefer this, others that.
# Frequently asked
Is fortrabbit a good Servd alternative?Yes
Yes - Especially when Craft needs company. Servd is a Craft-only specialist with deep, Craft-tuned automation; fortrabbit hosts Craft CMS well too but stays a general PHP platform, so it fits when Craft needs to live next to a Laravel app or another PHP project under one account.
#Does fortrabbit host Craft CMS as well as Servd?Yes
Yes - fortrabbit has hosted Craft CMS since the early days of the CMS. Deploys run via git push with Composer in the build, a free Craft plugin automates setup and database syncs, and assets live in persistent storage. Servd layers on more Craft-specific magic — off-server image transforms, a Craft-native asset CDN — at the cost of being Craft-only.
#Can I run more than one site?Yes
Yes - Servd plans cover one Craft install each, so multiple sites mean multiple plans. On fortrabbit, several apps — Craft or otherwise — run under the same account and are billed per component.
#Is fortrabbit cheaper than Servd?Generally
Generally - Prices with fortrabbit are generally more competitive than Servd, since resources are picked per component rather than bundled per plan. Both are cheaper than Craft Cloud, the first-party managed Craft option.
#Do both include staging?Differently
Differently - Servd includes a staging environment in every plan. fortrabbit offers staging as an optional component, so it is added only when a project needs it — keeping the base cost lower.
#