# Fly.io alternative for PHP hosting

> 

## Fly.io alternative for PHP at a glance

**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.

## Fly.io vs fortrabbit — feature comparison

<table>
<thead>
  <tr>
    <th>
      Feature
    </th>
    
    <th>
      Fly.io
    </th>
    
    <th>
      fortrabbit
    </th>
  </tr>
</thead>

<tbody>
  <tr>
    <td>
      Focus
    </td>
    
    <td>
      Polyglot, microVMs
    </td>
    
    <td>
      PHP only
    </td>
  </tr>
  
  <tr>
    <td>
      Abstraction
    </td>
    
    <td>
      Dockerfile required
    </td>
    
    <td>
      Push PHP source
    </td>
  </tr>
  
  <tr>
    <td>
      Deployment
    </td>
    
    <td>
      <code>
        flyctl
      </code>
      
      , Dockerfile
    </td>
    
    <td>
      git push, atomic
    </td>
  </tr>
  
  <tr>
    <td>
      Managed MySQL
    </td>
    
    <td>
      —
    </td>
    
    <td>
      Native
    </td>
  </tr>
  
  <tr>
    <td>
      Managed Postgres
    </td>
    
    <td>
      Yes
    </td>
    
    <td>
      —
    </td>
  </tr>
  
  <tr>
    <td>
      Edge regions
    </td>
    
    <td>
      30+ worldwide
    </td>
    
    <td>
      EU (Germany)
    </td>
  </tr>
  
  <tr>
    <td>
      SSH access
    </td>
    
    <td>
      <code>
        flyctl ssh
      </code>
      
      , ephemeral
    </td>
    
    <td>
      Full SFTP + SSH
    </td>
  </tr>
  
  <tr>
    <td>
      Pricing model
    </td>
    
    <td>
      Per-machine + bandwidth
    </td>
    
    <td>
      Per-app, monthly
    </td>
  </tr>
  
  <tr>
    <td>
      Free tier
    </td>
    
    <td>
      Limited allowance
    </td>
    
    <td>
      30-day trial, no card
    </td>
  </tr>
  
  <tr>
    <td>
      Support
    </td>
    
    <td>
      Community, paid fast
    </td>
    
    <td>
      Human chat, all plans
    </td>
  </tr>
  
  <tr>
    <td>
      Company
    </td>
    
    <td>
      Venture-backed
    </td>
    
    <td>
      Independent, bootstrapped
    </td>
  </tr>
</tbody>
</table>

## Pricing comparison

<table>
<thead>
  <tr>
    <th>
      Use case
    </th>
    
    <th>
      Fly.io
    </th>
    
    <th>
      fortrabbit
    </th>
  </tr>
</thead>

<tbody>
  <tr>
    <td>
      Small site / dev
    </td>
    
    <td>
      shared-cpu-1x + small Postgres ≈ <strong>
        $5–$10 / mo
      </strong>
    </td>
    
    <td>
      <strong>
        €5 / mo
      </strong>
    </td>
  </tr>
  
  <tr>
    <td>
      Production app
    </td>
    
    <td>
      dedicated 2x + Postgres + bandwidth ≈ <strong>
        $50+ / mo
      </strong>
    </td>
    
    <td>
      <strong>
        €30 / mo
      </strong>
    </td>
  </tr>
  
  <tr>
    <td>
      Scaled app
    </td>
    
    <td>
      Multi-region machines + DB ≈ <strong>
        $150+ / mo
      </strong>
    </td>
    
    <td>
      <strong>
        €60–€120 / mo
      </strong>
      
       depending on tier
    </td>
  </tr>
</tbody>
</table>

Numbers are illustrative — exact Fly.io pricing varies with machine size, region count, and egress. See <content-link href="/pricing" text="fortrabbit pricing">



</content-link>

 for the current matrix.

## Migrating from Fly.io to fortrabbit

1. **Provision the app on fortrabbit.** Pick a region (EU) and a plan. The free trial is enough to validate the move.
2. **Add the MySQL component.** If you were on Fly Postgres, plan a schema port; if you brought your own MySQL, `mysqldump` and import via fortrabbit's SSH tunnel — see <content-link href="/guides/general/mysql-import" text="MySQL import guide" prefix="docs">



</content-link>

.
3. **Drop the Dockerfile and fly.toml.** fortrabbit deploys PHP source via git push; no container image or app config file to maintain.
4. **Connect your git provider.** Install the fortrabbit GitHub App (or connect GitLab / Bitbucket) and link your existing repo to the new fortrabbit app — see <content-link href="/platform/deployment/intro" text="deployment intro" prefix="docs">



</content-link>

. Pushes to your branch trigger an automatic deploy; Composer install runs as part of it.
5. **Move environment variables and secrets.** `flyctl secrets list` → fortrabbit env vars. Set in the dashboard or via the CLI.
6. **Move persistent volumes.** rsync from Fly volumes into your fortrabbit app's persistent storage via SFTP / SSH.
7. **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 Dockerfile, no flyctl.** Push PHP source, use a dashboard.
- **PHP-first ergonomics.** Composer, OPcache, version pinning, integrated MySQL — all defaults.
- **Predictable bills.** Per-app monthly pricing, no per-machine or egress surprises.
- **Owner-run support.** You talk to the engineers who run the platform.

For background on Fly.io itself, see our <content-link href="/hosting-guide/providers/paas/fly" text="hosting guide entry">



</content-link>

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<content-button property="www" route="/pricing" text="See pricing" variant="secondary">



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