# Hetzner alternative for PHP hosting

Source: https://www.fortrabbit.com/alternatives/hetzner
Created: 2026-05-12
Reviewed: 2026-05-28


## Should you swap Hetzner for fortrabbit for managed PHP?

**fortrabbit is a managed PaaS built exclusively for PHP.** Hetzner is excellent value for raw infrastructure — German-based, reasonably priced [VPS](https://www.hetzner.com/cloud), [dedicated servers](https://www.hetzner.com/dedicated-rootserver), and cloud compute. But Hetzner gives you a bare Linux server and root access; everything above the OS is your responsibility: web server, PHP-FPM, MySQL, SSL, patches, monitoring, backups.

If you want German / EU hosting without the sysadmin work, fortrabbit gives you a tuned PHP environment on top — git push deploys, integrated MySQL, atomic releases, persistent storage, SSL by default, and human support. You trade some control for far less operational overhead. Plans start at €2.50 per month; the trial doesn't require a credit card.

::ContentButton{property="dashboard" text="Start a free trial — no credit card" route="/signup"}

## How does fortrabbit compare to Hetzner?

| Feature              | Hetzner Cloud         | fortrabbit                |
| -------------------- | --------------------- | ------------------------- |
| Abstraction          | VPS, root access      | Managed PaaS              |
| PHP runtime          | DIY                   | Pre-tuned, version-pinned |
| Web server           | DIY                   | Managed                   |
| Managed MySQL        | —                     | Native                    |
| Deployment           | SSH, own scripts      | git push                  |
| SSL certificates     | DIY                   | Automatic Let's Encrypt   |
| Patching / updates   | DIY                   | Managed                   |
| Backups              | DIY                   | Built-in                  |
| Region               | [EU + US](https://www.hetzner.com/cloud#pricing) | EU (Ireland)              |
| Support              | Email / docs          | Human chat, all plans     |
| Pricing model        | Per-VPS, hourly       | Per-app, monthly          |
| Time-to-first-deploy | Hours                 | Minutes                   |

## Pricing comparison

| Use case         | Hetzner Cloud (DIY)                                 | fortrabbit                          |
| ---------------- | --------------------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------- |
| Small site / dev | CX11 €4 + your time setting it up                   | **€5 / mo**                         |
| Production app   | CX21 €6 + your time maintaining it                  | **€30 / mo**                        |
| Scaled app       | CCX or dedicated + sysadmin hours                   | **€60–€120 / mo** depending on tier |

Hetzner's monthly fee looks lower — until you count the engineering hours spent on stack setup, patching, monitoring, backups, and incident response. See :ContentLink{href="/pricing" text="fortrabbit pricing"} for the current matrix.

## Migrating from Hetzner 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.** From your Hetzner server, `mysqldump` and import via fortrabbit's SSH tunnel — see :ContentLink{href="/guides/general/mysql-import" text="MySQL import guide" prefix="docs"}.
3. **Connect your git provider.** Install the fortrabbit GitHub App (or connect GitLab / Bitbucket) and link your existing repo to the new fortrabbit app — see :ContentLink{href="/platform/deployment/intro" text="deployment intro" prefix="docs"}. Pushes to your branch trigger an automatic deploy; Composer install runs as part of it.
4. **Move environment variables and secrets.** Set them in the fortrabbit dashboard.
5. **Move uploads and assets.** rsync from your Hetzner server into your fortrabbit app's persistent storage via SFTP / SSH.
6. **Cut over DNS.** Add the domain in the fortrabbit dashboard, update the DNS record, and watch the certificate issue automatically via Let's Encrypt.
7. **Decommission the VPS.** Once cutover is verified, retire the Hetzner 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.

For background on Hetzner itself, see our :ContentLink{href="/hosting-guide/providers/vps/hetzner" text="hosting guide entry"}.

::ContentButton{property="dashboard" text="Start a free trial — no credit card" route="/signup"}

::ContentButton{property="www" text="See pricing" route="/pricing" variant="secondary"}

## FAQ

### Why use fortrabbit instead of a Hetzner VPS for PHP hosting?

**Less server admin** — Hetzner gives you a Linux host with root access at competitive prices. Everything above the OS is your job: web server, PHP-FPM, MySQL, SSL certificates, security patches, monitoring, backups. fortrabbit gives up some of that control and runs the stack for you — git-push deploys, integrated MySQL, atomic releases, SSL by default. If you want managed PHP hosting in the EU without the sysadmin shift, that is the trade.

### Does fortrabbit host in Germany like Hetzner?

**No** — That is a common assumption worth correcting. fortrabbit is a German company registered in Berlin, but the EU infrastructure runs in AWS Ireland (the AWS EU region). Hetzner does host inside Germany at its own data centers, which is a real difference if specifically German data residency matters to you over generic EU residency. For most GDPR-bound projects, EU jurisdiction (which Ireland satisfies) is what compliance actually asks for.

### Is fortrabbit more expensive than a Hetzner VPS?

**It depends** — For the smallest workloads, a Hetzner VPS can be cheaper in raw monthly cost — €4 buys a usable machine. The fortrabbit price covers a managed PHP runtime, MySQL component, SSL, and persistent storage with no admin work. Once you factor in the time spent maintaining the VPS — patches, MySQL tuning, certificate renewal, backups — the cost picture is different. The right comparison is "VPS plus your time" against "managed plan".

### Can fortrabbit run the same PHP frameworks as a Hetzner server?

**Most of them** — Laravel, Symfony, Statamic, Craft CMS, Kirby, WordPress, and plain PHP all run on fortrabbit. The constraint is that PHP runs the app: no separate node processes, no system daemons next to it, no kernel-level tuning. For frameworks that need anything outside that envelope, a Hetzner VPS is still the right choice.

### Can a Hetzner-hosted app be tried on fortrabbit first?

**Yes** — The free trial runs for 7 days with no credit card, one per new app — enough to provision an app, import a database, and validate a deploy before switching. Billing afterwards is component-based and in arrears, so the first invoice only reflects real usage.

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- [About Hetzner](/hosting-guide/providers/vps/hetzner)
- [All alternatives](/alternatives)