# Laravel Forge alternative for PHP hosting

> 

## Laravel Forge alternative at a glance

**fortrabbit is a managed PaaS built exclusively for PHP.** Laravel Forge is a server-management tool — software you pay for that provisions and configures servers on a VPS provider (DigitalOcean, Linode, Vultr, AWS) that you also pay for. You end up with two bills, a VPS you're ultimately responsible for, and the operational weight of an OS you maintain.

If you want one integrated managed platform instead of "VPS + management software," fortrabbit gives you a tuned PHP environment with git push deploys, integrated MySQL, atomic releases, persistent storage, SSL by default, and human support — all in a single subscription. We've been hosting Laravel apps since before Forge existed. Plans start at €2.50 per month; the trial doesn't require a credit card.

## Laravel Forge vs fortrabbit — feature comparison

<table>
<thead>
  <tr>
    <th>
      Feature
    </th>
    
    <th>
      Forge + VPS
    </th>
    
    <th>
      fortrabbit
    </th>
  </tr>
</thead>

<tbody>
  <tr>
    <td>
      What you pay for
    </td>
    
    <td>
      Forge <strong>
        and
      </strong>
      
       VPS
    </td>
    
    <td>
      One subscription
    </td>
  </tr>
  
  <tr>
    <td>
      Abstraction
    </td>
    
    <td>
      Forge UI on a VPS you own
    </td>
    
    <td>
      Managed PaaS
    </td>
  </tr>
  
  <tr>
    <td>
      Underlying server
    </td>
    
    <td>
      Yours
    </td>
    
    <td>
      Managed
    </td>
  </tr>
  
  <tr>
    <td>
      PHP runtime
    </td>
    
    <td>
      Forge provisions, you tune
    </td>
    
    <td>
      Pre-tuned, version-pinned
    </td>
  </tr>
  
  <tr>
    <td>
      Managed MySQL
    </td>
    
    <td>
      On the VPS, you maintain
    </td>
    
    <td>
      Native, isolated
    </td>
  </tr>
  
  <tr>
    <td>
      Deployment
    </td>
    
    <td>
      git via Forge UI
    </td>
    
    <td>
      git push
    </td>
  </tr>
  
  <tr>
    <td>
      SSL certificates
    </td>
    
    <td>
      Forge: Let's Encrypt
    </td>
    
    <td>
      Automatic Let's Encrypt
    </td>
  </tr>
  
  <tr>
    <td>
      Patching
    </td>
    
    <td>
      Your VPS, your responsibility
    </td>
    
    <td>
      Managed
    </td>
  </tr>
  
  <tr>
    <td>
      Region
    </td>
    
    <td>
      Depends on VPS provider
    </td>
    
    <td>
      EU (Germany)
    </td>
  </tr>
  
  <tr>
    <td>
      Support
    </td>
    
    <td>
      Forge: email; VPS: separate
    </td>
    
    <td>
      Human chat, one contact
    </td>
  </tr>
  
  <tr>
    <td>
      Pricing model
    </td>
    
    <td>
      $12 Forge + $5–$100+ VPS
    </td>
    
    <td>
      Per-app, monthly
    </td>
  </tr>
  
  <tr>
    <td>
      Ownership
    </td>
    
    <td>
      You own the server
    </td>
    
    <td>
      Platform owns runtime
    </td>
  </tr>
</tbody>
</table>

## Pricing comparison

<table>
<thead>
  <tr>
    <th>
      Use case
    </th>
    
    <th>
      Forge + VPS
    </th>
    
    <th>
      fortrabbit
    </th>
  </tr>
</thead>

<tbody>
  <tr>
    <td>
      Small site / dev
    </td>
    
    <td>
      Forge $12 + DO $6 ≈ <strong>
        $18 / mo
      </strong>
      
       + your time
    </td>
    
    <td>
      <strong>
        €5 / mo
      </strong>
    </td>
  </tr>
  
  <tr>
    <td>
      Production app
    </td>
    
    <td>
      Forge $12 + DO $24 + backups ≈ <strong>
        $40+ / mo
      </strong>
    </td>
    
    <td>
      <strong>
        €30 / mo
      </strong>
    </td>
  </tr>
  
  <tr>
    <td>
      Scaled app
    </td>
    
    <td>
      Forge Pro + bigger VPS + add-ons ≈ <strong>
        $100+ / mo
      </strong>
    </td>
    
    <td>
      <strong>
        €60–€120 / mo
      </strong>
      
       depending on tier
    </td>
  </tr>
</tbody>
</table>

Plus your engineering hours managing the underlying VPS. See <content-link href="/pricing" text="fortrabbit pricing">



</content-link>

 for the current matrix.

## Migrating from Laravel Forge 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 Forge-managed VPS, `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. **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.
4. **Move environment variables and secrets.** Read `.env` from Forge, set the same values in the fortrabbit dashboard.
5. **Configure queue workers and scheduled tasks.** See fortrabbit's <content-link href="/guides/laravel" text="Laravel guides" prefix="docs">



</content-link>

 for queues and cron on the new platform.
6. **Move uploads and assets.** rsync from the Forge-managed VPS into your fortrabbit app's persistent storage via SFTP / SSH.
7. **Cut over DNS.** Add the domain in the fortrabbit dashboard, update the DNS record, and watch the certificate issue automatically via Let's Encrypt.
8. **Cancel Forge and the VPS.** Once cutover is verified, retire both.

## Why teams switch

- **One bill, one contact.** No "is it Forge or the VPS?" diagnosis loop.
- **No server to maintain.** The OS isn't your problem anymore.
- **PHP-first ergonomics.** Composer, OPcache, PHP version pinning, integrated MySQL.
- **Human support.** You talk to the engineers who run the platform.

For background on Laravel Forge itself, see our <content-link href="/hosting-guide/providers/server-management/laravel-forge" 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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