# PHP hosting with a free trial

Source: https://www.fortrabbit.com/php-hosting/with-free-trial
Published: 2026-10-17
Reviewed: 2026-10-17

> Every new fortrabbit app starts a seven-day free trial with no credit card: all components, git push deploys, SSH and staging environments.


fortrabbit is managed PHP hosting with a free trial on every new app: seven days, no credit card, on the same platform paying customers run on. A trial app books PHP, MySQL, storage, traffic, backups and jobs in any size up to a monthly cost threshold; a larger setup needs a payment method attached, which is still not charged during the trial. The trial includes git push deploys from GitHub with Composer builds, SSH and SFTP access, staging environments, an HTTPS test domain and team invites. A countdown in the dashboard shows the time left, and an e-mail goes out before the end. Without a payment method, the app, its environments and their data are deleted when the seven days are over. With one, the app keeps running and billing starts by the day for the booked components. Each new app starts its own trial, so a client demo or a weekend project gets seven days of its own.

## What happens when the free trial ends

| Payment method on the app | At trial end |
| -- | -- |
| None, the default | App, environments and data are deleted |
| Attached during the trial | App keeps running, billing starts by the day |

Billing runs in arrears per component, from €2.50 a month for the smallest environment. The [pricing page](/pricing) lists every plan.

## Limits of the free trial

- Seven days, extended by support on request before the end.
- A setup above the monthly cost threshold needs a payment method before it can be booked.
- Several trial apps at once without a payment method get shorter trials.
- Deletion at trial end is final, so keep the code in Git and a local copy of the database.

## Testing a migration on the trial

Run a copy of the current site on a trial app, check it on the test domain, and only then touch DNS. The [migration guide](https://docs.fortrabbit.com/dev/how-to/migrate-to-fortrabbit) covers the steps, and the [alternatives pages](/alternatives) carry notes per provider.

## FAQ

### Is a credit card needed for the free trial?

**No** — A trial app runs without any payment method. A payment method is only needed to keep the app after seven days, or to book a setup above the trial's cost threshold. Nothing is charged during the trial either way.

### What happens to the data when the trial ends?

**Deleted, unless kept** — Without a payment method, the app, all its environments and their data are deleted at the end of the trial. An e-mail goes out ahead of time, and the dashboard shows a countdown. Attach a payment method before the end to keep everything as it is.

### Can the trial be extended?

**Ask support** — Yes, on request before the trial ends. Write to support what is being tested and why more time helps. Most requests are granted.

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- [Test for free](/benefits/try-free)
- [Free trial details](/platform/get-started/free-trial)
- [Pricing](/pricing)