The Laravel Forge Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Laravel Forge in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.
Laravel Forge
The Insider’s Guide
Server management and deploys for Laravel, PHP and Node apps
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among web hosts, read from Laravel Forge’s own pages.
Made by Laravel · checked Nov 12, 2026 · toolgpa.com
Contents
- 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
- 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
- 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
- 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
- 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
- 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
- 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
ToolGPA put this guide together from Laravel Forge’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Laravel Forge’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Nov 12, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
1.8
GPA, above 9 of the 54 other web hosts we grade
Forge provisions and manages servers for Laravel and other PHP apps, plus WordPress, Statamic, Nuxt and Next.js. It installs Nginx, PHP, a database and Redis, handles SSL, zero-downtime deploys, queues and scheduled tasks, and lets you use either Laravel VPS servers or your own cloud provider. Pricing is a flat monthly fee that does not include what a cloud provider charges.
To get you started, here are 8 things to know about Laravel Forge, taken from its own pages and our grades.
You connect a cloud account and set up servers and sites.
- 1
Best for managing Laravel and PHP servers
There's no free plan or trial, you also pay for the servers, and Hobby includes only one external server.
- 2
Paid plans start at $12 a month
As its pricing page puts it: $12 per month (Hobby, monthly billing).
- 3
It runs on Web
Web.
- 4
Laravel VPS
A one-click server option that Forge says is set up in under 10 seconds, with Nginx, PHP, MySQL or Postgres and Redis installed, and a shared web terminal.
- 5
Zero-downtime deploys
Deploys can be scripted, queued and stacked, and zero-downtime deployments are included for a single server.
- 6
Bring your own cloud
Servers can also be created at providers such as DigitalOcean, AWS and Hetzner, though on Hobby only one external server is included.
- 7
A 1.8 GPA, above 9 of 54
That is against the other web hosts we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 8
Keep it
To replace Laravel Forge you would be making connections to other products, each kept working as those products change. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
Laravel Forge at a glance
- Pricing
- Paid, from $12 per month (Hobby, monthly billing)
- Free plan
- No
- Free trial
- None stated
- Runs on
- Web
- Made by
- Laravel
- Category
- Web Hosting
- Our grade
- 1.8 GPA, weak
The report card
Best for managing Laravel and PHP servers
Laravel Forge manages servers and deploys for Laravel and PHP apps at $12 a month. There's no free plan or trial, you also pay for the servers, and Hobby includes only one external server.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | C | $12 a month on Hobby, about the category middle ($11), with servers billed separately by your provider or Laravel VPS. Growth is $19 and Business $39. |
| Free plan and trial | F | No free plan or trial on the pricing page. |
| Features | C | Server setup, zero-downtime deploys, queues, databases, SSL and an API. It does the server-management job fully, but that's a smaller job than hosting, and Hobby limits you to 1 external server. |
| Ease of use | C | No store rating on record. You connect a cloud account and set up servers and sites. |
| Platforms and integrations | B | Web only, with DigitalOcean, AWS, Hetzner and a documented REST API. |
An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.
Who Laravel Forge is for
- Fits if you run Laravel apps and want flat-rate server management
- Works for solo developers with many apps on their own cloud accounts
Who it is not for
- Skip it if you want a free plan or trial
- Watch out: servers are billed separately
- Tight if you use other clouds: Hobby has 1 external server
- Pricey if you want shared-server discounts, as Laravel VPS discounts start at Growth ($19)
- Watch out: only monthly prices could be read
Good to know
Good for
- Laravel developers who want flat-rate server management
- Solo developers running many apps on their own cloud accounts
- Teams that want shared servers and monitoring in one dashboard
Worth knowing
- Forge is a paid service with no free plan or trial listed on its pricing page.
- You also pay your cloud provider, or Laravel VPS charges, for the servers themselves.
- Hobby includes only 1 external server; unlimited external servers start with Growth at $19 a month.
- The pricing page has a Monthly and an Annual toggle; the annual figures could not be read, so only monthly prices are listed.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
$12
A month to start
Laravel Forge is a paid product, starting at $12 per month (Hobby, monthly billing).
No free plan or trial on the pricing page.
Hobby
$12
per month, monthly billing
Unlimited Laravel VPS servers, 1 external server, unlimited sites and deployments, managed databases and community support.
Growth
$19
per month, monthly billing
Unlimited servers, 5% discount on Laravel VPS and standard support, plus the other features of Hobby.
Business
$39
per month, monthly billing
Unlimited servers, 15% discount on Laravel VPS and advanced support.
Read from laravel.com on Nov 12, 2026.
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
1
Place it runs: Web
Server management and deploys for Laravel, PHP and Node apps. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: public API, workflow automation.
Server setup, zero-downtime deploys, queues, databases, SSL and an API.
- Laravel VPS
- A one-click server option that Forge says is set up in under 10 seconds, with Nginx, PHP, MySQL or Postgres and Redis installed, and a shared web terminal.
- Zero-downtime deploys
- Deploys can be scripted, queued and stacked, and zero-downtime deployments are included for a single server.
- Bring your own cloud
- Servers can also be created at providers such as DigitalOcean, AWS and Hetzner, though on Hobby only one external server is included.
- Databases and queues
- Forge can provision, back up and monitor database clusters, and supervises queue workers without manual Supervisor setup.
- SSL and hosted domains
- Free automated SSL is included, along with on-forge.com hosted domains for launching an app before domain setup.
- API
- A documented REST API covers servers, deployments, databases, firewall rules, backups, monitors and other resources.
Where it runs
- Web
What it works with
- DigitalOcean
- AWS
- Hetzner
- Laravel
- WordPress
- Statamic
- Next.js
- Nuxt
Laravel Forge is made by Laravel.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
9/54
Other web hosts it is graded above
Laravel Forge's GPA of 1.8 is higher than 9 of the 54 other web hosts we grade, and level with 10.
It stands best on platforms and integrations (B, above 24 of 54) and worst on free plan and trial (F, above 0).
Its paid plans start at $12 a month, against a middle price of $9 for the category: 33 of the 52 others that charge start lower.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.3 out of 4. 3 tools score higher and cost less.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 55 web hosts we grade, cut by the letter each got. Laravel Forge’s own letter is outlined.
- CValue for moneyAbove 5 of 54
- FFree plan and trialAbove 0 of 54
- CFeaturesAbove 0 of 54
- CEase of useAbove 9 of 54
- BPlatforms and integrationsAbove 24 of 54
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 53 web hosts. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Laravel Forge is the marked dot.
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
Keep it, or make your own?
Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.
Keep it
To replace Laravel Forge you would be making connections to other products, each kept working as those products change. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
That makes this kind of software worth paying for, not this one in particular: 35 of the 54 other web hosts grade higher. It costs $144 a year.
What you could not
- Connections to other products, each kept working as those products change.
What this rests on. Laravel Forge’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
Part 05 · Alternatives
The alternatives
The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
Ploi, RunCloud, SpinupWP, GridPane and DigitalOcean
The 5 tools Laravel Forge is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 2.2GPA
Ploi
Free plan · from $10/mo
Server and site management panel for PHP and Laravel apps.
- Ploi has a free plan. Laravel Forge does not.
- Laravel Forge also covers workflow automation.
- 2.0GPA
RunCloud
Free trial · from $9/mo
Web server control panel for PHP sites on your own cloud servers.
- Laravel Forge also covers workflow automation.
- RunCloud also covers page speed.
- 2.2GPA
SpinupWP
Free trial · from $12/mo
WordPress server management for servers you rent yourself.
- Laravel Forge also covers workflow automation.
- SpinupWP also covers page speed.
- 2.4GPA
GridPane
Free plan · from $19/mo
WordPress server control panel with a free core plan.
- GridPane has a free plan. Laravel Forge does not.
- Laravel Forge also covers workflow automation.
- GridPane also covers managed WordPress and page speed.
- 2.2GPA
DigitalOcean
Free plan · from $4/mo
Cloud servers, app hosting and managed databases for developers.
- DigitalOcean has a free plan. Laravel Forge does not.
- Laravel Forge also covers workflow automation.
- DigitalOcean also covers databases.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
13
Questions, each answered in a line or two
The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.
Is Laravel Forge free?
No. Laravel Forge is a paid product, starting at $12 per month (Hobby, monthly billing).
How much does Laravel Forge cost?
Laravel Forge lists 3 plans. Hobby: $12 per month, monthly billing.
What platforms does Laravel Forge work on?
Laravel Forge is available on Web.
Does Laravel Forge have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 12, 2026. Laravel Forge is listed for Web.
Does Laravel Forge have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 12, 2026. Laravel Forge is listed for Web.
Is Laravel Forge open source?
Laravel Forge is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Nov 12, 2026.
Does Laravel Forge have an API?
Yes. Laravel Forge offers a public API, according to its own site.
What does Laravel Forge integrate with?
Laravel Forge's listing names DigitalOcean, AWS, Hetzner, Laravel, WordPress, Statamic, Next.js and Nuxt.
Who makes Laravel Forge?
Laravel Forge is made by Laravel.
What are the alternatives to Laravel Forge?
The closest alternatives to Laravel Forge in our directory are Ploi, RunCloud, SpinupWP, GridPane and DigitalOcean.
How does Laravel Forge compare with other web hosts?
Laravel Forge's GPA of 1.8 is higher than 9 of the 54 other web hosts we grade, and level with 10.
Is Laravel Forge good value for money?
ToolGPA grades Laravel Forge C for value for money. Its paid plans start at $12 a month, against a middle price of $9 for the category: 33 of the 52 others that charge start lower.
Could I make my own version of Laravel Forge?
To replace Laravel Forge you would be making connections to other products, each kept working as those products change.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Laravel Forge’s own pages on Nov 12, 2026, and the grades were given on Nov 12, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Laravel's own pages on 12 November 2026. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews.
Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by Laravel. Prices change, so check laravel.com before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
5,038
Tools graded, in 95 categories
ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.
Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.
5,038
tools graded
95
categories
739
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- Laravel Forge, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/laravel-forge
- How grades are givenThe rules behind every letter and every GPAtoolgpa.com/grades
- Value chartsWhat each tool costs against what it scores, for every categorytoolgpa.com/charts
- CompareAny two tools side by side, plan by plantoolgpa.com/compare
- Price changesEvery price rise and cut on record, each with its sourcetoolgpa.com/price-changes
- Prices by countryWhat apps cost on the App Store in 12 countriestoolgpa.com/prices-by-country
- Pay lessEvery public discount: yearly billing, students, nonprofitstoolgpa.com/save
- Keep or makeWhich tools are worth paying for, and which you could build yourselftoolgpa.com/keep-or-make
Scan for the live page
Prices and grades as they are today
Quoting this guide?
Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:
ToolGPA, "Laravel Forge: The Insider's Guide", checked Nov 12, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/laravel-forge
Know someone choosing between web hosts?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/laravel-forge/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded web hosts after Laravel Forge, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- Web Hosting Insider's GuideEvery one of the 55 web hosts we grade, compared
- Cloudflare Pages Insider's GuideGit-based hosting for static sites and full-stack apps2.8 GPA
- Netlify Insider's GuideGit-based hosting for sites and web apps, priced by monthly credits2.8 GPA
- Northflank Insider's GuideContainer platform for services, jobs, databases and GPUs2.6 GPA
Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.
Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what Laravel Forge’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Laravel Forge is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Laravel. Prices and plans change: check laravel.com before you buy.