Laravel Herd

Name: Laravel Herd
Brand: Laravel

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One-click, zero-dependency PHP and Laravel development environment for Windows and macOS.

Developer Tools IDE & Code Editors Debugging

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Tracked since2026

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The Bottom Line

Entry price

Free plan available, paid tiers above

Biggest pro

Extremely fast due to native binaries (no containers/VMs)

Biggest con

Advanced features like debugging and service management are Pro-only

TL;DR - Laravel Herd

Native, fast Laravel and PHP development environment.
Includes essential tools like PHP, Nginx, Composer, and Laravel installer.
Offers advanced debugging and service management with a Pro version.

Pricing: Free plan available

Best for: Growing teams

What is Laravel Herd?

Editorial review

Laravel Herd is a native and blazing-fast development environment designed specifically for Laravel and PHP projects. It provides everything developers need to get started quickly, including PHP, Nginx, Composer, the Laravel installer, and Expose, all without relying on containers, VMs, or virtualization methods. This approach ensures a highly performant local setup. The tool aims to simplify the local development workflow by offering a seamless experience for managing PHP versions, running complementary services, and debugging applications. It's built for developers who want a streamlined, efficient, and headache-free environment to build and test their Laravel applications locally. For those seeking advanced capabilities, Herd Pro extends the free offering with features like enhanced debugging, integrated frontend tooling with nvm, and comprehensive service management for various databases and tools. It's ideal for individual developers and teams looking to optimize their local development setup for Laravel projects.

Available on: Windows, macOS

LCLouis CorneloupUpdated May 26, 2026 · how we evaluateSourceherd.laravel.com ↗

Pros & Cons

Pros

Extremely fast due to native binaries (no containers/VMs)
Easy one-click setup for Laravel development
Comprehensive suite of included development tools
Seamless PHP version management
Powerful debugging features in Pro version

Cons

Advanced features like debugging and service management are Pro-only
Specific to Laravel and PHP development, not a general-purpose environment

Preview

Key Features

Native binaries for PHP and NginxIncludes Composer, Laravel installer, and ExposeSupports PHP versions 7.4 - 8.5Pin sites to specific PHP versionsAutomatic PHP installation updatesBlazing fast debugging (Pro)Formatted dump() and dd() output (Pro)Integrated nvm for Node.js version management (Pro)

Pricing Plans

Pricing checked Jul 17, 2026

Free

Native binaries for PHP, nginx, and other services
Includes Composer, Laravel installer, and Expose
Manage multiple versions of PHP (7.4 - 8.5)
Share site configurations with herd.yml
Integrate directly with Laravel Forge

Pro

Blazing fast debugging (dump() and dd() formatting)
Frontend tooling included with nvm
Seamlessly run and manage services (MySQL, MariaDB, PostgreSQL, Redis, Typesense, Meilisearch, MinIO, Laravel Reverb)
Catch and debug application mails
Access and search through local log files
Painless Xdebug integration

Calculate your cost View full pricing

Is Laravel Herd worth the price?

85/100

The Free tier for Laravel Herd is incredibly generous, offering a robust development environment with essential tools at no cost.

The lack of transparent pricing for the Pro tier makes it difficult to assess its value, but the free offering alone is highly competitive. It's best for individual developers and small teams looking for a powerful, free local development solution, with the Pro tier potentially catering to those needing advanced debugging and service management.

Hidden Costs & Gotchas

Pro tier pricing is not public

Potential for additional service costs

No clear upgrade path pricing

How Laravel Herd Compares to Competitors

Compared to paid alternatives like Laravel Valet (macOS only, free but requires manual setup) or paid MAMP Pro ($79 for a single license), Laravel Herd's Free tier offers a more complete and user-friendly experience across both Windows and macOS without any direct cost. The Pro tier's value is unknown without pricing, but the free offering significantly undercuts competitors on initial investment.

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Best Laravel Herd Alternatives

Top alternatives based on features, pricing, and user needs.

VercelFreemium

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UpsunFreemium

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Still deciding?

Most buyers shortlist 2 or 3 tools before committing. Pull a side-by-side comparison or browse the full alternatives shortlist below.

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Laravel Herd FAQ

How does Laravel Herd simplify local development for PHP projects?

Laravel Herd provides a native and fast development environment by including essential tools like PHP, Nginx, Composer, and the Laravel installer. It avoids containers or VMs, offering a streamlined setup for managing PHP versions and running services.

Which teams would benefit most from using Laravel Herd?

Laravel Herd is best suited for individual developers and teams focused on Laravel and PHP development. It optimizes the local development setup, making it efficient for building and testing applications locally.

How is Laravel Herd priced?

Laravel Herd is available with a free tier that offers core functionalities. Paid plans, known as Herd Pro, provide access to more advanced features and extended usage capabilities.

Can Laravel Herd manage multiple PHP versions?

Yes, Laravel Herd offers seamless PHP version management, allowing developers to easily switch and manage different PHP versions for their projects. This ensures compatibility and flexibility across various development needs.

What kind of limitations does Laravel Herd have?

Laravel Herd's advanced features, such as enhanced debugging and comprehensive service management, are exclusive to its Pro version. Additionally, it is specifically designed for Laravel and PHP development, making it less suitable as a general-purpose development environment.

How does Laravel Herd compare to Vercel for local development?

Laravel Herd provides a native, zero-dependency local development environment specifically for PHP and Laravel projects, emphasizing speed without containers. Vercel, by contrast, is primarily a platform for frontend frameworks and serverless functions, focusing on deployment and hosting rather than a local PHP development environment.

Does Laravel Herd include tools for frontend development?

Herd Pro extends the free offering with integrated frontend tooling, including nvm, to support comprehensive development workflows. This allows for managing Node.js versions alongside PHP projects.

Source: herd.laravel.com

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