Freedom251 › Development Environment Managers
Laravel Herd
What Laravel Herd is
Laravel Herd is a native Laravel and PHP development environment for macOS and Windows. The free Herd Basic plan includes PHP, nginx, DNS, Node.js, Composer, the Laravel installer, and Expose. Herd provides PHP versions 7.4 through 8.5, and sites can be pinned to a selected version. Expose creates public URLs for local sites, allowing webhook receipt and mobile-device testing. Herd Pro adds management for MySQL, MariaDB, PostgreSQL, Redis, Typesense, Meilisearch, MinIO, and Laravel Reverb. It also provides a separate Dump window for formatted and filtered dump() and dd() output, plus Xdebug detection. Sites can connect to Laravel Forge servers for one-click deployment and access to SSH, environment variables, and the Forge panel. Teams can share PHP versions, services, and Forge settings through herd.yml. Herd Pro costs $99 a year; Herd Teams costs $299 a year for 10 Pro licenses.
Who it suits
It suits Laravel and PHP developers working on Windows or macOS. Teams can use shared herd.yml configuration, while Pro users gain local services, debugging tools, and Forge connections.
What it does well
- Free plan includes core PHP tooling
- Supports PHP versions 7.4 through 8.5
- Integrates with Laravel Forge
- Offers local database and service management
- Supports configuration through herd.yml
What to know first
- No Linux version planned
- Herd Pro has no trial
- Pro license allows two active devices
Limits
Herd Basic is free and includes PHP, nginx, DNS, Node.js, Laravel Forge integration, and community support. Services, Dumps, Mail, Log Viewer, and Xdebug detection are listed with Herd Pro at $99 a year; there is no Pro trial, and a Pro license can be active on two devices at once. Herd Teams costs $299 a year for 10 Herd Pro licenses, with one activation per team license.
Plans
| Plan | Billed and limits | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Herd Basic | PHP · nginx · DNS · Node.js · Laravel Forge integration · Community support | Free |
| Herd Teams | 10 Herd Pro licenses · 10 licenses · License Management Portal · Priority Email Support · 1 activation per team license | $299 a year |
| Herd Pro | License for one year · Dumps · Mail · Log Viewer · Services · XDebug detection · Email support · 2 device activations | $99 a year |
As herd.laravel.com lists them, read 7 Oct 2026. The maker's own page has the final word.
Getting started
- Visit https://herd.laravel.com/.
- Choose Windows or macOS; the macOS edition requires macOS 12.0 or higher.
- Start with the free Herd Basic plan, or choose Herd Pro or Herd Teams.
- Use Herd's included development tools and select or pin a PHP version for sites.
- Connect local sites with Laravel Forge or use Expose to create public URLs.
Verdict
Laravel Herd provides a free local Laravel and PHP setup, with Pro and Teams adding services, debugging, and team controls. Its macOS and Windows focus, Forge integration, and shared configuration support local development workflows.
Questions
Is Laravel Herd free?
Yes. Herd Basic costs nothing.
How much do the paid plans cost?
Herd Pro costs $99 a year. Herd Teams costs $299 a year and covers 10 Herd Pro licenses.
Which platforms does Herd support?
Herd is available for Windows and macOS. The macOS edition requires macOS 12.0 or higher; the maker says there are currently no plans for Linux.
Does Herd Pro have a free trial?
No. The maker says Pro purchases are covered by a 14-day refund policy.
Can Herd share configuration across a team?
Yes. A herd.yml project file can share PHP versions, services, and Forge configurations.
What support comes with the plans?
Free users can seek community support. Pro includes email support, while Teams includes priority email support.
Facts from Laravel Herd's own pages
- Debugging
- Herd Pro formats and filters dump() and dd() output in a separate Dump window and includes Xdebug detection. · herd.laravel.com, 7 Oct 2026
- Expose integration
- Herd integrates with Expose to create public URLs for local sites, receive webhooks, and test sites on mobile devices. · herd.laravel.com, 7 Oct 2026
- Forge integration
- Herd can link local sites with Laravel Forge servers for one-click deployment and access to SSH, environment variables, and the related Forge panel. · herd.laravel.com, 7 Oct 2026
- Included tools
- Herd includes PHP, nginx, DNS, Node.js, Composer, the Laravel installer, and Expose. · herd.laravel.com, 7 Oct 2026
- License limits
- A Herd Pro license can be active on two devices at once, while each Herd Team license key has one activation. · herd.laravel.com, 7 Oct 2026
- Local services
- Herd Pro can manage MySQL, MariaDB, PostgreSQL, Redis, Typesense, Meilisearch, MinIO, and Laravel Reverb. · herd.laravel.com, 7 Oct 2026
- PHP versions
- Herd provides PHP versions 7.4 through 8.5 and lets users pin sites to a specific PHP version. · herd.laravel.com, 7 Oct 2026
- Platform requirements
- The macOS edition requires macOS 12.0 or higher; the maker says there are currently no plans for a Linux version. · herd.laravel.com, 7 Oct 2026
- Purpose
- Herd is a native Laravel and PHP development environment for Windows and macOS. · herd.laravel.com, 7 Oct 2026
- Support
- Free users can seek community support, while Herd Pro and Teams users can contact email support, with priority email support for Teams. · herd.laravel.com, 7 Oct 2026
- Team configuration
- A herd.yml project file can share PHP versions, services, and Forge configurations across a team. · herd.laravel.com, 7 Oct 2026
- Trial and refunds
- The maker says Herd Pro has no trial and purchases are covered by a 14-day refund policy. · herd.laravel.com, 7 Oct 2026
Where Laravel Herd stands on Freedom251
- Development Environment Managers#27 of 50
- Development Environment Management Tools#16 of 26