Side by side
Hot Chocolate vs Lighthouse
Both stand on graphql tools. Which one you can start free with, which one lets you read the code, and what each costs once you pay.
Free plan APISelf-hostedWeb
Hot Chocolate offers schema authoring, data-loading and observability tools for .NET GraphQL servers. Its security guidance distinguishes safeguards for public APIs from trusted-document controls for private ones.
Visit Hot Chocolate Free plan APISelf-hosted
Lighthouse brings GraphQL schema directives and data access features into Laravel applications, with Lumen configuration also documented. Consider the tooling gap, experimental federation support, and subscription-expiry setup when deciding whether it fits your project.
Visit LighthouseThe facts
| Hot Chocolate | Lighthouse | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Open source | Not published | Not published |
| Runs on | API, Self-hosted, Web | API, Self-hosted |
| Lowest paid plan | Free or on request | Free or on request |
| Plans published | 1 | 1 |
| Maker | Not published | Not published |
| Website | chillicream.com | lighthouse-php.com |
| On graphql tools | #13 of 32 | #17 of 32 |
Hot Chocolate: what it does well
- Supports implementation-first and code-first schema authoring.
- Includes DataLoader and batch resolver options.
- Provides OpenTelemetry instrumentation.
- MIT licensed for commercial and private projects.
What to know first
- Gateway uploads to stitched services are not supported.
- Getting-started tutorial requires .NET 8 SDK or later.
- Paid support plans start at $450 per month.
Lighthouse: what it does well
- Free to install in a Laravel or Lumen project.
- Built-in directives handle relationships, pagination, and validation.
- Supports Laravel authentication, including Sanctum.
- Caches parsed queries and supports persisted queries.
- GraphQL clients can use the default `/graphql` endpoint.
What to know first
- GraphiQL and other GraphQL tools are not included.
- Federation is experimental and cannot serve as a gateway.
- Subscriptions do not expire automatically.
- Lumen service providers require individual registration.
Alternatives to Hot Chocolate Alternatives to Lighthouse The whole list