Side by side
Laravel Forge vs Upsun (formerly Platform.sh)
Both stand on deployment automation software. Which one you can start free with, which one lets you read the code, and what each costs once you pay.
Paid APIWeb
Laravel Forge brings server provisioning, deployment, monitoring, and access controls into one paid service. Its single-server limit for zero-downtime deployment matters for teams planning broader deployment setups.
Visit Laravel Forge
Free trial APILinuxMac+2
Upsun offers managed application hosting with multiple deployment targets, project interfaces, and preview environments. Its trial and pay-as-you-go options have distinct limits, and ongoing resource charges are separate.
Visit Upsun (formerly Platform.sh)The facts
| Laravel Forge | Upsun (formerly Platform.sh) | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | No | A free trial |
| Open source | Not published | Not published |
| Runs on | API, Web | API, Linux, Mac, Web, Windows |
| Lowest paid plan | Hobby: $12 a month | See the plans |
| Plans published | 4 | 2 |
| Maker | Not published | Not published |
| Website | forge.laravel.com | upsun.com |
| On deployment automation software | #32 of 34 | #28 of 34 |
Laravel Forge: what it does well
- Installs common web-server components
- Supports Laravel and several other frameworks
- Connects major Git repositories
- Provides automated SSL certificates
- Includes metrics, logs, and health checks
What to know first
- No free plan
- Zero-downtime deployment limited to one server
- Self-hosted option is unavailable
- Hobby support is community-based
Upsun (formerly Platform.sh): what it does well
- Supports ten programming languages and multiple frameworks.
- Creates on-demand previews with code, configuration, and data.
- Offers CLI, Console, and REST API management.
- Includes automated daily and manual backups.
What to know first
- No free plan; the trial lasts 15 days.
- Resources are billed separately based on usage.
- Object storage is unavailable on trial projects.
- Managed Elasticsearch and MongoDB require a minimal commitment.
Alternatives to Laravel Forge Alternatives to Upsun (formerly Platform.sh) The whole list