AppBreakup

Laravel Forge alternatives: 4 apps ranked by verified data

Facts checked Nov 8, 2026AppBreakup editorialHow we rankAll server control panels

Top picks

  • Plesk logo

    Best overall

    Plesk

    Starting price: €12.04 a month (Web Admin, VPS)

  • Coolify logo

    Best free option

    Coolify

    Cloud price: From $5/month

  • CapRover logo

    Best open source

    CapRover

    Open source

Common reasons people leave Laravel Forge: no free plan, and cloud server costs are billed separately. We ranked 4 alternatives by how directly each one replaces Laravel Forge, then by reviews, real visits and how recently each app's facts were checked against its own website. Plesk currently ranks first.

Quick comparison

#AppPricingVerified priceOpen sourcePlatformsVerified factsScore
1Plesk logoPleskPaid€12.04 a month (Web Admin, VPS)NoSelf-hosted, Linux, Windows +18 of 855.9
2Coolify logoCoolifyOpen sourceFrom $5/monthYesSelf-hosted, Web3 of 352.6
3CapRover logoCapRoverOpen source—YesSelf-hosted, Linux3 of 351.2
4Dokku logoDokkuOpen source—YesSelf-hosted, Linux3 of 350.0
  1. Plesk logo

    1. PleskTop pick

    Best for: Agencies and hosts managing many client sites, especially WordPress or Windows hosting

    PaidSelf-hosted, Linux, Windows, Web

    55.9

    score / 100

    Why switch from Laravel Forge

    Full web hosting control panel with a GUI for sites, mail and DNS, useful when you host more than Laravel apps.

    Pros

    • Runs on both Linux and Windows Server
    • WP Toolkit for managing many WordPress sites
    • Large extension catalog
    • Separate admin, reseller and customer access

    Cons

    • Paid licence per server, while HestiaCP and CloudPanel are free
    • Cheapest edition is capped at 10 domains
    • Heavier on server resources than lightweight panels
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.357
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.15100
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Plesk a good Laravel Forge alternative?

    Verified facts

    8 of 8 verified
    Linux support
    Yes, incl. Ubuntu 26.04
    Checked Nov 8, 2026docs.plesk.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Windows support
    Windows Server 2016–2025
    Checked Nov 8, 2026docs.plesk.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Extensions
    100+
    Checked Nov 8, 2026plesk.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Web Admin edition
    Up to 10 domains
    Checked Nov 8, 2026plesk.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Owner
    WebPros
    Checked Nov 8, 2026plesk.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Starting price
    €12.04 a month (Web Admin, VPS)
    Checked Nov 3, 2026plesk.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Web Pro plan
    €18.29 a month (VPS)
    Checked Nov 3, 2026plesk.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Web Host plan
    €31.38 a month (VPS)
    Checked Nov 3, 2026plesk.com(opens source in a new tab)
  2. Coolify logo

    2. Coolify

    Best for: Indie developers who want a Vercel or Heroku workflow on cheap servers they control

    Open sourceSelf-hostableSelf-hosted, Web

    52.6

    score / 100

    Why switch from Laravel Forge

    Free self-hosted PaaS that deploys apps and databases to your own servers.

    Pros

    • Free and open source with no feature limits
    • Preview deployments and automatic HTTPS
    • Hundreds of one-click self-hosted services

    Cons

    • You manage server security, updates and uptime
    • Small core team
    • Multi-server setups take more care than a managed PaaS
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.346
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.15100
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Coolify a good Laravel Forge alternative?

    Verified facts

    3 of 3 verified
    License
    Apache-2.0
    Checked Nov 8, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Self-hosted price
    Free forever
    Checked Nov 8, 2026coolify.io(opens source in a new tab)
    Cloud price
    From $5/month
    Checked Nov 8, 2026coolify.io(opens source in a new tab)
  3. CapRover logo

    3. CapRover

    Best for: Developers who want a free self-hosted PaaS with a UI that can grow into a small cluster

    Open sourceSelf-hostableSelf-hosted, Linux

    51.2

    score / 100

    Why switch from Laravel Forge

    Free, self-hosted PaaS on your own server, deploying apps in Docker containers with one-click databases and SSL.

    Pros

    • Completely free with no paid tiers
    • Web dashboard plus CLI
    • Docker Swarm clustering across servers

    Cons

    • Plainer interface than newer self-hosted platforms
    • Slower pace of development
    • You maintain the servers and their security
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.341
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.15100
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is CapRover a good Laravel Forge alternative?

    Verified facts

    3 of 3 verified
    Price
    Free
    Checked Nov 8, 2026caprover.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Free forever
    Yes
    Checked Nov 8, 2026caprover.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Built on
    Docker
    Checked Nov 8, 2026caprover.com(opens source in a new tab)
  4. Dokku logo

    4. Dokku

    Best for: Developers who want Heroku-style deploys for several small apps on one VPS

    Open sourceSelf-hostableSelf-hosted, Linux

    50.0

    score / 100

    Why switch from Laravel Forge

    Open-source, Heroku-style git push deploys on a single VPS you control, with no monthly control-panel fee.

    Pros

    • Heroku-compatible buildpacks and commands
    • Free, MIT-licensed and lightweight
    • Plugins for common databases and certificates

    Cons

    • Command-line first, with no free web dashboard
    • Designed around a single server
    • No built-in preview environments
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.338
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.15100
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Dokku a good Laravel Forge alternative?

    Verified facts

    3 of 3 verified
    License
    MIT
    Checked Oct 25, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Positioning
    Open-source alternative to Heroku
    Checked Nov 8, 2026dokku.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Deploys
    Git push with Heroku buildpacks
    Checked Nov 8, 2026dokku.com(opens source in a new tab)

The best Laravel Forge alternative for…

The highest-ranked app in this list for each need.

Plesk logo

Best Laravel Forge alternative for most people

Plesk

Full web hosting control panel with a GUI for sites, mail and DNS, useful when you host more than Laravel apps.

Coolify logo

Best Laravel Forge alternative for a free option

Coolify

Free self-hosted PaaS that deploys apps and databases to your own servers.

CapRover logo

Best Laravel Forge alternative for open source

CapRover

Free, self-hosted PaaS on your own server, deploying apps in Docker containers with one-click databases and SSL.

Dokku logo

Best Laravel Forge alternative for self-hosting

Dokku

Open-source, Heroku-style git push deploys on a single VPS you control, with no monthly control-panel fee.

Plesk logo

Best Laravel Forge alternative for Windows

Plesk

Full web hosting control panel with a GUI for sites, mail and DNS, useful when you host more than Laravel apps.

Plesk logo

Best Laravel Forge alternative for Linux

Plesk

Full web hosting control panel with a GUI for sites, mail and DNS, useful when you host more than Laravel apps.

Plesk logo

Best Laravel Forge alternative for working in the browser

Plesk

Full web hosting control panel with a GUI for sites, mail and DNS, useful when you host more than Laravel apps.

Laravel Forge alternatives: common questions

What is the best alternative to Laravel Forge?

Plesk ranks first right now. Full web hosting control panel with a GUI for sites, mail and DNS, useful when you host more than Laravel apps. Coolify and CapRover follow it in our ranking.

Laravel Forge vs Plesk: what's the difference?

Both Laravel Forge and Plesk are paid products. Verified prices: Laravel Forge $12 a month (Hobby), Plesk €12.04 a month (Web Admin, VPS). Only Plesk runs on Linux and Windows.

Is Laravel Forge free?

Laravel Forge is a paid product. Starting price: $12 a month (Hobby); Pricing model: Flat-rate monthly; Growth plan: $19 a month; Business plan: $39 a month. Checked on Laravel Forge's own site, November 2026.

How much do Laravel Forge alternatives cost?

Verified prices for the top-ranked Laravel Forge alternatives: Plesk, €12.04 a month (Web Admin, VPS); Coolify, From $5/month. Each price was checked on the app's own site; see each card below for the date and source.

Is there a free alternative to Laravel Forge?

Yes. Coolify (open source), CapRover (open source) and Dokku (open source) have a free option. Check each app's verified facts for current plan limits.

Is there an open-source alternative to Laravel Forge?

Yes: Coolify, CapRover and Dokku. Coolify, CapRover and Dokku can also be self-hosted.

Which Laravel Forge alternatives work on Linux?

Plesk, CapRover and Dokku run on Linux.

Why do people switch from Laravel Forge?

The complaints we hear most: no free plan; cloud server costs are billed separately; you still own server security and uptime.

How is this list ranked?

Every app is scored with the same published formula: how directly it replaces Laravel Forge, reviews (weighted by verification), visits from AppBreakup, how recently its facts were checked against its own website, and reader votes.