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PhpStorm alternatives: 5 apps ranked by verified data

Facts checked Oct 25, 2026AppBreakup editorialHow we rank

Common reasons people leave PhpStorm: no free tier for most users after the trial, and heavy for small scripts. We ranked 5 alternatives by how directly each one replaces PhpStorm, then by reviews, real visits and how recently each app's facts were checked against its own website. Visual Studio Code currently ranks first.

Quick comparison

#AppPricingOpen sourcePlatformsVerified factsScore
1Visual Studio Code logoVisual Studio CodeFreeYesWindows, macOS, Linux +13 of 383.8
2Sublime Text logoSublime TextPaidNoWindows, macOS, Linux3 of 374.4
3Apache NetBeans logoApache NetBeansOpen sourceYesWindows, macOS, Linux4 of 462.6
4Cursor logoCursorFree plan + paidNoWindows, macOS, Linux0 of 362.0
  1. Visual Studio Code logo

    1. Visual Studio CodeTop pick

    Best for: Developers who want a free, extensible editor for any language

    FreeOpen sourceWindows, macOS, Linux, Web

    83.8

    score / 100

    Why switch from PhpStorm

    Free, and with PHP extensions it covers most daily Laravel and WordPress work.

    Pros

    • Free with a huge extension marketplace
    • Excellent remote development
    • Fast and lightweight for an IDE

    Cons

    • Microsoft builds include telemetry
    • Heavy extension use can slow it down
    Visit Visual Studio Code Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.3100
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.15100
    Freshness ×0.15100
    Votes ×0.150

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

    Is Visual Studio Code a good PhpStorm alternative?

    Verified facts

    3 of 3 verified
    Price
    Free
    Checked Oct 24, 2026code.visualstudio.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Open source core
    Yes (Code - OSS, MIT)
    Checked Oct 24, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Platforms
    Windows, macOS, Linux, web
    Checked Oct 24, 2026code.visualstudio.com(opens source in a new tab)
  2. Sublime Text logo

    2. Sublime Text

    Best for: Developers who want a fast editor without a subscription

    PaidWindows, macOS, Linux

    74.4

    score / 100

    Why switch from PhpStorm

    Fast and light for quick PHP edits, with no subscription.

    Pros

    • Very fast, even with huge files
    • Excellent multi-cursor editing
    • One-time license

    Cons

    • Fewer built-in IDE features
    • Smaller modern AI integration
    Visit Sublime Text Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.369
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.15100
    Freshness ×0.15100
    Votes ×0.150

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

    Is Sublime Text a good PhpStorm alternative?

    Verified facts

    3 of 3 verified
    Pricing model
    Paid license, free evaluation
    Checked Oct 24, 2026sublimehq.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Platforms
    Windows, macOS, Linux
    Checked Oct 24, 2026sublimetext.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Multiple cursors
    Yes
    Checked Oct 24, 2026sublimetext.com(opens source in a new tab)
  3. Apache NetBeans logo

    3. Apache NetBeans

    Best for: Java and PHP developers and students who want a free IDE that works out of the box

    Open sourceWindows, macOS, Linux

    62.6

    score / 100

    Why switch from PhpStorm

    Free and open source, with solid PHP support built in.

    Pros

    • Free and open source under Apache 2.0
    • Java, Maven and Gradle support works without setup
    • Includes a visual Swing GUI builder and profiler

    Cons

    • Smaller plugin ecosystem than IntelliJ IDEA or VS Code
    • Limited built-in AI features
    • Traditional, busy interface
    Visit Apache NetBeans Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.387
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

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

    Is Apache NetBeans a good PhpStorm alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    License
    Apache-2.0
    Checked Oct 25, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Release cadence
    Four times a year
    Checked Oct 25, 2026netbeans.apache.org(opens source in a new tab)
    Platforms
    Windows, Linux, macOS, BSD
    Checked Oct 25, 2026netbeans.apache.org(opens source in a new tab)
    Languages
    Java, JavaScript, PHP, HTML5, CSS
    Checked Oct 25, 2026netbeans.apache.org(opens source in a new tab)
  4. Cursor logo

    4. Cursor

    Best for: Developers who want deep AI help across a whole codebase

    Free plan + paidWindows, macOS, Linux

    62.0

    score / 100

    Why switch from PhpStorm

    AI-first editor on a VS Code base for PHP teams leaning on agents.

    Pros

    • Familiar VS Code foundation
    • Strong codebase-aware agent
    • Choice of AI models

    Cons

    • Heavy AI use requires paid plans
    • Usage limits can change
    Visit Cursor Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.363
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.15100
    Freshness ×0.1530
    Votes ×0.150

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

    Is Cursor a good PhpStorm alternative?

    Verified facts

    0 of 3 verified
    Free plan
    Yes (Hobby)
    Not checked yetcursor.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Based on
    VS Code fork
    Not checked yetcursor.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Platforms
    Windows, macOS, Linux
    Not checked yetcursor.com(opens source in a new tab)

The best PhpStorm alternative for…

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

Visual Studio Code logo

Best PhpStorm alternative for most people

Visual Studio Code

Free, and with PHP extensions it covers most daily Laravel and WordPress work.

Apache NetBeans logo

Best PhpStorm alternative for a free option

Apache NetBeans

Free and open source, with solid PHP support built in.

Cursor logo

Best PhpStorm alternative for a free plan you can upgrade

Cursor

AI-first editor on a VS Code base for PHP teams leaning on agents.

Visual Studio Code logo

Best PhpStorm alternative for open source

Visual Studio Code

Free, and with PHP extensions it covers most daily Laravel and WordPress work.

Sublime Text logo

Best PhpStorm alternative for Mac

Sublime Text

Fast and light for quick PHP edits, with no subscription.

Visual Studio Code logo

Best PhpStorm alternative for Windows

Visual Studio Code

Free, and with PHP extensions it covers most daily Laravel and WordPress work.

Visual Studio Code logo

Best PhpStorm alternative for Linux

Visual Studio Code

Free, and with PHP extensions it covers most daily Laravel and WordPress work.

Visual Studio Code logo

Best PhpStorm alternative for working in the browser

Visual Studio Code

Free, and with PHP extensions it covers most daily Laravel and WordPress work.

PhpStorm alternatives: common questions

What is the best alternative to PhpStorm?

Visual Studio Code ranks first right now. Free, and with PHP extensions it covers most daily Laravel and WordPress work. Sublime Text and Apache NetBeans follow it in our ranking.

Is there a free alternative to PhpStorm?

Yes. Visual Studio Code (free), Apache NetBeans (open source) and Cursor (free plan + paid) have a free option. Check each app's verified facts for current plan limits.

Is there an open-source alternative to PhpStorm?

Yes: Visual Studio Code and Apache NetBeans.

Which PhpStorm alternatives work on Linux?

Visual Studio Code, Sublime Text, Apache NetBeans and Cursor run on Linux.

Why do people switch from PhpStorm?

The complaints we hear most: no free tier for most users after the trial; heavy for small scripts; subscription per developer.

How is this list ranked?

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