PHP has become the go-to language for web development, powering over 70% of websites on the internet today. With its ease of use, vibrant ecosystem of frameworks and plugins, and widespread hosting support, PHP allows developers to build all kinds of web apps – from small brochure sites to large-scale web applications and ecommerce platforms.
However, while PHP hosting might seem ubiquitous, not all providers are created equal. The wrong choice of hosting platform can lead to slow load times, scaling issues, security vulnerabilities and instability that ends up costing much more in developer time and lost revenue.
So how do you pick the right PHP hosting for your needs? Here are some key criteria to evaluate:
Performance: Server response times, content delivery speed, ability to handle traffic spikes
Scalability: Ease of scaling vertically and horizontally to accommodate growth
Security: Infrastructure and app security capabilities
Support: Technical support responsiveness and channels
Pricing: Overall costs and value provided
Features: PHP versions, caching, databases, CDN etc.
Based on these parameters, here are the top 10 PHP hosting providers that deliver the performance, reliability and ease of management required by both small and large PHP-based web applications.
1. DigitalOcean
DigitalOcean is a market leader in affordable yet high performance cloud hosting. With datacenters around the globe, DigitalOcean offers a simple yet robust cloud platform to deploy PHP apps.
Some key strengths:
- Predictable pricing for different server configurations ($5-$960 per month)
- SSD-based storage for faster content delivery
- Built-in load balancing for scaling apps
- Managed databases like PostgreSQL and MySQL
- One-click installs for apps like WordPress, Laravel etc.
- Intuitive control panel and API for infrastructure management
- 99.99% uptime SLA
DigitalOcean is ideal for developers who are comfortable managing their own hosting environment. It provides flexibility to optimize PHP apps without the overhead of complex enterprise platforms.
2. A2 Hosting
A2 Hosting is also focused on high performance PHP hosting on optimized servers. Their exclusive TurboServer platform offers upto 20X faster page loads compared to competing PHP hosting providers.
Key features include:
- Choice of managed and unmanaged servers
- TurboCache for OPcache-based caching
- Free Let‘s Encrypt SSL
- Anycast DNS network
- 24/7 support via chat, phone and tickets
- 99.9% uptime guarantee
With specialized infrastructure for PHP, A2 Hosting provides an affordable and reliable option for WordPress sites, Laravel and custom PHP apps.
3. Kinsta
If you‘re looking for a managed PHP hosting platform, Kinsta is a strong contender. Here are some standout features:
- PHP hosting exclusively on Google Cloud infrastructure
- Isolated container technology for security
- In-depth analytics on bandwidth, uptime etc.
- Seamless SSL installation
- Intelligent auto-scaling capabilities
- SLA with 99.9% uptime guarantee
Kinsta offers three types of managed containers – standard, memory optimized and CPU optimized. With strong security capabilities, Kinsta is ideal for business-critical PHP apps.
4. Forge
Forge stands out with specialized, managed hosting for PHP‘s most popular framework – Laravel:
- One-click deployments for Laravel apps
- Horizontal scaling across servers
- Server monitoring with email/Slack alerts
- Queuing, cron jobs and scheduling
- Team accounts with client management
- DigitalOcean, Linode and AWS integrations
Forge simplifies server orchestration for developers working with Laravel. With robust auto-scaling capabilities, Forge allows you to focus on building your app rather than DevOps.
5. Heroku
The Heroku cloud platform needs no introduction for its unanimous praise among RoR developers. But Heroku now also caters extremely well for PHP developers with its ease of use and auto-scaling capabilities.
Here are some notable features:
- Supports latest PHP versions including 7.4, 8.0
- One-click PHP installs
- Horizontal scaling to handle unpredictable loads
- Add-on marketplace for caching, security, monitoring etc.
- Git-based deployment pipelines
- 99.95% uptime on business-grade routing infrastructure
So if you need cloud hosting that ‘just works‘ for PHP apps both big and small, Heroku is a reliable choice.
6. Cloudways
While the benefits of managed hosting platforms like DigitalOcean and Linode are clear, not all developers have the time or expertise to handle server admin responsibilities.
This is where Cloudways comes in – it offers managed PHP hosting on top of platforms like DigitalOcean, Linode, Vultr etc.
By handling optimization, security patches, scaling etc. Cloudways allows you to focus on development. Salient features include:
- Managed hosting for PHP 7.4 and 8.0 apps
- Vertical and horizontal scaling capabilities
- Integrated WAF, CDN and monitoring
- Daily offsite backups with 14-day retention
- 24×7 chat and email support channels
- Migration services for existing apps
With reliable support and maintenance, Cloudways is ideal for developers and agencies with limited DevOps bandwidth.
7. Nodechef
While Nodechef may seem geared towards Node.js hosting, it offers robust PHP hosting capabilities tailored to large web apps:
- Built-in caching, queues and databases
- Paid enterprise-grade support plans
- Seamless auto-scaling to handle traffic spikes
- Deployment slots for testing/staging
- Integrates with GitHub, BitBucket
- Supports PHP 5.6 through 8.0
So for business-critical apps where performance and support are paramount, Nodechef is a worthwhile option.
8. Runcloud
Runcloud aims to provide the simplicity of shared hosting with the flexibility of VPS hosting for PHP apps.
It replaces cPanel with an intuitive web-based dashboard for server management. Developers can easily administer multiple servers without SSH or command lines.
Here are some noteworthy capabilities:
- Dashboard for PHP version, caches, databases etc.
- Automated monitoring, alerts and logging
- Supervisor and Systemd integrations
- Integrations for DigitalOcean, Vultr, Linode
- Unlimited free servers on Startup plan
- Supports PHP 5.6 through 8.0
For lean teams that want greater control without complexity, Runcloud hits a sweet spot between DIY infrastructure and fully-managed hosting.
9. Platform.sh
Platform.sh caters to the most demanding PHP apps from global enterprises and web agencies.
It goes beyond typical PaaS hosting with enterprise-grade security, compliance and flexibility required by complex PHP apps.
- Auto-scaling to enterprise loads
- Managed logging, audits and access controls
- Integrated WAF and security monitoring
- Multi-staging environments
- CLI and Git-based deployments
- Backed by 99.95% uptime SLA
Platform.sh is the ideal PHP hosting partner for large businesses running web assets, APIs and microservices built on Symfony, Laravel, Magento etc.
10. Google App Engine
Google App Engine is a fully managed serverless platform that auto-scales automatically to accommodate traffic spikes.
It‘s a compelling option for PHP hosting because of:
- No servers to manage
- Built-in caching, traffic splitting, health checks
- Integrated with other GCP services
- Generous free tier to get started
- Pay only for what you use
For low maintenance hosting that saves money and time, GAE is a solid pick for PHP developers.
Conclusion
There‘s no universal ‘best‘ when it comes to PHP hosting – the right platform depends on your application architecture, traffic levels and team structure.
Managed hosting like Kinsta, Forge and Heroku offer a turnkey option for lean teams to deploy PHP apps rapidly without operational headaches.
Platforms like DigitalOcean, Linode and Cloudways offer more infrastructure flexibility for custom apps – but require greater in-house DevOps expertise.
And for business-critical PHP assets at enterprise scale, Platform.sh is unmatched in terms of security, compliance and reliability.
So evaluate your needs, shortlist 2-3 options from this list for trials and pick the one that best balances capabilities with cost.
