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Laravel Herd
What it is
Laravel Herd is a native Laravel and PHP development environment for macOS and Windows. The free Herd Basic plan includes PHP, nginx, DNS, Node.js, Composer, the Laravel installer, and Expose. Herd provides PHP versions 7.4 through 8.5, and users can pin sites to a specific version. Expose can create public URLs for local sites, receive webhooks, and support testing on mobile devices. Herd Pro adds management for MySQL, MariaDB, PostgreSQL, Redis, Typesense, Meilisearch, MinIO, and Laravel Reverb. It also formats and filters dump() and dd() output in a separate window and includes Xdebug detection. Local sites can connect with Laravel Forge servers for one-click deployment and access to SSH, environment variables, and the Forge panel. Teams can share PHP versions, services, and Forge configurations through a herd.yml project file. Herd Pro costs $99 a year; Herd Teams costs $299 a year and includes 10 Herd Pro licenses. Pro has no trial, and purchases have a 14-day refund policy.
For and against
For
- Free Basic plan includes PHP and development tools.
- Supports PHP versions 7.4 through 8.5.
- Sites can be pinned to a PHP version.
- Expose can provide public URLs for local sites.
Against
- No Linux version is planned.
- macOS requires version 12.0 or higher.
- Herd Pro has no trial.
- Herd Pro costs $99 a year.
The verdict
Herd offers a free starting plan and paid options with additional service management and team features. Check the operating system requirements and plan details against the development setup you need.
Who it suits
Herd may suit Laravel and PHP developers working on macOS or Windows who want a local development environment. Teams can share project configuration through a herd.yml file.
Plans and prices
Herd Basic
PHP · nginx · DNS · Node.js
Read 7 Oct 2026 · herd.laravel.com
Herd Pro
Dumps · Mail · Log Viewer · Services
Read 7 Oct 2026 · herd.laravel.com
Herd Teams
10 licenses · License Management Portal · Priority Email Support · 1 activation per team license
Read 7 Oct 2026 · herd.laravel.com
On the record
- Debugging
- Herd Pro formats and filters dump() and dd() output in a separate Dump window and includes Xdebug detection.herd.laravel.com · read 7 Oct 2026
- Expose integration
- Herd integrates with Expose to create public URLs for local sites, receive webhooks, and test sites on mobile devices.herd.laravel.com · read 7 Oct 2026
- Forge integration
- Herd can link local sites with Laravel Forge servers for one-click deployment and access to SSH, environment variables, and the related Forge panel.herd.laravel.com · read 7 Oct 2026
- Included tools
- Herd includes PHP, nginx, DNS, Node.js, Composer, the Laravel installer, and Expose.herd.laravel.com · read 7 Oct 2026
- License limits
- A Herd Pro license can be active on two devices at once, while each Herd Team license key has one activation.herd.laravel.com · read 7 Oct 2026
- Local services
- Herd Pro can manage MySQL, MariaDB, PostgreSQL, Redis, Typesense, Meilisearch, MinIO, and Laravel Reverb.herd.laravel.com · read 7 Oct 2026
- PHP versions
- Herd provides PHP versions 7.4 through 8.5 and lets users pin sites to a specific PHP version.herd.laravel.com · read 7 Oct 2026
- Platform requirements
- The macOS edition requires macOS 12.0 or higher; the maker says there are currently no plans for a Linux version.herd.laravel.com · read 7 Oct 2026
- Purpose
- Herd is a native Laravel and PHP development environment for Windows and macOS.herd.laravel.com · read 7 Oct 2026
- Support
- Free users can seek community support, while Herd Pro and Teams users can contact email support, with priority email support for Teams.herd.laravel.com · read 7 Oct 2026
- Team configuration
- A herd.yml project file can share PHP versions, services, and Forge configurations across a team.herd.laravel.com · read 7 Oct 2026
- Trial and refunds
- The maker says Herd Pro has no trial and purchases are covered by a 14-day refund policy.herd.laravel.com · read 7 Oct 2026
