Facts read 28 Sep 2026 – 15 Oct 2026
PHP IDEs can support a range of development tasks, from editing and refactoring to testing and debugging. Compare PHP refactoring, unit testing tools, and Xdebug debugging, as well as database tools, Docker support, and remote development. Supported platforms, free-plan availability, and paid-from pricing add useful context when weighing fit with your setup and budget. ICEcoder, Eclipse PHP Development Tools, and OpenIDE are among the entries, alongside PaizaCloud Cloud IDE and Apache NetBeans. Consider which capabilities matter to your projects and compare the listed options against the way you work.
| Name | In a line | Record score | Price from | Try it free | Runs on | Facts read |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 PaizaCloud Cloud IDE | It suits programming beginners, teachers, instructors, schools and bootcamps, as well as people who want to code without setting up an environment. | 6.2 | $9.80 a month | Free plan | Android, iPhone & iPad, Web, Windows | 3 Oct 2026 |
| 02 IntelliJ IDEA | It suits developers working in Java or Kotlin who want coding assistance, debugging, build-tool integrations, and version-control support in one IDE. | 5.8 | Free plan | Free plan | Windows, Mac, Linux, Browser extension | 15 Oct 2026 |
| 03 Zed | Zed suits developers looking for a code editor with Git tools, extensions, and options for remote development. | 5.7 | $10 a month | Free plan | Windows, Mac, Linux | 28 Sep 2026 |
| 04 ICEcoder | ICEcoder suits developers who want a browser-based editor for website work and have access to an Apache-like server with PHP 7.0 or newer. | 5.5 | Free plan | Free plan | Android, Web, Windows, Mac | 1 Oct 2026 |
| 05 Scriptcase | 5.4 | $399.20 a year | Free trial | Web, Windows, Mac, Linux | 1 Oct 2026 | |
| 06 Geany | Geany suits developers who want a free, lightweight coding environment across Linux, macOS, or Windows, with plugins and an embedded terminal. | 5.1 | Free plan | Free plan | Windows, Mac, Linux | 15 Oct 2026 |
| 07 Nova | 4.9 | — | Free trial | Mac | 7 Oct 2026 | |
| 08 NuSphere PhpED | PhpED fits PHP developers who need editing, debugging, profiling, deployment, database tools, and framework integrations in one desktop IDE. | 4.9 | $81 one-time | Free trial | Windows, Mac, Linux | 30 Sep 2026 |
| 09 phpDesigner | phpDesigner suits beginners and professional developers building websites or HTML5 apps on supported Windows versions. | 4.9 | €39 one-time | Free trial | Windows | 8 Oct 2026 |
| 10 Visual Studio Code | It suits developers who want a free editor with built-in tools, extensions, remote development, and optional AI agent workflows. | 4.9 | Free plan | Free plan | Web, Windows, Mac, Linux | 29 Sep 2026 |
It suits programming beginners, teachers, instructors, schools and bootcamps, as well as people who want to code without setting up an environment.
It suits developers working in Java or Kotlin who want coding assistance, debugging, build-tool integrations, and version-control support in one IDE.
WindowsMacLinux+2Zed suits developers looking for a code editor with Git tools, extensions, and options for remote development.
WindowsMacLinuxICEcoder suits developers who want a browser-based editor for website work and have access to an Apache-like server with PHP 7.0 or newer.
AndroidWebWindows+4Geany suits developers who want a free, lightweight coding environment across Linux, macOS, or Windows, with plugins and an embedded terminal.
PhpED fits PHP developers who need editing, debugging, profiling, deployment, database tools, and framework integrations in one desktop IDE.
phpDesigner suits beginners and professional developers building websites or HTML5 apps on supported Windows versions.
It suits developers who want a free editor with built-in tools, extensions, remote development, and optional AI agent workflows.
NetBeans suits developers working in Java, PHP, or other languages who want an editor with refactoring and a modular Swing application framework.
Kate suits people editing text or code who want split document views, language-aware editing, and extensible tools.
OpenIDE suits developers looking for a multilingual IDE with Git tools and plugin options.
Bluefish may suit programmers and web developers looking for a free desktop editor across Linux, macOS, or Windows.
PDT suits PHP developers who want PHP tools within Eclipse, including debugging, testing and remote project support.
CodeLite suits developers who want an IDE for its listed languages on Linux, macOS, or Windows.
It suits lab administrators who want browser access to a centrally hosted PHP editor across multiple systems.
