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Business Intelligence · head to head

Cabin vs PhpStorm

Cabin logo

Cabin

Business Intelligence

Cookieless web analytics that also reports the carbon footprint of your website

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Visit CabinFull review
PhpStorm logo

PhpStorm

Developer Tools

JetBrains IDE for PHP web development

From
$24/month
Free plan
No
Visit PhpStormFull review

The short version

  • Cabin is a privacy-first analytics tool.
  • Cabin has a free plan, then $14/mo; PhpStorm starts at $24/mo.
  • Only Cabin lists cookieless tracking; only PhpStorm lists PHP-aware coding assistance.
  • Where PhpStorm falls short: requires an ongoing paid subscription with no free tier for commercial use.
  • Prices and features on this page were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Cabin and PhpStorm actually diverge.

Attributes where Cabin and PhpStorm differ
AttributeCabinPhpStorm
Starting priceFree$24/month
Pricing modelPer month by pageview volumeSubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWebWindows, macOS, Linux
CategoryBusiness IntelligenceDeveloper Tools

Not yet recorded: founded for Cabin.

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Cabin

  • Cookieless tracking
  • Carbon reporting
  • 1.2kb script
  • Custom events
  • Ad-blocker bypass
  • MCP access
  • Branded dashboards
  • EU data storage

Only in PhpStorm

  • PHP-aware coding assistance
  • Integrated debugger
  • Front-end tooling
  • Database tools
  • Version control integration
  • Docker and remote deployment

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Cabin

  • Replacing Google Analytics on a site where a cookie consent banner is hurting conversion and you do not need behavioural advertising datanot PhpStorm
  • An organisation with a published sustainability commitment that needs a reportable figure for its website emissionsnot PhpStorm
  • An agency managing many client sites that wants unlimited domains and branded client dashboards for a flat $45 a monthnot PhpStorm
  • A developer who wants to query site analytics conversationally through an MCP-connected assistant rather than reading a dashboardnot PhpStorm

PhpStorm

  • Building PHP web applications with Laravel or Symfonynot Cabin
  • Debugging PHP code with Xdebugnot Cabin
  • Working across PHP, HTML, CSS, and JavaScript in one projectnot Cabin
  • Managing databases alongside application codenot Cabin

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Cabin

  • The analytics are deliberately shallow: no funnels, no cohort retention, no session replay and no user-level journeys, so anything beyond traffic and event counts requires a second tool
  • Carbon figures are modelled from bytes transferred using CO2.js assumptions about grid intensity and device energy, not measured, so they are directionally useful and should never be presented as audited emissions data
  • Cabin is a product of Normally, a design studio, rather than a company whose sole business is analytics, which puts a reasonable question mark over long-term roadmap investment and support depth
  • The 30-day retention on the free tier and 12 months on Plus mean year-on-year comparison needs the $45 Scale plan, which is a large jump for a small site that only wanted longer history
  • Because it does not use cookies or cross-site identifiers, returning-visitor and multi-session attribution are approximations, which matters if anyone in the business is trying to reconcile it with an ad platform's numbers

PhpStorm

  • Requires an ongoing paid subscription with no free tier for commercial use
  • Heavier and slower to start than lightweight code editors
  • Some advanced framework-specific tooling requires additional configuration or plugins
  • Renewal pricing rises for lapsed subscriptions after the grace period

Pricing, plan by plan

Cabin

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 1 domain
    • 10,000 pageviews per month
    • 30-day data retention
  • Plus$14/mo
    • Up to 10 domains
    • 100,000 pageviews per month
    • 12-month retention
  • Scale$45/mo
    • Unlimited domains
    • 5,000,000 pageviews per month
    • Unlimited retention

PhpStorm

$24/month
  • Individual$24/mo
    • Personal use license
    • Access to PhpStorm
    • Free for students and open-source maintainers
  • Organization$34/mo
    • Business use license
    • Access to PhpStorm
    • Volume and renewal discounts

Which should you pick?

Choose Cabin if

  • You need cookieless tracking.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want carbon reporting.
Cabin review

Choose PhpStorm if

  • You need php-aware coding assistance.
  • You work on Windows, macOS, Linux.
  • You also want integrated debugger.
PhpStorm review

Questions people ask

Is Cabin or PhpStorm better?
Neither clearly leads. Cabin starts at Free and PhpStorm at $24/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Cabin or PhpStorm?
Cabin has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Cabin and $24/month for PhpStorm.
Does Cabin or PhpStorm run on more platforms?
Cabin runs on Web. PhpStorm runs on Windows, macOS, Linux.
Can I use Cabin for free?
Yes. Cabin has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. PhpStorm starts at $24/month.
What is Cabin best used for?
Cabin is most often used for replacing google analytics on a site where a cookie consent banner is hurting conversion and you do not need behavioural advertising data, an organisation with a published sustainability commitment that needs a reportable figure for its website emissions, an agency managing many client sites that wants unlimited domains and branded client dashboards for a flat $45 a month, a developer who wants to query site analytics conversationally through an mcp-connected assistant rather than reading a dashboard. Of those, replacing google analytics on a site where a cookie consent banner is hurting conversion and you do not need behavioural advertising data and an organisation with a published sustainability commitment that needs a reportable figure for its website emissions are not what PhpStorm is typically brought in for.
What can Cabin do that PhpStorm cannot?
Cabin covers Cookieless tracking, Carbon reporting, 1.2kb script, Custom events. PhpStorm covers PHP-aware coding assistance, Integrated debugger, Front-end tooling, Database tools.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Cabin: Do I need a cookie consent banner with Cabin?

No. It sets no cookies and collects no cross-site identifiers, and data is stored in the EU, which is the specific reason most buyers switch to it.

PhpStorm: How much does PhpStorm cost?

PhpStorm is sold via JetBrains Toolbox subscription starting around $24/month for individuals and $34/month for organizations, with free licenses for students and open-source maintainers.

Source
Cabin: How accurate is the carbon measurement?

It is an estimate derived from data transfer using the CO2.js model. It is reliable for tracking change over time on your own site and unsuitable as an audited emissions figure.

PhpStorm: Is there a free trial?

JetBrains offers a free trial of PhpStorm so developers can test it before subscribing.

Source
Cabin: Who makes Cabin?

It was built at Normally, a research and design studio in London, out of work on data, privacy and the carbon footprint of digital products.

PhpStorm: What platforms does PhpStorm support?

PhpStorm is a desktop IDE available on Windows, macOS, and Linux via JetBrains Toolbox.

Source
Cabin: Can it replace Google Analytics entirely?

For traffic, referrer and event reporting, yes. For advertising attribution, audience building and funnel analysis, no.

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