Software · head to head
Laravel vs Strikingly

Strikingly
Software
One-page website builder for small businesses and creators
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Laravel performance overhead from abstractions, middleware pipeline, and multiple layers can slow applications compared to minimal frameworks; Strikingly strikingly is optimized for single-page sites and is not well suited to building large, multi-section websites.
- They diverge on capability: Laravel covers Eloquent ORM, Strikingly covers Drag-and-drop editor.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Laravel and Strikingly actually diverge.
| Attribute | Laravel | Strikingly |
|---|---|---|
| Platforms | Web, CLI | web |
| Founded | 2011 | 2012 |
Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (freemium), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).
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 Laravel
- Eloquent ORM
- Artisan CLI
- Blade templating
- Middleware
- Authentication
- Caching
- Queue system
- Event broadcasting
Only in Strikingly
- Drag-and-drop editor
- Simple Store
- Blogging
- Forms and live chat
- Traffic analytics
- Social feed integration
- HTTPS/SSL
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Laravel
- Web application developmentnot Strikingly
- API developmentnot Strikingly
- E-commerce platformsnot Strikingly
- Content managementnot Strikingly
- Enterprise applicationsnot Strikingly
Strikingly
- Personal portfolio or resume sitenot Laravel
- Single-product or small online storenot Laravel
- Event or landing pagenot Laravel
- Small business brochure sitenot Laravel
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Laravel
- Performance overhead from abstractions, middleware pipeline, and multiple layers can slow applications compared to minimal frameworks
- Dependency management is complex with many interdependent packages requiring careful version coordination
Strikingly
- Strikingly is optimized for single-page sites and is not well suited to building large, multi-section websites.
- Transaction fees of 2-5% apply to store sales on lower-tier plans in addition to payment processor fees.
- Design customization is limited compared to code-based site builders, since sites are built from fixed templates.
- The free plan does not support a custom domain, limiting its use for professional or commercial sites.
Pricing, plan by plan
Laravel
Free- Open SourceFree
- Full framework
- Artisan CLI
- Eloquent ORM
- Laravel Forge$12/month
- Server management
- Deployment automation
- SSL certificates
- Laravel Vapor$39/month
- Serverless deployment
- Auto-scaling
- AWS integration
Strikingly
Free- Limited$8/month
- 2 sites
- 1 GB storage per site
- Up to 5 pages
- Pro$16/month
- 3 sites
- 20 GB storage per site
- Up to 100 pages
- VIP$49/month
- 5 sites
- 100 GB storage per site
- Up to 500 products
Which should you pick?
Choose Laravel if
- You need eloquent orm.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Web, CLI.
- You also want artisan cli.
Choose Strikingly if
- You need drag-and-drop editor.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on web.
- You also want simple store.
Questions people ask
- Is Laravel or Strikingly better?
- Neither clearly leads. Laravel starts at Free and Strikingly at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Laravel or Strikingly?
- Laravel starts at Free and Strikingly at Free.
- Does Laravel or Strikingly run on more platforms?
- Laravel runs on Web, CLI. Strikingly runs on web.
- Can I use Laravel for free?
- Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
- What is Laravel best used for?
- Laravel is most often used for web application development, api development, e-commerce platforms, content management. Of those, web application development and api development are not what Strikingly is typically brought in for.
- What can Laravel do that Strikingly cannot?
- Laravel covers Eloquent ORM, Artisan CLI, Blade templating, Middleware. Strikingly covers Drag-and-drop editor, Simple Store, Blogging, Forms and live chat.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
Laravel: Is Laravel free and open source?
Yes, Laravel is completely free and open source under the MIT License. You can use, modify, and distribute it without restrictions.
SourceStrikingly: Does Strikingly have a free plan?
Strikingly offers a free tier for getting started, with paid plans beginning at $8/month (billed yearly) adding a custom domain, more storage, and lower transaction fees on store sales.
SourceLaravel: What are the key features Laravel provides?
Laravel includes an ORM (Eloquent), database migrations, authentication, authorization, caching, queues, email, testing, and deployment tools. It supports multiple databases and provides starter kits for full-stack and API development.
SourceStrikingly: Does Strikingly charge transaction fees on store sales?
Yes. The Limited plan charges a 5% transaction fee, the Pro plan charges 2%, and the VIP plan removes the transaction fee entirely, in addition to any payment processor fees.
SourceLaravel: Can I deploy Laravel on any server?
Yes, Laravel can be deployed on any PHP server. You can use shared hosting, VPS, or managed platforms like Laravel Cloud, which starts at $5/month with auto-scaling and git-like branching.
SourceStrikingly: What payment methods can I use to sell products?
Strikingly's built-in Simple Store supports accepting payments through PayPal and Stripe.
SourceLaravel: Does Laravel have testing and local development tools?
Yes, Laravel includes Dusk for browser testing, PHPUnit for unit tests, and Herd (free for basic use) for local development environments with built-in PHP, Composer, and Nginx support.
SourceRelated pages
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