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Netlify vs PHP

Netlify logo

Netlify

Web Development

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Visit NetlifyFull review
PHP logo

PHP

Web Development

A popular general-purpose scripting language that is especially suited to web development

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Visit PHPFull review

The short version

  • Netlify is a web development platform; PHP is an open source scripting language for web development.
  • PHP is free; Netlify starts at $9/mo.
  • Where Netlify falls short: the free tier is an individual account with 300 credits; team members require the Pro plan at $20 a month.
  • Prices and features on this page were last checked on 13 November 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Netlify and PHP actually diverge.

Attributes where Netlify and PHP differ
AttributeNetlifyPHP
Pricing modelFreemiumOpen-source

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), platforms (Web), category (Web Development).

Not yet recorded: founded for PHP.

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 Netlify

  • Continuous deployment
  • Instant rollbacks
  • Deploy previews
  • Split testing
  • Forms handling
  • Identity/Auth
  • Serverless functions
  • Edge handlers

Only in PHP

Nothing recorded that Netlify does not also cover.

What people use each for

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

Netlify

  • Hosting static sites and frontend frameworks with global CDN deliverynot PHP
  • Deploy previews on every pull requestnot PHP
  • Serverless functions alongside a static sitenot PHP
  • Netlify Database and Blob storage for small application statenot PHP

PHP

  • Server-side web developmentnot Netlify
  • Content management systemsnot Netlify
  • API backendsnot Netlify

Where each one falls short

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

Netlify

  • The free tier is an individual account with 300 credits; team members require the Pro plan at $20 a month
  • Everything is metered in credits, so bandwidth at 20 credits per GB and production deploys at 15 credits each consume the allowance in ways a bandwidth figure alone would not show
  • Compute is billed at 10 credits per GB-hour, so server-rendered work costs more than static hosting
  • Running past the allowance means buying credit packs, at $5 for 500 on Personal and $10 for 1,500 on Pro
  • AI inference is priced by model rather than at a flat credit rate

PHP

  • PHP 8.2 lost active support on 31 Dec 2024 and enters full end of life on 31 Dec 2026, with only security fixes since, per php.net/supported-versions.php (Aug 2026)

Pricing, plan by plan

Netlify

Free
  • Free PlanFree
    • 300 credit limit
    • Deploy previews, custom domains with SSL, functions, database storage
    • Global CDN access
  • Personal Plan$9/mo
    • 1000 credits
    • Smart secret detection
    • Extended observability 1-day
  • Pro Plan$20/mo
    • 3000 credits
    • Private repositories, shared environment variables
    • Concurrent builds 3 plus
  • Enterprise PlanOn request
    • Unlimited credits
    • 99.99 percent SLA guarantee
    • Enterprise networking, SSO/SCIM integration

PHP

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the PHP review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Netlify if

  • You need continuous deployment.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want instant rollbacks.
Netlify review

Choose PHP if

  • You want to start without paying.
PHP review

Questions people ask

Is Netlify or PHP better?
Neither clearly leads. Netlify starts at Free and PHP at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Netlify or PHP?
Netlify starts at Free and PHP at Free.
Does Netlify or PHP run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use Netlify for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Netlify best used for?
Netlify is most often used for hosting static sites and frontend frameworks with global cdn delivery, deploy previews on every pull request, serverless functions alongside a static site, netlify database and blob storage for small application state. Of those, hosting static sites and frontend frameworks with global cdn delivery and deploy previews on every pull request are not what PHP is typically brought in for.
What can Netlify do that PHP cannot?
Netlify covers Continuous deployment, Instant rollbacks, Deploy previews, Split testing.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Netlify: Is Netlify free?

Netlify offers a free tier with 300 credits per month, suitable for individual developers. It includes deploy previews, custom domains with SSL, functions, database storage, and global CDN access.

Source
PHP: Is PHP free to use?

Yes, PHP is completely free and open-source software under the PHP Foundation governance. There are no licensing fees or paid tiers.

Source
Netlify: What is Netlify's pricing model?

Netlify charges based on credits. Production deployments cost 15 credits at 0.10 dollars each. Compute costs 10 credits per GB-hour at 0.07 dollars. Bandwidth costs 20 credits per GB at 0.13 dollars. Web requests cost 2 credits per 10000 requests at 0.01 dollars.

Source
PHP: Does the PHP Foundation offer paid support?

The PHP Foundation accepts voluntary donations to support long-term development, but donations are optional and not required to use PHP.

Source
Netlify: What does the Pro plan include?

The Pro Plan costs 20 dollars per month and includes 3000 credits, private repositories, shared environment variables, 3 plus concurrent builds, and 30-day analytics periods.

Source
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