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Cloud · head to head

Orca Security vs PhpStorm

Orca Security logo

Orca Security

Cloud

Agentless cloud-native application protection platform for code-to-runtime security.

From
On request
Free plan
No
PhpStorm logo

PhpStorm

Developer Tools

JetBrains IDE for PHP web development

From
$24/month
Free plan
No

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Orca Security no public pricing; requires a demo and custom quote from sales.; PhpStorm requires an ongoing paid subscription with no free tier for commercial use.
  • They diverge on capability: Orca Security covers Agentless cloud scanning, PhpStorm covers PHP-aware coding assistance.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 29 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Orca Security and PhpStorm actually diverge.

Attributes where Orca Security and PhpStorm differ
AttributeOrca SecurityPhpStorm
Starting priceOn request$24/month
Pricing modelquotesubscription
Platformsweb, apiwindows, mac, linux
CategoryCloudDeveloper Tools
FoundedUnknown2000

Identical on both: free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated).

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 Orca Security

  • Agentless cloud scanning
  • Attack path analysis
  • Shadow AI detection
  • Secure code development
  • Alert prioritization
  • Workload protection

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.

Orca Security

  • Gaining full cloud asset visibility without deploying agentsnot PhpStorm
  • Prioritizing cloud risk with attack path correlationnot PhpStorm
  • Detecting shadow AI usage across cloud environmentsnot PhpStorm
  • Scanning code, containers, and IaC before deploymentnot PhpStorm
  • Reducing alert fatigue through contextual risk scoringnot PhpStorm

PhpStorm

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

Where each one falls short

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

Orca Security

  • No public pricing; requires a demo and custom quote from sales.
  • Agentless-only scanning may miss some runtime telemetry that agent-based tools capture.
  • Full value depends on integrating many of the platform's modules across code, cloud, and AI.
  • Primarily targeted at mid-to-large organizations with multi-cloud environments.

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

Orca Security

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the Orca Security review.

PhpStorm

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

Which should you pick?

Choose Orca Security if

  • You need agentless cloud scanning.
  • You work on web, api.
  • You also want attack path analysis.

Choose PhpStorm if

  • You need php-aware coding assistance.
  • You work on windows, mac, linux.
  • You also want integrated debugger.

Questions people ask

Is Orca Security or PhpStorm better?
Neither clearly leads. Orca Security starts at On request and PhpStorm at $24/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Orca Security or PhpStorm?
Orca Security starts at On request and PhpStorm at $24/month.
Does Orca Security or PhpStorm run on more platforms?
Orca Security runs on web, api. PhpStorm runs on windows, mac, linux.
What is Orca Security best used for?
Orca Security is most often used for gaining full cloud asset visibility without deploying agents, prioritizing cloud risk with attack path correlation, detecting shadow ai usage across cloud environments, scanning code, containers, and iac before deployment. Of those, gaining full cloud asset visibility without deploying agents and prioritizing cloud risk with attack path correlation are not what PhpStorm is typically brought in for.
What can Orca Security do that PhpStorm cannot?
Orca Security covers Agentless cloud scanning, Attack path analysis, Shadow AI detection, Secure code development. PhpStorm covers PHP-aware coding assistance, Integrated debugger, Front-end tooling, Database tools.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Orca Security: How much does Orca Security cost?

Orca Security does not publish pricing tiers or rates on their website. Organizations must contact Orca Security directly or request a demo to receive custom pricing information based on their specific use case and requirements.

Source
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
PhpStorm: Is there a free trial?

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

Source
PhpStorm: What platforms does PhpStorm support?

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

Source
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