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Project Management · head to head

Paymo vs PhpStorm

Paymo logo

Paymo

Project Management

Work & project management for teams

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Visit PaymoFull review
PhpStorm logo

PhpStorm

Developer Tools

JetBrains IDE for PHP web development

From
$24/month
Free plan
No
Visit PhpStormFull review

The short version

  • Paymo is a work management solution.
  • Paymo has a free plan, then $5.9/mo; PhpStorm starts at $24/mo.
  • Only Paymo lists task management; only PhpStorm lists PHP-aware coding assistance.
  • Where Paymo falls short: every advertised price rises after 3 months, with Plus going from $10.90 to $15.90 per user and Pro from $16.90 to $23.90.
  • 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 13 November 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Paymo and PhpStorm actually diverge.

Attributes where Paymo and PhpStorm differ
AttributePaymoPhpStorm
Starting priceFree$24/month
Pricing modelFreemiumSubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, iOS, Android, Windows, macOSWindows, macOS, Linux
CategoryProject ManagementDeveloper Tools
Founded20082000

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 Paymo

  • Task management
  • Time tracking
  • Invoicing
  • Gantt charts
  • Resource scheduling
  • Slack
  • Google Workspace
  • Zapier

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.

Paymo

  • Time tracking for freelancersnot PhpStorm
  • Project management for small teamsnot PhpStorm
  • Invoice generation and client managementnot PhpStorm

PhpStorm

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

Where each one falls short

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

Paymo

  • Every advertised price rises after 3 months, with Plus going from $10.90 to $15.90 per user and Pro from $16.90 to $23.90
  • The free plan allows 1 user, 1 client and 2 projects
  • The Solo plan is still capped at 3 clients and 5 projects
  • Gantt charts, task dependencies and scheduling require the Plus plan
  • Integrations are excluded from both the free and Solo plans

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

Paymo

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 1 user
    • unlimited time tracking
    • unlimited invoices
  • Solo$5.9/mo
    • 1 user
    • flat rate/retainer projects
    • 3 clients
  • Plus$10.9/mo
    • unlimited users
    • spreadsheet view
    • recurring tasks
  • Pro$16.9/mo
    • unlimited users
    • Gantt charts
    • task dependencies

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 Paymo if

  • You need task management.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android, Windows, macOS.
  • You also want time tracking.
Paymo 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 Paymo or PhpStorm better?
Neither clearly leads. Paymo 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, Paymo or PhpStorm?
Paymo has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Paymo and $24/month for PhpStorm.
Does Paymo or PhpStorm run on more platforms?
Paymo runs on Web, iOS, Android, Windows, macOS. PhpStorm runs on Windows, macOS, Linux.
Can I use Paymo for free?
Yes. Paymo has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. PhpStorm starts at $24/month.
What is Paymo best used for?
Paymo is most often used for time tracking for freelancers, project management for small teams, invoice generation and client management. Of those, time tracking for freelancers and project management for small teams are not what PhpStorm is typically brought in for.
What can Paymo do that PhpStorm cannot?
Paymo covers Task management, Time tracking, Invoicing, Gantt charts. PhpStorm covers PHP-aware coding assistance, Integrated debugger, Front-end tooling, Database tools.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Paymo: What is the storage limit by plan?

Free: 1GB, Solo: 5GB, Plus: 50GB, Pro: 500GB.

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
Paymo: Can I use Paymo with multiple users on the Free plan?

No, Free and Solo plans are limited to 1 user only. You need Plus or Pro for multiple users.

Source
PhpStorm: Is there a free trial?

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

Source
Paymo: What happens after the promotional pricing period ends?

Regular prices apply: Solo $9.90/month, Plus $15.90/user/month, Pro $23.90/user/month.

Source
PhpStorm: What platforms does PhpStorm support?

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

Source
Paymo: Is there a discount for annual billing?

Yes, annual payment offers up to 40% discount compared to monthly billing.

Source
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