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PhpStorm vs SolidStart

PhpStorm logo

PhpStorm

Developer Tools

JetBrains IDE for PHP web development

From
$24/month
Free plan
No
Full reviewWebsite
SolidStart logo

SolidStart

Web Development

Full-stack meta-framework for SolidJS with fine-grained reactivity

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only SolidStart has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: PhpStorm requires an ongoing paid subscription with no free tier for commercial use.; SolidStart smaller ecosystem compared to Next.js or Remix due to relative newness
  • They diverge on capability: PhpStorm covers PHP-aware coding assistance, SolidStart covers Fine-grained reactivity.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 29 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which PhpStorm and SolidStart actually diverge.

Attributes where PhpStorm and SolidStart differ
AttributePhpStormSolidStart
Starting price$24/monthFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionopen-source
Free tierNoYes
Platformswindows, mac, linuxWeb
CategoryDeveloper ToolsWeb Development
Founded2000Unknown

Identical on both: 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 PhpStorm

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

Only in SolidStart

  • Fine-grained reactivity
  • Server actions
  • Single-flight mutations
  • Request deduplication
  • Multi-router support
  • Automatic API generation
  • Vite integration

What people use each for

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

PhpStorm

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

SolidStart

  • Building lightweight full-stack applications with minimal runtime overheadnot PhpStorm
  • Projects requiring fine-grained reactivity and automatic dependency trackingnot PhpStorm
  • Applications targeting multiple deployment platforms with single codebasenot PhpStorm
  • Teams prioritizing performance and small bundle sizesnot PhpStorm

Where each one falls short

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

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.

SolidStart

  • Smaller ecosystem compared to Next.js or Remix due to relative newness
  • SolidJS less familiar to developers with React experience
  • Community documentation not as extensive as larger frameworks
  • Limited third-party UI component libraries compared to React ecosystem

Pricing, plan by plan

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

SolidStart

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the SolidStart review.

Which should you pick?

Choose PhpStorm if

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

Choose SolidStart if

  • You need fine-grained reactivity.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want server actions.
SolidStart review

Questions people ask

Is PhpStorm or SolidStart better?
Neither clearly leads. PhpStorm starts at $24/month and SolidStart at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, PhpStorm or SolidStart?
SolidStart has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $24/month for PhpStorm and Free for SolidStart.
Does PhpStorm or SolidStart run on more platforms?
PhpStorm runs on windows, mac, linux. SolidStart runs on Web.
Can I use SolidStart for free?
Yes. SolidStart has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. PhpStorm starts at $24/month.
What is PhpStorm best used for?
PhpStorm is most often used for building php web applications with laravel or symfony, debugging php code with xdebug, working across php, html, css, and javascript in one project, managing databases alongside application code. Of those, building php web applications with laravel or symfony and debugging php code with xdebug are not what SolidStart is typically brought in for.
What can PhpStorm do that SolidStart cannot?
PhpStorm covers PHP-aware coding assistance, Integrated debugger, Front-end tooling, Database tools. SolidStart covers Fine-grained reactivity, Server actions, Single-flight mutations, Request deduplication.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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
SolidStart: What is SolidJS and how does it differ from React?

SolidJS uses fine-grained reactivity and automatic dependency tracking instead of React's virtual DOM, resulting in smaller bundles and better performance.

Source
PhpStorm: Is there a free trial?

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

Source
SolidStart: How many deployment platforms does SolidStart support?

SolidStart supports over 20 deployment platforms including Cloudflare, Netlify, Vercel, Deno, AWS, and Azure through Vite plugins.

Source
PhpStorm: What platforms does PhpStorm support?

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

Source
SolidStart: Can I use TanStack Router with SolidStart?

Yes, SolidStart supports using either the official Solid Router or TanStack Router depending on project requirements.

Source
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