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Developer Tools · head to head

PhpStorm vs Visor

PhpStorm logo

PhpStorm

Developer Tools

JetBrains IDE for PHP web development

From
$24/month
Free plan
No
Visit PhpStormFull review
Visor logo

Visor

Project Management

The spreadsheet-native project management tool

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Visit VisorFull review

The short version

  • Visor is a spreadsheet-native project management tool.
  • Visor has a free plan, then $18/mo; PhpStorm starts at $24/mo.
  • Only PhpStorm lists PHP-aware coding assistance; only Visor lists two-way sync.
  • Where PhpStorm falls short: requires an ongoing paid subscription with no free tier for commercial use.
  • Where Visor falls short: syncing is metered in credits, at 10,000 a month shared on free and 50,000 on Starter.
  • Prices and features on this page were last checked on 13 November 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which PhpStorm and Visor actually diverge.

Attributes where PhpStorm and Visor differ
AttributePhpStormVisor
Starting price$24/monthFree
Pricing modelSubscriptionFreemium
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWindows, macOS, LinuxWeb
CategoryDeveloper ToolsProject Management
Founded20002020

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 Visor

  • Two-way sync
  • Spreadsheet views
  • Gantt charts
  • Pivot tables
  • Custom fields
  • Jira
  • Asana
  • Salesforce

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 Visor
  • Debugging PHP code with Xdebugnot Visor
  • Working across PHP, HTML, CSS, and JavaScript in one projectnot Visor
  • Managing databases alongside application codenot Visor

Visor

  • Project and portfolio managementnot PhpStorm
  • Team collaborationnot PhpStorm
  • Data organization and reportingnot PhpStorm
  • Workflow automationnot 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

Visor

  • Integrations are capped by plan, at 1 on free, 2 on Starter and 3 on Team, so connecting Jira, Salesforce and HubSpot together needs the top tier
  • Syncing is metered in credits, at 10,000 a month shared on free and 50,000 on Starter
  • Extra credits are sold in booster packs at $50 for 250,000
  • The free plan is limited to 2 workbooks and 5 users
  • The flat rate Business plan is $750 a month billed annually

Pricing, plan by plan

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

Visor

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Table and Board views only
    • Max 2 workbooks
    • Max 5 workspace members
  • Starter$18/mo
    • Gantt, Timeline and Dashboard views
    • Milestones and Jira dependencies
    • Up to 500 records per workbook
  • Team$24/mo
    • Unlimited free viewers
    • Unlimited workbooks
    • Private workbooks
  • Business$750/mo
    • Flat rate for up to 100 editors
    • Unlimited free viewers
    • 2,000,000 shared sync credits per month

Which should you pick?

Choose PhpStorm if

  • You need php-aware coding assistance.
  • You work on Windows, macOS, Linux.
  • You also want integrated debugger.
PhpStorm review

Choose Visor if

  • You need two-way sync.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want spreadsheet views.
Visor review

Questions people ask

Is PhpStorm or Visor better?
Neither clearly leads. PhpStorm starts at $24/month and Visor at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, PhpStorm or Visor?
Visor has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $24/month for PhpStorm and Free for Visor.
Does PhpStorm or Visor run on more platforms?
PhpStorm runs on Windows, macOS, Linux. Visor runs on Web.
Can I use Visor for free?
Yes. Visor 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 Visor is typically brought in for.
What can PhpStorm do that Visor cannot?
PhpStorm covers PHP-aware coding assistance, Integrated debugger, Front-end tooling, Database tools. Visor covers Two-way sync, Spreadsheet views, Gantt charts, Pivot tables.

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
Visor: How many workbooks and records can I have on each Visor plan?

The Free plan allows up to 2 workbooks with 250 records each. Starter includes up to 10 workbooks with 500 records each. Team and Business plans offer unlimited workbooks, with Team supporting 1,000 records per workbook and Business supporting the highest capacity.

Source
PhpStorm: Is there a free trial?

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

Source
Visor: What are sync credits in Visor and how many do I get?

Sync credits enable real-time synchronization between workbooks and external data sources. Free includes 10,000 credits per month, Starter gets 50,000, Team gets 100,000 per license, and Business includes 2,000,000 per month. Additional credits available for $37.50 per 250,000 credits annually.

Source
PhpStorm: What platforms does PhpStorm support?

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

Source
Visor: How many workspace members and viewers are included in each plan?

Free plan allows 5 workspace members maximum. Starter supports up to 10 workspace members plus free viewer-only members. Team and Business plans include unlimited workspace members and unlimited free viewer-only members for sharing read-only access.

Source
Visor: What is the difference between Visor's per-user and Business flat-rate pricing?

Free, Starter, and Team are priced per user at $0, $18, and $24 per month respectively. Business is a flat rate of $750 per month and covers up to 100 editors with unlimited free viewers, making it cost-effective for large teams.

Source
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