Laragon vs LampRabit: a free Laragon alternative compared
Laragon and LampRabit compared: licensing, PHP versions per site, Apache and Nginx, HTTPS, databases, Linux support and Node.js projects.
The LampRabit team3 min read
Laragon earned its fans by doing what XAMPP didn’t: automatic .test domains, a fast portable setup, and a menu for everything. If you’ve used it, LampRabit will feel familiar on purpose. Every folder in www becomes folder.test, just like Laragon.
So what’s different? Mostly three things: licensing, per-site flexibility, and platforms.
At a glance
| Laragon | LampRabit | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free for non-commercial use; paid licence for commercial use (see laragon.org/pricing) | Free and open source (MIT), commercial use included |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows and Linux; macOS in preview |
Automatic .test domains |
Yes | Yes |
| PHP versions | One active version for all sites | Several at once, each site picks its own |
| Web server | Apache or Nginx, one at a time | Apache, Nginx or both, chosen per site |
| HTTPS | Laragon’s certificate authority | LampRabit’s certificate authority, on by default |
| Databases | MySQL or MariaDB | MariaDB and MySQL side by side, with a default for new projects |
| Database tools | HeidiSQL, phpMyAdmin add-on | phpMyAdmin, Adminer, phpRedisAdmin |
| Runs as administrator | Usually | No; asks only for the hosts file and certificate |
| Node.js projects | Node.js available | Dev servers get their own domain, which follows the port they listen on |
| New projects | Quick app | Templates for 14 frameworks, plus your own in YAML |
Licensing: the question most people are asking
Laragon’s pricing page lists free, unlicensed use for non-commercial purposes, and paid plans for commercial use. At the time of writing that’s $49 a year or $149 for a lifetime licence on one device. If you do client work or use it at a company, check the current terms on laragon.org before relying on the free version.
LampRabit is MIT-licensed. Use it at work, for clients, on as many machines as you like. There’s no paid tier.
Per-site PHP and web server
Laragon switches PHP globally: change the version and every site changes with it. LampRabit runs a pool of PHP workers for each version in use and routes each site to the right one. Keep the legacy WordPress site on PHP 8.1 and the new Laravel app on 8.4, both running at once.
The same goes for web servers. Run Apache and Nginx together (Apache keeps 80/443, Nginx gets its own ports) and choose per site. Laravel, Symfony and WordPress pretty URLs work on Nginx out of the box.
Node.js projects that feel native
LampRabit treats a Next.js or Vite app as a first-class project. Start its dev server from LampRabit, or just run npm run dev in your terminal: LampRabit notices the port it listens on and points project.test (with HTTPS) at it within a few seconds. When the dev server stops, the domain goes back to the project’s files. See How to get rid of localhost:3000.
Where Laragon still shines
- Portability. Laragon is famous for living in one folder you can copy around.
- Maturity. It’s been around for years, with a large community and lots of guides.
- Extras. Built-in Cmder terminal and HeidiSQL, if you like those tools.
The verdict
If you’re happy with Laragon and your use is non-commercial, there’s no urgency. If you need per-site PHP versions, both Apache and Nginx, Linux, or a free licence for work, LampRabit gives you the Laragon workflow without those limits.
Moving takes about 15 minutes and your domains stay the same. Follow the Laragon to LampRabit migration guide, or download LampRabit and try it next to Laragon first.
Frequently asked questions
Is Laragon still free?
According to Laragon's pricing page at the time of writing, unlicensed use is allowed for non-commercial purposes (with a licence reminder), and commercial use needs a paid licence. LampRabit is MIT-licensed and free for commercial work.
Do my .test domains keep working if I move from Laragon?
Yes. Both serve www/shop at shop.test, so URLs stay the same. LampRabit turns HTTPS on by default, so https://shop.test works with a trusted certificate.
Does LampRabit run on Linux?
Yes. Windows and Linux are fully supported, with LampRabit's own builds of Apache, Nginx, PHP, Redis and Memcached on Linux. macOS is in preview. Laragon is Windows-only.
