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If you build Laravel or PHP sites on a Mac or a Windows PC and want fast native PHP with no containers, Herd is the more direct choice. DevWorkspace Pro fits a different shape of work: many projects, more than one stack, maybe Linux, with AI agent sessions, GitHub and security scans in one window.
Plenty of Laravel developers end up using both.
At a glance
| DevWorkspace Pro | Laravel Herd | |
|---|---|---|
| Stacks | Any folder. Extras for known stacks: Laravel, Symfony, WordPress, Drupal, PHP, Node, .NET, Python, Go, Rust | PHP (7.4 to 8.5) and Node.js |
| Runtimes | DDEV, Laravel Sail, Docker Compose, native tools | Own native binaries (PHP, nginx, dnsmasq). No containers |
| OS | macOS, Windows, Linux | macOS, Windows |
| AI agents | Claude Code, Codex and OpenCode sessions per project, resume after restart, Send issue to AI, Focus Pad MCP | MCP server for agents to manage services, PHP versions and sites |
| GitHub | Issues, Actions runs and logs, re-run jobs, Git changes and commits | Not listed |
| Files and editor | Files tab with Go to file and PHP IntelliSense | Not listed |
| Security scan | Composer, npm, pnpm, Yarn, Bun and NuGet lockfiles, with background checks | Not listed |
| Monitoring | Uptime monitors with email alerts, log monitoring over SSH | Log Viewer (Pro) |
| Debugging | Xdebug toggle for DDEV projects | Xdebug detection and Dumps (Pro) |
| Wellbeing | Eye Care, Focus Pad, Keep Awake, voice-to-text | Not listed |
| Price | $9/month, $95/year or $499 one time | Basic free. Pro $99 per year (2 devices). Teams $299 for 10 Pro licenses |
"Not listed" means the feature does not appear on the official Herd pages as of the date of this page.
Two different jobs
Laravel Herd is a native PHP development environment. It ships pre-compiled binaries for PHP, nginx, dnsmasq and Node (through nvm), so you need neither Docker nor Homebrew. Herd Pro adds services such as MySQL, PostgreSQL and Redis, along with Dumps, a mail inbox, a log viewer and Xdebug detection.
DevWorkspace Pro is a desktop workspace for every project on your machine. Any folder gets the terminal, files and editor, Git changes, GitHub issues and Actions and AI sessions. Known stacks such as Laravel, Symfony, WordPress, Drupal, Node, .NET, Python, Go and Rust get extras on top: stack detection and recipes. Projects run in DDEV, Laravel Sail, Docker Compose or natively.
Which one should you pick?
Laravel Herd suits you if:
- You build Laravel or PHP sites on macOS or Windows.
- You want PHP and nginx without Docker.
- You deploy with Laravel Forge and like one-click deploys from the app.
- You rely on Dumps and a per-app mail inbox for Laravel debugging.
DevWorkspace Pro suits you if:
- You work on Linux. Getting Started lists the supported distributions.
- Your projects go beyond PHP: a Next.js front end, a .NET API, a Flutter app.
- Your team uses DDEV, Sail or Docker Compose and wants the same setup on every machine.
- You run AI agents in many projects and want to resume sessions after a restart.
- You want dependency security scans and uptime monitoring next to your code.
Where Herd is stronger
- Setup speed. One step installs PHP, nginx and DNS. No container runtime required.
- Laravel debugging. Dumps collects
dumpandddoutput, queries, jobs, views and requests in one window. - Forge and Expose. Herd connects to Laravel Forge for deploys and SSH, and to Expose for public share URLs.
- A free plan. Herd Basic costs nothing. DevWorkspace Pro needs a paid license.
- Team config. A
herd.ymlfile keeps site setup in sync across a team.
Running both side by side
Because the two tools do different jobs, they sit together comfortably.
- Keep Herd for PHP, nginx and
.testdomains. - Import your Herd site folders into DevWorkspace Pro by dragging them onto the window.
- Pick the native run method. DevWorkspace Pro detects Laravel and shows the stack badge.
- Use DevWorkspace Pro for terminals, Git, GitHub Actions, AI sessions, security scans and Focus Pad. Use Herd for services and Dumps.
Moving from Herd to a container runtime
When a team needs one runtime across Linux, macOS and Windows, DDEV or Sail is the usual answer. DevWorkspace Pro creates Laravel projects with DDEV, Laravel Sail, Docker Compose or local PHP. Already on Sail? The Sail to DDEV recipe converts the project in place.
Export your Herd database first, then import it into the new runtime.
Sources
- Laravel Herd home and pricing: https://herd.laravel.com
- Herd installation (macOS): https://herd.laravel.com/docs/macos/getting-started/installation
- Herd AI integrations (MCP): https://herd.laravel.com/docs/macos/advanced-usage/ai-integrations
- Herd changelog: https://herd.laravel.com/docs/macos/changelog
- DevWorkspace Pro docs: https://docs.devworkspacepro.com/getting-started
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Is DevWorkspace Pro a Laravel Herd alternative on Linux?
Yes. DevWorkspace Pro runs on macOS, Windows and Linux. Herd runs on macOS and Windows, and its FAQ says there are no current plans for Linux. On Linux, DevWorkspace Pro runs Laravel projects in DDEV, Laravel Sail or Docker Compose, or with the PHP already on your computer.
Does DevWorkspace Pro install PHP and nginx like Herd?
No. Herd ships its own PHP, nginx and DNS binaries. DevWorkspace Pro uses the runtime you choose: DDEV, Sail, Docker Compose, or the tools already on your computer.
Can I use Herd and DevWorkspace Pro together?
Yes. Import your Herd project folders into DevWorkspace Pro and pick the native run method. Herd keeps serving the sites, and DevWorkspace Pro adds the terminal, files, Git, GitHub, AI sessions and security scans for each project.
Which one has an MCP server?
Both do. Herd's MCP server lets agents manage its services, PHP versions and sites. The DevWorkspace Pro Focus Pad MCP server gives an agent a shared to-do list, and DevWorkspace Pro also starts Claude Code, Codex and OpenCode sessions in each project.
How much do they cost?
Herd Basic is free. Herd Pro is $99 for a one-year license on 2 devices. DevWorkspace Pro costs $9 per month, $95 per year or $499 one time.