On this page
For a shop that builds only WordPress, Local is a free, one-click setup with push and pull to WP Engine or Flywheel. Not every agency is that tidy, though. Once a Laravel API, a Next.js front end or a Drupal site joins the client list, DevWorkspace Pro starts to make more sense: every project in one window, with AI agents, GitHub and security scans.
Comparison table
| DevWorkspace Pro | Local | |
|---|---|---|
| Stacks | Any folder. Extras for known stacks: WordPress, Laravel, Symfony, Drupal, PHP, Node, .NET, Python, Go, Rust | WordPress |
| Runtimes | DDEV, Laravel Sail, Docker Compose, native tools | Own native PHP, MySQL, NGINX and Apache |
| OS | macOS, Windows, Linux | macOS, Windows, Linux |
| AI agents | Claude Code, Codex and OpenCode sessions per project, resume after restart, Send issue to AI, Focus Pad MCP | localwp CLI that agents can drive (Local 10.2+) |
| 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 | Not listed |
| Monitoring | Uptime monitors with email alerts, log monitoring over SSH | Not listed |
| Mail and debugging | Xdebug toggle for DDEV projects. Mail catcher through DDEV | Mailpit, Xdebug |
| Hosting | Remote SSH and logs for your server | Connect: push and pull to WP Engine and Flywheel |
| Wellbeing | Eye Care, Focus Pad, Keep Awake, voice-to-text | Not listed |
| Price | $9/month, $95/year or $499 one time | Free |
"Not listed" means the feature does not appear on the official Local pages as of the date of this page.
About each tool
Local, from WP Engine, is built for WordPress. It runs PHP, MySQL, NGINX and Apache natively on your computer and adds Blueprints, Live Links for sharing, Cloud Backups, and Connect for deploys to WP Engine and Flywheel.
DevWorkspace Pro treats WordPress as one stack among many. Every project, whatever it is built with, gets the terminal, files, Git, GitHub and AI sessions. WordPress is a known stack, so it gets extras on top, and it runs in DDEV, Docker Compose or with local PHP.
Which one fits your work
Choose Local if:
- You build WordPress sites and nothing else.
- You host on WP Engine or Flywheel and want push and pull from the app.
- You start new client sites from Blueprints.
- You want a free tool with no container runtime.
Choose DevWorkspace Pro if:
- Your agency builds WordPress alongside other stacks, such as Laravel, Drupal or a headless Next.js front end.
- Your team uses DDEV or Docker Compose and wants the same setup on every machine.
- You track work in GitHub issues and want to read Actions logs and re-run jobs next to the code.
- You run AI agents in many client projects at once.
- You want dependency security scans for Composer and npm packages, and uptime monitoring for client sites.
Where Local has the edge
- Price. Local is free. DevWorkspace Pro needs a paid license.
- WordPress focus. One-click WordPress sites, WP-CLI in the site shell, and hot-swapping between NGINX and Apache.
- Hosting link. Connect pushes and pulls sites to WP Engine and Flywheel production and staging.
- Client sharing. Live Links give a persistent, secure URL for showing a site to a client.
- Templates and backups. Blueprints, plus Cloud Backups to Google Drive or Dropbox.
Running Local and DevWorkspace Pro together
Both can live on the same computer without trouble.
- Keep Local for the WordPress sites that rely on Connect or Live Links.
- Import your theme and plugin repositories into DevWorkspace Pro. Each one gets Git, GitHub Actions, AI sessions and the npm and Composer security scan.
- Use DevWorkspace Pro for everything that isn't WordPress.
Moving a site from Local to DDEV
- Export the site in Local. You get the site files and a database dump.
- In DevWorkspace Pro, click New Project, choose WordPress, then pick DDEV as the run method. See DDEV Projects.
- Put the
wp-contentfolder in the new project. - Import the dump with
ddev import-dbin the Terminal tab. - Update the site URL with WP-CLI, for example
ddev wp search-replace.
Sources
- Local home: https://localwp.com
- Local features: https://localwp.com/features/
- Local Pro features made free: https://localwp.com/pro-for-everyone/
- Local Connect: https://localwp.com/connect/
- Local Live Links: https://localwp.com/live-links/
- Local CLI: https://localwp.com/help-docs/advanced/local-cli/
- DDEV developer tools (Mailpit): https://docs.ddev.com/en/stable/users/usage/developer-tools/
- DevWorkspace Pro docs: https://docs.devworkspacepro.com/getting-started
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Is DevWorkspace Pro a LocalWP alternative?
For WordPress developers who also work in other stacks, yes. DevWorkspace Pro runs WordPress in DDEV, Docker Compose or with the PHP on your computer, and it handles Laravel, Node, .NET, Python, Go and Rust projects too. If you build only WordPress sites and deploy to WP Engine or Flywheel, Local is the more direct tool.
Is Local free?
Yes. Local made all its former Pro features free in version 6.0, and its site says the download is free and always will be. DevWorkspace Pro costs $9 per month, $95 per year or $499 one time.
Can I move a Local site to DevWorkspace Pro?
Yes. Export the site files and the database from Local. Create a WordPress project in DevWorkspace Pro with DDEV as the run method, put the files in the project folder and import the database with DDEV.
Does Local work with AI agents?
Local 10.2 and later has a localwp CLI. Its docs say agents such as Claude and Codex can use it to start and stop sites and run WP-CLI. DevWorkspace Pro starts Claude Code, Codex and OpenCode sessions in each project and can resume them after a restart.