8 Best PHP IDEs of 2026

1. 1

   PhpStorm

   JetBrains' dedicated PHP IDE, with Laravel support now built in alongside Symfony, WordPress, testing, debugging and database tools.

   8.8overall

   JetBrains' dedicated PHP IDE, with Laravel support now built in alongside Symfony, WordPress, testing, debugging and database tools.

   Best forProfessional PHP and Laravel developers who want framework-aware completion, refactoring and Xdebug in one paid IDE.

   Adoption data

   5.6%PhpStorm was used by 5.6% of all respondents to the 2026 Stack Overflow Developer Survey IDE question, the highest share for any PHP-specific IDE in the results.

   Stack Overflow, Integrated development environment, 2026 Stack Overflow Developer Survey (2026): “PhpStorm 743 5.6%”

   PhpStorm is the IDE JetBrains builds specifically for PHP, and its Laravel page now states that everything needed for Laravel development is built in and free for PhpStorm users. That covers completion for Eloquent models, routes, views and translations, scaffolding for Laravel components, an .env file checker, a Laravel log viewer and Artisan completion in the terminal, with extension points for Livewire, Inertia and Filament. Outside Laravel, JetBrains documents support for Symfony and WordPress, test runners for PHPUnit, Pest, Behat, Codeception and phpspec, and a debugger that can set up and validate Xdebug, including remote debugging over SSH and profiling. Database tools and JavaScript, TypeScript and Tailwind CSS support make it a full-stack environment. JetBrains AI and the Junie coding agent are included in the AI pitch. The cost is a subscription after a 30-day trial, and the USD price did not load for us, so check the JetBrains store before budgeting.

   Strengths

   • +The deepest documented Laravel and PHP framework support on this list
   • +Testing, debugging and database work stay inside one IDE
   • +Free licenses for students, teachers and qualifying non-commercial open source projects

   Limitations

   • −Subscription pricing; the USD price could not be confirmed from this location
   • −A full IDE with more to configure than the editors on this list
   • −Only a 30-day trial for commercial users, no permanent free tier

   SummaryPhpStorm is the strongest PHP IDE on this list, and the built-in Laravel tooling makes it the default for Laravel teams. Budget for the subscription after the 30-day trial.

2. 2

   Visual Studio Code

   Microsoft's free editor with built-in PHP linting and snippets, extended into a PHP IDE by Intelephense, PHP Debug and the official Laravel extension.

   8.7overall

   Microsoft's free editor with built-in PHP linting and snippets, extended into a PHP IDE by Intelephense, PHP Debug and the official Laravel extension.

   Best forPHP developers who want a free, widely used editor and are happy to assemble PHP support from extensions.

   Adoption data

   70.9%Visual Studio Code was the most used development environment in the 2026 Stack Overflow Developer Survey, chosen by 70.9% of respondents across all languages.

   Stack Overflow, Integrated development environment, 2026 Stack Overflow Developer Survey (2026): “Visual Studio Code 9,350 70.9%”

   Visual Studio Code is the most used editor in the 2026 Stack Overflow survey, and Microsoft's PHP page calls it a great editor for PHP. Out of the box you get syntax highlighting, bracket matching, IntelliSense, snippets and linting through the official PHP linter, which can run on save or as you type. Most PHP developers add Intelephense, a language server that the marketplace lists with more than 18 million installs, for workspace-wide go to definition, find references and diagnostics; some of its features need a premium license. Debugging comes from the PHP Debug extension for Xdebug, listed with more than 15 million installs. For Laravel, the Laravel team publishes an official extension that adds completions, hover information, diagnostics and code actions for PHP and Blade files and supports Laravel Sail as a PHP environment. The result is a capable free setup, but it is assembled from separate pieces, and refactoring and test tooling are thinner than in PhpStorm.

   Strengths

   • +Free for commercial use
   • +The Laravel team publishes an official extension
   • +Huge user base, so PHP setup guides and extensions are easy to find

   Limitations

   • −PHP depth depends on third-party extensions, some with paid premium tiers
   • −Xdebug setup is manual through the PHP Debug extension
   • −Less integrated refactoring and testing than a dedicated PHP IDE

   SummaryVS Code is the best free PHP setup, especially with Intelephense, PHP Debug and the official Laravel extension. Pick it if price matters more than built-in depth.

3. 3

   Cursor

   An AI-first code editor built around coding agents, with VS Code-style extensions from the Open VSX registry.

   8.0overall

   An AI-first code editor built around coding agents, with VS Code-style extensions from the Open VSX registry.

   Best forPHP and Laravel developers who want agent-driven code generation and editing in their main editor.

   Adoption data

   14.9%Cursor was used by 14.9% of respondents to the 2026 Stack Overflow Developer Survey IDE question.

   Stack Overflow, Integrated development environment, 2026 Stack Overflow Developer Survey (2026): “Cursor 1,971 14.9%”

   Cursor presents itself as a coding agent for building ambitious software, and its pricing page puts the Cursor Agent on every plan, from Free to Enterprise. Plus costs $8 per month and is limited to Grok models, Premium at $30 per month adds cloud agents and automations and opens third-party models billed by usage, and Teams starts at $30 per user per month. For PHP work, Cursor relies on extensions: its documentation says it uses the Open VSX registry, scans extensions through its own marketplace proxy and offers audited replacements for some Microsoft-only extensions, while warning that not every Microsoft Marketplace extension is listed. That means PHP language servers and debuggers come from the community rather than from Cursor itself. Laravel developers who want agents to scaffold controllers, migrations or tests will get the most from it, but the PHP-specific checks, refactorings and test runners of PhpStorm are not part of the product. At 14.9% usage in the 2026 Stack Overflow survey, it is the most used AI-first editor here.

   Strengths

   • +Agent features on every plan, including free
   • +Familiar extension model for VS Code users
   • +Cheapest paid tier on this list at $8 per month

   Limitations

   • −Plus is limited to Grok models; third-party models need Premium
   • −Not every Microsoft Marketplace extension is on Open VSX
   • −PHP support relies on community extensions rather than first-party tooling

   SummaryCursor is the pick for PHP developers who want an AI agent at the center of their editor. Check which PHP extensions are on Open VSX before switching a team.

4. 4

   Zed

   A fast, open source code editor with a PHP extension that uses Phpactor by default and also supports Intelephense, PHP Tools and PHPantom.

   7.8overall

   A fast, open source code editor with a PHP extension that uses Phpactor by default and also supports Intelephense, PHP Tools and PHPantom.

   Best forDevelopers who want a fast native editor for PHP with a choice of language servers and optional AI.

   Adoption data

   11.4%Zed was used by 11.4% of respondents to the 2026 Stack Overflow Developer Survey IDE question.

   Stack Overflow, Integrated development environment, 2026 Stack Overflow Developer Survey (2026): “Zed 1,504 11.4%”

   Zed adds PHP through a PHP extension that uses Tree-sitter for syntax and Phpactor as its default language server. Its documentation shows how to switch to Intelephense, PHP Tools or PHPantom, and explains that Intelephense and PHP Tools are proprietary servers whose premium features need a license key, which Zed lets you pass through settings. The extension expects PHP to be installed and on your PATH, and the docs give install commands for macOS, Debian, RHEL and Arch. Pricing is simple: the Personal plan is free forever and works with your own API keys or external agents such as Claude Agent and Codex CLI, Pro costs $10 per month with unlimited edit predictions and $5 of tokens, and Business costs $30 per seat per month. Zed does not document Laravel-specific features, so Blade and framework awareness depend on the language server you choose. With 11.4% usage in the 2026 Stack Overflow survey, it has real traction for a young editor.

   Strengths

   • +Free forever for personal use
   • +Choice of four PHP language servers
   • +Pro trial lasts 14 days with no credit card

   Limitations

   • −PHP support needs the PHP extension and a local PHP install
   • −Premium Intelephense or PHP Tools features need separate licenses
   • −No Laravel-specific tooling documented by Zed

   SummaryZed is a strong free editor for PHP if you like choosing your language server. Laravel developers will need to rely on that server for framework support.

5. 5

   Eclipse PDT

   The Eclipse Foundation's PHP Development Tools project, shipped as the Eclipse package for PHP developers.

   7.4overall

   The Eclipse Foundation's PHP Development Tools project, shipped as the Eclipse package for PHP developers.

   Best forDevelopers who want a free, open source PHP IDE with Xdebug, PHPUnit and refactoring on Windows, macOS or Linux.

   Adoption data

   6.9%Eclipse, the platform PDT runs on, was used by 6.9% of respondents to the 2026 Stack Overflow Developer Survey IDE question; the survey does not report PDT separately.

   Stack Overflow, Integrated development environment, 2026 Stack Overflow Developer Survey (2026): “Eclipse 910 6.9%”

   Eclipse PHP Development Tools is the Eclipse project for PHP, and the Eclipse Package for PHP Developers bundles it with a Git client, an XML editor, Mylyn and a terminal. The project page lists syntax highlighting and validation, content assist, code navigation, PHP debugging and profiling with Zend Debugger or Xdebug, PHPUnit, a code formatter, refactoring, code templates and remote projects. Downloads cover macOS, Windows and Linux on both x86 64-bit and ARM 64-bit, and Java must be installed first. Teams that already use Eclipse for Java can add PDT through the update site rather than installing a second IDE. It is free and open source under the Eclipse Public License 2.0. The project does not document Laravel or Blade features, so framework work is closer to plain PHP editing than in PhpStorm or VS Code with the Laravel extension. The Stack Overflow survey counts Eclipse as a whole at 6.9%, and does not split out PHP use.

   Strengths

   • +Free and open source
   • +Debugging and profiling with both Xdebug and Zend Debugger
   • +Installs into an existing Eclipse setup through an update site

   Limitations

   • −Requires Java on the machine
   • −No Laravel-specific tooling documented
   • −The Stack Overflow survey does not report PDT usage separately

   SummaryEclipse PDT is a capable free PHP IDE with real debugging and profiling. It suits teams already on Eclipse more than Laravel newcomers.

6. 6

   Apache NetBeans

   The Apache Software Foundation's free IDE, with editors, wizards and templates for PHP alongside Java and JavaScript.

   7.3overall

   The Apache Software Foundation's free IDE, with editors, wizards and templates for PHP alongside Java and JavaScript.

   Best forDevelopers who want a free, full IDE that handles PHP and Java projects in the same tool.

   Adoption data

   2.1%NetBeans was used by 2.1% of respondents to the 2026 Stack Overflow Developer Survey IDE question.

   Stack Overflow, Integrated development environment, 2026 Stack Overflow Developer Survey (2026): “NetBeans 280 2.1%”

   Apache NetBeans is a free, open source IDE governed by the Apache Software Foundation since Oracle donated the code in 2016. The project describes it as much more than a text editor: it highlights source code syntactically and semantically, offers refactoring tools, and provides editors, wizards and templates for Java, PHP and other languages. The about page reports more than 18 million downloads and over 800,000 participating developers, and the latest release is Apache NetBeans 31. Both the IDE and the platform are free for commercial and non-commercial use under the Apache license. For PHP teams, the main appeal is a complete IDE at no cost that also handles Java and JavaScript. The drawbacks are momentum and framework depth: NetBeans had a 2.1% share in the 2026 Stack Overflow survey, the project does not document Laravel features, and its own site notes that the PHP tutorials are being reviewed.

   Strengths

   • +Free for commercial and non-commercial use
   • +A full IDE rather than an editor plus extensions
   • +Backed by the Apache Software Foundation

   Limitations

   • −Smallest survey share of the tools here at 2.1%
   • −No Laravel-specific tooling documented
   • −The project says its PHP tutorials are still under review

   SummaryNetBeans is a reasonable free PHP IDE for developers who also write Java. Laravel developers will find more framework help elsewhere.

7. 7

   Sublime Text

   A fast, paid text editor with Goto Anything, multiple selections and GPU rendering, extended for PHP through packages such as LSP.

   7.1overall

   A fast, paid text editor with Goto Anything, multiple selections and GPU rendering, extended for PHP through packages such as LSP.

   Best forDevelopers who prefer a very fast editor and are willing to configure PHP support themselves.

   Adoption data

   9.8%Sublime Text was used by 9.8% of respondents to the 2026 Stack Overflow Developer Survey IDE question.

   Stack Overflow, Integrated development environment, 2026 Stack Overflow Developer Survey (2026): “Sublime Text 1,290 9.8%”

   Sublime Text is a paid editor known for speed. Sublime HQ highlights Goto Anything, Goto Definition and Goto Symbol, multiple selections for quick renames, a rewritten context-aware auto complete and GPU rendering on Linux, Mac and Windows up to 8K resolutions. The plugin API has been updated so packages like LSP work better, and that is how most PHP developers add a language server. A personal license costs $99 as a one-off purchase with 3 years of updates, after which an upgrade is needed for newer versions; business licenses are an annual subscription from $65 per seat for the first 10 seats. The software can be evaluated for free, but a license is required for continued use. For PHP, Sublime Text has no built-in debugger or framework tooling, so it suits developers who want a quick editor for PHP files and are comfortable wiring up LSP and other packages. It was used by 9.8% of 2026 Stack Overflow survey respondents.

   Strengths

   • +One license covers all your computers and operating systems
   • +Very fast interface with GPU rendering
   • +Free to evaluate before buying

   Limitations

   • −PHP language intelligence depends on community packages
   • −No built-in debugger for Xdebug
   • −Personal licenses include 3 years of updates, then need an upgrade

   SummarySublime Text is a fast editor for PHP developers who like to configure their own tools. Pick something else if you want debugging and Laravel help out of the box.

8. 8

   Nova

   Panic's Mac-native editor with built-in debugging, file transfers, live previews and language server management that detects PHP.

   6.0overall

   Panic's Mac-native editor with built-in debugging, file transfers, live previews and language server management that detects PHP.

   Best forMac-based PHP web developers who publish to servers and want a native app rather than an Electron editor.

   Nova is Panic's native Mac editor, and version 14 is pitched as a full-featured editor and IDE. Panic lists debugging with breakpoints and console debugging, Git, a terminal, tasks, live previews and file transfers that let you edit and publish files directly on remote servers, which suits PHP sites still deployed over SFTP. Nova 14 added integrated language server management: the release notes say Nova detects well-known tools already on your system, including PHP, and can install language servers from Settings. Release notes also mention PHP validation and PHP highlighting fixes, so PHP is a supported language rather than an afterthought. The license costs $99 plus tax with one year of updates, followed by an optional $49 per year, and you keep what you bought if you stop paying. Nova runs only on macOS 15.6 or later, it does not appear in the Stack Overflow survey, and Panic does not document Laravel features, which is why it ranks last for adoption here.

   Strengths

   • +100% Mac-native, built for speed and battery life
   • +Built-in publishing to remote servers suits classic PHP hosting
   • +Keep the version you bought forever

   Limitations

   • −Mac only, requires macOS 15.6 or later
   • −No published usage figures
   • −No Laravel-specific tooling documented

   SummaryNova is the best Mac-native option for PHP web work that ends with publishing to a server. Teams on Windows or Linux, or deep in Laravel, should look higher up the list.

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