Laravel Cloud's $5 Plan vs a $5 VPS: Real Cost Analysis
A cost comparison of Laravel Cloud's $5 plan and a $5 VPS, focusing on implications for engineers.
In June 2026, Laravel Cloud restructured its pricing into three tiers: a $5/month Starter, a $20/month Growth, and a $200/month Business plan. The $5 Starter tier offers a usage-metered platform, but this can lead to unexpected costs for applications that require continuous operation, such as queue workers and databases. This analysis explores the total cost of ownership for various Laravel applications, highlighting where each option excels or falls short.