Laravel Forge vs Envoyer: Which is Better for You?

When it comes to deploying Laravel applications, developers often face the decision between Laravel Forge and Laravel Envoyer. Both tools are officially developed by Laravel creator Taylor Otwell, and they aim to simplify server management and application deployment. However, while they share similar goals, their purposes and functionalities differ significantly.

In this detailed comparison, we’ll explore Laravel Forge vs Envoyer, their features, use cases, advantages, and how to decide which one best suits your project.

Understanding the Basics

Before diving deep into the comparison, let’s first understand what each tool is and how they fit into the Laravel ecosystem.

What Is Laravel Forge?

Laravel Forge is a powerful server management tool that helps you provision, configure, and deploy PHP applications — especially Laravel projects — on popular cloud providers like DigitalOcean, AWS, Linode, Hetzner, and more.

Essentially, Forge automates the tedious process of setting up and managing servers. Instead of manually configuring Nginx, PHP, SSL, and databases, Forge handles it for you through an intuitive web interface.

Forge is best for developers who prefer to manage their own servers while keeping control over configurations and resources.

What Is Laravel Envoyer?

Laravel Envoyer, on the other hand, focuses on zero-downtime deployment. It’s a deployment automation tool designed for production environments where uptime is critical.

Envoyer lets you deploy new code releases to your servers smoothly — without interrupting active user sessions or causing downtime. It’s perfect for teams that need continuous integration and delivery (CI/CD) workflows without managing infrastructure.

In simple terms:

• Forge is for managing servers and initial setups.

• Envoyer is for deploying applications efficiently and reliably.

Key Features Comparison

Let’s look at the core differences between Laravel Forge and Envoyer in terms of features.

1. Server Management

• Forge:
  Forge allows you to create and manage servers on various cloud providers. You can install PHP, Nginx, MySQL, Redis, and more automatically. It also manages SSL certificates using Let’s Encrypt, configures firewalls, and handles server updates.

• Envoyer:
  Envoyer doesn’t manage servers. Instead, it connects to your existing servers or hosting environments and handles the deployment process. You still need a properly configured server (possibly created using Forge or another tool).

Verdict: Forge wins when it comes to complete server provisioning and management.

2. Deployment Process

• Forge:
  Forge supports Git-based deployments. You can link your repository (GitHub, GitLab, or Bitbucket) and deploy code directly. However, its deployment process might cause a brief downtime since it updates files directly.

• Envoyer:
  Envoyer shines here with zero-downtime deployments. It creates new release directories for each deployment and switches symlinks only after the new code is ready, ensuring uninterrupted service.

Verdict: Envoyer is superior for production-grade, zero-downtime deployments.

3. Ease of Setup

• Forge:
  Forge provides a simple web interface for provisioning servers. Within minutes, you can launch a fully configured Laravel-ready server.

• Envoyer:
  Setting up Envoyer is also simple — you just connect your repository and target server. However, since it doesn’t manage the server setup, you’ll need a pre-configured environment (often built via Forge).

Verdict: Both are easy to set up, but Forge offers an end-to-end setup process.

4. Zero-Downtime Deployments

• Forge:
  Basic deployments through Forge can lead to short downtime unless manually configured for rolling updates.

• Envoyer:
  Designed specifically for zero downtime, Envoyer is ideal for high-availability environments. It ensures users never experience interruptions during deployments.

Verdict: Envoyer is the clear winner for zero-downtime deployment scenarios.

5. Collaboration and Team Management

• Forge:
  Forge includes team features that allow you to invite other developers to manage servers or applications. However, permissions are relatively simple.

• Envoyer:
  Envoyer has stronger collaboration tools for teams managing deployment workflows. You can invite team members, define roles, and share deployment notifications.

Verdict: Envoyer offers a better collaborative deployment workflow.

6. Integrations and Notifications

• Forge:
  Forge integrates with Slack, Discord, and other platforms for server and deployment notifications. It also supports automated SSL renewal and queue management integrations.

• Envoyer:
  Envoyer integrates with Slack, Microsoft Teams, and email notifications to alert your team about deployment progress, errors, or successes. It also integrates smoothly with CI/CD pipelines.

Verdict: Both tools offer excellent integration options, though Envoyer focuses more on deployment-related notifications.

7. Pricing

• Forge Pricing:
  Starts at $12/month for a single server, scaling up with additional features and team usage.

• Envoyer Pricing:
  Starts at $10/month for a single project, with higher tiers for multiple projects and team features.

Verdict: Both are affordable for small to mid-sized projects, but Forge gives more value for server management, while Envoyer excels in enterprise-level deployments.

When to Use Laravel Forge

Laravel Forge is best suited for developers who:

• Want to manage their own cloud infrastructure (DigitalOcean, AWS, Linode, etc.).

• Need an automated way to provision servers and configure PHP, Nginx, databases, and queues.

• Prefer complete control over the server environment.

• Want a cost-effective solution to set up multiple Laravel applications on the same server.

• Don’t mind minimal downtime during deployments.

Ideal Use Cases for Forge:

• Managing multiple Laravel or PHP applications.

• Hosting staging and production servers.

• Developers who want flexibility over DevOps tasks.

When to Use Laravel Envoyer

Envoyer is best suited for developers and teams that:

• Already have a server setup (via Forge or another provider).

• Need zero-downtime deployments for production environments.

• Work collaboratively and want automatic deployment notifications.

• Require continuous delivery pipelines integrated with GitHub or GitLab.

• Prefer automation over manual server management.

Ideal Use Cases for Envoyer:

• Large-scale applications with high traffic.

• SaaS products and real-time platforms.

• Teams practicing CI/CD or automated deployments.

Using Forge and Envoyer Together

Interestingly, Forge and Envoyer are complementary tools rather than competitors. Many Laravel developers use both together for a complete DevOps workflow:

• Use Forge to provision and manage servers.

• Use Envoyer to deploy applications with zero downtime.

This combination provides the best of both worlds — efficient server management and seamless, automated deployments.

Example Workflow:

1. Use Forge to create a new server on DigitalOcean.

2. Configure Nginx, PHP, and SSL with Forge.

3. Connect the server to Envoyer.

4. Deploy your code through Envoyer for zero-downtime releases.

This approach is widely adopted by Laravel professionals managing production environments.

Pros and Cons Summary

Choosing the Right Tool

The decision between Forge and Envoyer depends on your workflow and project requirements.

• Choose Forge if you want to:

  • Manage your own servers and configurations.

  • Host multiple apps on custom infrastructure.

  • Handle both staging and production setups.

• Choose Envoyer if you need to:

  • Deploy code continuously without downtime.

  • Work in a collaborative environment.

  • Focus on CI/CD automation rather than server maintenance.

• Choose Both if you want the complete Laravel deployment ecosystem — Forge for setup and Envoyer for deployment automation.

Conclusion

Both Laravel Forge and Laravel Envoyer are exceptional tools that cater to different stages of the deployment process. Forge simplifies server management and setup, while Envoyer ensures your deployments are seamless and downtime-free.

If you’re a solo developer or prefer managing your own servers, Forge is the ideal choice. But if your priority is zero-downtime deployment, Envoyer is your go-to solution.

For the best results, use them together — Forge for provisioning, and Envoyer for smooth, automated deployments. Together, they make Laravel application management faster, safer, and more professional.