Laravel Valet review
A focused, free macOS setup for local PHP sites with per-site PHP versions.
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
Laravel Valet is a free, open-source local development environment for macOS developers working with Laravel and other PHP frameworks or CMSs. It runs Nginx in the background, routes *.test domains to local sites through DnsMasq, and lets developers register application directories with park or serve individual projects with link. The result is a focused setup for developers who want local PHP sites without managing a broader development stack.
Valet’s strongest capability is its per-site PHP runtime management. Developers can install, switch, and isolate PHP versions for individual sites, which suits projects with different runtime requirements. Local sites can also be secured with TLS and HTTP/2, while custom drivers extend support to additional PHP frameworks and CMSs. For sharing, Valet can use ngrok, Expose, or cloudflared, giving teams several tunneling options when a local site needs to be viewed remotely.
The trade-off is its narrow platform focus. Valet requires macOS, Composer, and Homebrew, so it fits developers already working within that environment rather than teams seeking one setup across macOS and Windows. Its workflow is also centered on local PHP site hosting, directory registration, runtime selection, and tunneling rather than a broad development environment management suite. Choose Valet for a lightweight macOS workflow with strong PHP version control; developers who need Windows support should consider Laravel Herd instead.
Laravel Valet pros and cons
- Where it wins
- Free and open-source local environment
- Per-site PHP version installation and switching
- TLS, .test routing, directory registration, and sharing
- Where it doesn't
- Supports macOS only
- Installation uses Composer and Homebrew
- Sharing depends on external tunneling tools
Laravel Valet fact sheet, pricing and score →
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