Are you still stuck in the traditional world of web hosting, unaware of the myriad of cloud-based options available to you? If so, you might be grappling with several pain points like limited scalability, higher costs, security concerns, and lack of flexibility that could be easily alleviated with modern cloud hosting solutions.
It can be very frustrating when you have a fantastic web application or website ready to launch but are overwhelmed by the choices, one of which is hosting options. Should you go for Laravel Forge or Laravel Vapor using AWS, or dive directly into the vast realm of AWS services? Or imagine running a web application without the benefits of scalable infrastructure, robust security measures, reliable backups, and server management. This is where the challenges begin.
At Mallow, we’re a custom software development company and have a wealth of experience delivering feasible solutions to clients all over the world. As an official AWS partner we have access to the latest tools, resources, and best practices, which ensures that we stay at the forefront of delivering efficient hosting solutions on AWS.
After reading this article, you will gain valuable insights into different methods of hosting your Laravel application in AWS, each tailored to specific project requirements. You will learn about options like using AWS Elastic Beanstalk, setting up a scalable infrastructure with AWS Fargate, or utilising AWS Lambda for serverless applications etc. The article will provide a comprehensive overview of the pros and cons of each approach, helping you make informed decisions based on factors like project complexity, budget, and scalability needs. By the end, you will be equipped with the knowledge to choose the most suitable AWS hosting solution for your Laravel projects, ensuring a smooth and efficient deployment on the cloud.
The right AWS hosting approach depends on your application’s architecture, expected traffic, budget, and infrastructure management requirements. In this guide, we compare eight hosting approaches, from straightforward virtual servers to serverless and container based deployments, to help you choose an option that fits your Laravel application’s current needs and future growth.
What are the best AWS hosting options for your application?
In the vast ecosystem of Amazon Web Services (AWS), there exists a spectrum of hosting options, each tailored to specific application needs and preferences. The key to making an informed choice lies in evaluating factors such as application size, expected user traffic, required services, integration complexity, and your team’s expertise. In this section, we’ll explore these approaches in detail and help you pinpoint the one that aligns best with your specific hosting requirements.
AWS provides several ways to host a Laravel application, including virtual servers, managed application environments, serverless computing, and container platforms. Tools such as Laravel Forge and Laravel Vapor simplify deployment and infrastructure management for Laravel applications, but they work differently from the underlying AWS services. Understanding these differences helps you compare the options based on flexibility, operational effort, scalability, and cost.
The type of approaches include:
1.AWS Lightsail
2.Laravel Forge (For deploying on AWS EC2)
3.Laravel Vapor (for serverless applications)
4.AWS Elastic Beanstalk
5.Serverless (AWS Lambda and AWS API Gateway)
6.ECS (Elastic Container Service)
7.Fargate
8.EKS (Elastic Kubernetes Service)
These hosting approaches can also work with supporting AWS services. For example, Amazon RDS can provide a managed relational database, Amazon S3 can store files, and Amazon CloudFront can deliver static content through a content delivery network. These services complement your hosting architecture rather than replace the application hosting environment.
1.AWS Lightsail
AWS Lightsail is a simplified cloud computing service offered by Amazon Web Services (AWS) designed to make it easier for individuals and small businesses to deploy and manage web applications and websites. It provides a straightforward and user-friendly interface, allowing users to quickly set up and configure virtual private servers (VPS), storage, databases, and networking components without the complexity often associated with traditional AWS services. Lightsail is suitable when cost is a concern, making it an ideal choice for small to medium-sized applications with limited budgets.
Choose Lightsail when you require a straightforward, user-friendly solution for deploying web applications or websites with minimal complexity. AWS Lightsail might not be the ideal choice for hosting your application if you require a high level of customisation, advanced scalability, or complex network configurations, as it is designed for simplicity and ease of use and may not provide the flexibility needed for highly specialised or large-scale projects. Check out this documentation from AWS for more details about AWS Lightsail.
Amazon Lightsail is a practical choice when you want a straightforward hosting environment with predictable monthly pricing. However, when you run Laravel on a Lightsail virtual server, you remain responsible for tasks such as operating system updates, PHP configuration, web server maintenance, application security, and deployment. Lightsail can support growing applications, but projects that require more advanced networking, infrastructure customisation, or complex scaling may benefit from other AWS services.
2.Laravel Forge (For deploying on AWS EC2)
Laravel Forge is a powerful web-based platform designed to simplify and streamline the process of deploying and managing web applications built with the Laravel PHP framework. While Forge is not a direct replacement for AWS services like AWS Elastic Beanstalk or AWS Lightsail, it can be used in conjunction with AWS EC2 instances to deploy Laravel-based applications. Laravel Forge streamlines the process of provisioning and managing servers. You can set up Queues, Cron jobs, configure webhooks, and enable continuous integration to ensure that code changes are deployed smoothly and efficiently. This helps in maintaining a reliable and up-to-date web application.
Laravel Forge is cost-effective for smaller or medium-sized projects with modest server requirements, as it abstracts many infrastructure complexities, reducing the cost and effort associated with server management. Laravel Forge for deploying on AWS EC2 may not be suitable if you have specific requirements that go beyond what Forge offers, such as complex server configurations or multi-server setups with high scalability Check out this documentation link from Laravel Forge for detailed insights.
Laravel Forge helps automate server provisioning and manage application deployments, while Amazon EC2 provides the underlying virtual servers. Forge can reduce routine server management work, but it does not eliminate the need to monitor server health, manage security updates, configure backups, and plan infrastructure scaling. When evaluating costs, account for the Forge subscription separately from AWS charges for EC2 instances, storage, networking, and any additional services.
3.Laravel Vapor (for serverless applications)
Laravel Vapor is a serverless deployment platform tailored specifically for hosting Laravel applications in AWS serverless environments. It allows developers to build and scale serverless Laravel applications without needing to manage the underlying infrastructure. Some key features include Automatic Scaling, Database Integration, Zero Server Management, Cost Optimisation, Environment Management etc.
Laravel Vapor is an ideal choice for applications with variable workloads that require rapid scaling. It handles the complexity of serverless infrastructure, automatically adjusting resources to match demand, making it cost-effective and efficient. Laravel Vapor may not be the best option for hosting your application if you require extensive control over server configurations and infrastructure management, as it abstracts many of these complexities for simplicity. If your application scales to an extremely large and complex architecture, you might need more advanced cloud services for greater flexibility and control. Check out this documentation on Laravel Vapor for more insights.
Laravel Vapor is a deployment platform designed specifically for Laravel applications and built around AWS serverless infrastructure. It reduces the need to manage application servers directly and can help applications respond to changing traffic levels. However, serverless hosting still requires careful configuration of databases, queues, environment variables, monitoring, security, and cost controls. Before choosing Vapor, consider your application’s request patterns, background processing requirements, database connections, and any features that depend on persistent connections or long running processes.
4.AWS Elastic Beanstalk
AWS Elastic Beanstalk is a platform-as-a-service (PaaS) offering that simplifies application deployment. It supports various programming languages and web frameworks.
It is an excellent choice when you need to deploy applications quickly, as it simplifies the provisioning and management of infrastructure, allowing you to focus on application development. Check out this documentation from AWS on Elastic Beanstalk for more insights. If your application demands precise, specialised control over the underlying infrastructure, AWS Elastic Beanstalk might not be the most suitable option since it abstracts many of these technical intricacies to simplify usage. If your application necessitates the support of intricate multi-tier architectures with customised settings, alternatives like Amazon Elastic Container Service (ECS) or Amazon Elastic Kubernetes Service (EKS) may be more appropriate choices.
AWS Elastic Beanstalk simplifies application deployment by provisioning and managing the underlying environment, which can include compute instances, load balancing, automatic scaling, and health monitoring. For a Laravel application, you still need to configure the correct PHP platform, application environment variables, document root, database connectivity, and file permissions. You should also verify that the selected platform supports your application’s PHP version and dependencies. Elastic Beanstalk can be a useful option when you want AWS to manage much of the infrastructure setup without giving up all control over the environment.
5.Serverless (AWS Lambda and AWS API Gateway)
Serverless architecture leverages AWS Lambda for event-driven computing and AWS API Gateway for RESTful API management. Key features include auto-scaling, pay-as-you-go pricing, and seamless integration with various AWS services. Serverless is an excellent choice for applications with fluctuating workloads, as it automatically scales resources to match demand, ensuring cost-efficiency and optimal performance. Serverless is ideal for applications with microservices or event-driven architecture, where functions can be independently triggered, executed, and scaled to respond to specific events.
Serverless architecture may not be the best choice if your application requires persistent server resources or specialised hardware configurations that go beyond the capabilities of AWS Lambda. If your application consistently has high and predictable workloads, the pay-as-you-go model of serverless might not be cost-effective compared to traditional hosting methods. Lambda functions can be automatically scaled up or down in response to incoming requests, ensuring that your application can handle traffic spikes without manual intervention. API Gateway can also scale to accommodate a growing number of API requests.
AWS Lambda runs application code in response to events, while Amazon API Gateway provides managed endpoints for APIs. Hosting a complete Laravel application with these services requires a compatible runtime and deployment approach, along with suitable configuration for routing, storage, database connections, and background tasks. Serverless computing can suit workloads with variable traffic or event driven processing, but it is not automatically cheaper than server based hosting. Costs depend on request volume, execution duration, compute configuration, database usage, and other supporting services. Laravel Vapor is one Laravel focused option for deploying applications on AWS serverless infrastructure.
6.ECS (Elastic Container Service)
ECS is a container orchestration service that simplifies Docker container management. Key features include task scheduling, automatic scaling, and integration with AWS Fargate for serverless container deployment. ECS provides granular control over containers and is suitable for microservices architectures.
ECS is a fully managed service, which means AWS handles the underlying infrastructure and scaling. You can focus on your applications without worrying about managing the control plane. Also, ECS offers the Fargate launch type, which allows you to run containers without managing the underlying EC2 instances. This is a great choice for serverless container workloads.
ECS may not be the right choice if you have a small, single-container application, as its full container orchestration capabilities might introduce unnecessary complexity.
If your application requires extremely rapid scaling, you might consider a more specialised service like AWS Fargate or Kubernetes for better resource management. Check out this documentation on ECS from AWS for more insights.
Amazon Elastic Container Service (Amazon ECS) helps deploy, manage, and scale containerised Laravel applications. You can run ECS tasks on Amazon EC2 instances that you manage or use AWS Fargate to run containers without managing the underlying servers. ECS is useful when you want to package the application and its dependencies into containers and manage deployments, background workers, and scaling through a common platform. The additional container configuration and operational planning may be unnecessary for smaller applications with simpler hosting requirements.
7.Fargate
AWS Fargate is a serverless compute engine for containers, designed to run Docker containers without managing the underlying infrastructure. Key features include on-demand scalability, easy task execution, and cost efficiency. Fargate abstracts server management, making it an excellent choice for container-based applications without infrastructure overhead. Fargate’s pay-as-you-go pricing model ensures that you only pay for the compute resources your containers use. You don’t have to worry about over-provisioning or underutilised resources, making it cost-efficient. Check out the documentation from AWS on Fargate for more insights.
Fargate is an excellent choice for applications with containerised workloads that need the benefits of serverless computing, as it abstracts infrastructure management and moderate scaling complexities.
It might not be the best option if you need granular control over the underlying infrastructure and require customisation at the host level, as Fargate abstracts these details.
AWS Fargate is a serverless compute option for running containers with Amazon ECS or Amazon EKS. It removes the need to provision and manage the underlying EC2 instances, while allowing you to define the compute resources required by your containers. For a Laravel application, Fargate can run web services, queue workers, and other containerised workloads, depending on the architecture. You still need to configure container images, networking, permissions, logging, scaling, and application dependencies. Whether Fargate is more cost effective than EC2 depends on resource utilisation, workload patterns, and the level of infrastructure management your team wants to handle.
8.EKS (Elastic Kubernetes Service)
AWS Elastic Kubernetes Service (EKS) provides a managed Kubernetes platform for container orchestration. Key features include native Kubernetes compatibility, automated updates, and integration with AWS services.
If your team is already familiar with Kubernetes or you prefer the feature-rich and widely adopted Kubernetes ecosystem, EKS provides a managed Kubernetes service. Kubernetes is known for its portability, allowing you to run containers across different cloud providers or on-premises. If you anticipate a multi-cloud strategy, EKS might be a better fit. EKS provides more advanced features and flexibility for complex containerised applications, such as support for custom networking, security policies, and a vast ecosystem of Kubernetes add-ons and tools.
Check out this documentation from AWS on EKS for more details about how it works. EKS may not be the ideal choice if you have a small or relatively simple application, as it introduces additional complexity and management overhead. If your team lacks experience with Kubernetes or the application does not require the scaling capabilities it offers, simpler hosting solutions like AWS Elastic Beanstalk or Lightsail might be more suitable.
Amazon Elastic Kubernetes Service (Amazon EKS) is a managed Kubernetes service for applications that need Kubernetes orchestration and its wider ecosystem. It can be appropriate when your team already uses Kubernetes, manages multiple containerised services, or requires Kubernetes specific deployment and orchestration capabilities. However, EKS introduces additional considerations around cluster configuration, networking, access control, monitoring, and operational expertise. A large Laravel application does not automatically require EKS; Amazon ECS or another hosting approach may be simpler when Kubernetes specific capabilities are not needed.
When should you go with which kind of hosting approach?
The right AWS hosting approach depends on more than the size of your Laravel application. Consider the expected traffic, workload patterns, database requirements, deployment process, infrastructure management needs, and available technical expertise. A simple application may work well on a virtual server, while a more complex application may benefit from managed deployment, serverless computing, or container orchestration. The following comparison highlights the key differences to help you choose an approach that fits your requirements.
| Hosting Approach | Best Suited For | Management Effort | Main Consideration |
|---|---|---|---|
| AWS Lightsail | Smaller applications, websites, and MVPs | Lower setup complexity; server maintenance remains your responsibility | Predictable pricing and straightforward setup |
| Laravel Forge with EC2 | Applications needing server control with simplified deployment | Forge automates many tasks, but server administration is still required | Separate Forge and AWS costs |
| Laravel Vapor | Laravel applications suited to serverless deployment | Less server management, but application and AWS configuration are still required | Workload, database, and usage-based costs |
| AWS Elastic Beanstalk | Applications needing managed deployment and environment provisioning | AWS manages much of the environment; application configuration remains your responsibility | Platform compatibility and environment configuration |
| Lambda with API Gateway | Event-driven applications and suitable API workloads | Less server management, with runtime and architecture considerations | Execution patterns, integrations, and request volume |
| Amazon ECS | Containerised applications and services | Depends on whether you use EC2 or Fargate | Container management and deployment configuration |
| AWS Fargate | Containerised workloads without managing underlying servers | Lower server administration; container operations remain necessary | Resource allocation and workload costs |
| Amazon EKS | Applications that benefit from Kubernetes orchestration | Higher operational complexity and Kubernetes expertise | Whether Kubernetes capabilities justify the overhead |
These options are not strictly divided by application size. For example, a growing application may continue to run effectively on EC2, while a smaller application with variable traffic may benefit from serverless deployment. Evaluate the application’s actual requirements and the total cost of the supporting infrastructure before making a decision.
How is the hosting methodology tied to your application’s scalability?
As we’ve explored the various hosting methodologies available for your application on AWS, it’s clear that the choice of approach depends on factors like your team’s expertise, the size of your application, and its specific requirements. However, one critical aspect that should be at the forefront of your considerations throughout your application’s lifecycle is scalability.
Scalability and hosting methodologies are inherently interconnected. The hosting approach you choose has a profound impact on your application’s ability to scale effectively. Scalability is not merely an afterthought; it’s an integral component of the hosting strategy from the very beginning.
Why is scalability so vital?
In today’s dynamic business landscape, where rapid growth and unexpected surges in demand are common, having a scalable application is not just an advantage; it’s a strategic necessity for sustainable success. As your application grows, its demands will evolve. More users, increased data, and changing traffic patterns are common occurrences. Scalability ensures your application can adapt to these changes without compromising performance and user experience or incurring unexpected costs.
Scalability is essential from a business perspective because it directly impacts an organisation’s ability to meet growing customer demands and adapt to changing market conditions. A scalable application can efficiently handle increased workloads, ensuring that customers experience consistent performance and availability even during peak usage periods. This leads to higher customer satisfaction, retention, and positive word-of-mouth, ultimately driving revenue growth. Scalability also allows businesses to optimise resource utilisation, reducing operational costs and improving the return on investment in infrastructure.
An application’s scalability depends on more than the hosting service. Database performance, caching, queue processing, background jobs, file storage, and application architecture all influence how well the system handles increased demand. Before changing hosting approaches, monitor resource utilisation, response times, database load, and traffic patterns to identify the actual bottlenecks. This helps you decide whether to increase server capacity, introduce load balancing, improve database performance, or adopt a container based or serverless architecture. Regular cost reviews also help ensure that scaling does not introduce unnecessary infrastructure expenses.
Check out this article on how to scale your Laravel application, for more insights and strategies to handle the process efficiently.
Still, feeling unsure about where you need to take your next step? Feel free to reach out to our team.
Your queries, our answers
Yes, we can continue developing your existing Laravel application. Please provide the current project details so we can assess and proceed. For more details, get in touch with our team.
No, we focus on custom Laravel solutions tailored specifically to your needs. We do not offer pre-built, off-the-shelf products.
Yes, we develop Laravel applications for various domains, including e-commerce, healthcare, finance, and more.
The cost varies based on the project's complexity and scope. For a basic MVP, costs generally range from $20,000 to $40,000 for web apps and $10,000 to $25,000 for mobile apps. For more advanced applications, costs can be higher. We offer a detailed cost breakdown tailored to your specific needs. To know more, check out our article on How much does it cost to work on a Laravel project with Mallow? and discover how we can build a strong partnership together.
The timeline depends on the project's complexity. A basic project may take a few weeks, while more complex applications could take several months.
Yes, we can align our working hours with your time zone to facilitate effective communication throughout the development process. For more details on how you can handle timezone differences efficiently, do check out our article on how to handle timezone differences while working with an offshore development team.
Mallow offers the following outsourcing models: Project-based outsourcing, Staff augmentation, & Dedicated development team (DDT)
Yes, we offer maintenance and support services to ensure your Laravel application remains up-to-date and functional.
Yes, you will own the intellectual property rights of your Laravel application upon project completion. Check out our article on why owning intellectual property rights while outsourcing your application is important.
The cost is influenced by several factors including the complexity of the project, the number of features required, and whether the application is for web or mobile. We provide a personalized estimate based on your project details.
We work with the latest stable versions of Laravel and can also support older versions if needed based on your project requirements. For more details check out our article on Laravel upgrade: when and how to transition to the latest version
Yes, we offer post-deployment support to address any issues and provide updates as needed.
To hire a Laravel developer from Mallow, you can contact us with your project requirements. We'll discuss your needs, suggest suitable developers or teams, and provide you with a proposal. Once the terms are agreed upon, we can start the development process.
Yes, you can hire a dedicated Laravel developer or a team of developers from Mallow. This allows you to have a dedicated resource working exclusively on your project, providing more control and flexibility over the development process.
To hire the right laravel developer for your project, check out this article on tips to hire the right Laravel developer.
