Database included
MariaDB with phpMyAdmin and one-click import and export of .sql, .sql.gz and .sql.zip dumps. No subscription.
Laravel Herd alternative · Free
A free Laravel Herd alternative for Windows
Herd's free tier leaves out databases, mail catching and Redis; they need Herd Pro at €99 a year. BunnyStack includes all three for free, and runs from a portable folder with no installer.
Mail and Redis included
Mailpit catches every email your sites send, and Redis installs in one click. Both free.
Portable, no service
No installer and no background Windows service. Everything lives in one folder you can move or copy to a USB drive.
BunnyStack vs Laravel Herd on Windows
| BunnyStack | Laravel Herd | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free; Herd Pro €99 a year |
| Web server | Caddy | nginx |
| Database | MariaDB, free | MySQL, MariaDB or PostgreSQL in Pro only |
| PHP versions | 5.6 to 8.5, one per project | 7.4 to 8.5, isolated per site |
| Local domains and HTTPS | name.test with trusted HTTPS | name.test, HTTPS turned on per site |
| Mail catching | Mailpit, free | Pro only |
| Redis | One-click install, free | Pro only |
| Share a site publicly | Cloudflare Tunnel | Expose |
| One-step WordPress | Yes | Not documented on Windows |
| Portable | Yes | No, installer and a Windows service |
| Runs on | Windows | Windows, macOS |
| Latest release | 0.9.0 (September 2026) | 1.30.0 for Windows (August 2026) |
Checked against herd.laravel.com on 30 September 2026. Laravel and Herd are trademarks of their owners. See how XAMPP and Laragon compare in the full comparison.
Switch from Herd
Move your Herd sites in four steps
Both use name.test addresses, so your sites keep the same URLs.
1. Export your databases
Export each database your sites use to a .sql file.
2. Quit Herd
Quit Herd so ports 80 and 443 are free for BunnyStack.
3. Copy your sites
Copy each site folder into BunnyStack's www folder and click Sync. Pick each project's PHP version on its settings page.
4. Import the databases
Drop each .sql file on the Databases page. If a MySQL 8 dump stops on utf8mb4_0900_ai_ci, replace it with utf8mb4_unicode_ci in the file.
When BunnyStack fits better
You work on Windows, want a database, mail catching and Redis without a subscription, build WordPress sites, or like to carry your whole setup in one folder.
When Herd fits better
You also work on a Mac and want the same tool on both, or you build mostly Laravel apps and use Herd's Laravel-specific features.
Does BunnyStack include a database for free?
Yes. MariaDB, phpMyAdmin, Mailpit and Redis are all free. On Herd, databases, mail catching and Redis are part of Herd Pro.
Does BunnyStack install a Windows service?
No. There is no installer and no service to register. BunnyStack runs from its folder, and only asks for admin rights to update the hosts file.
Can I run BunnyStack and Herd on the same computer?
Yes, but not at the same time. Both use ports 80 and 443, so quit Herd before you start BunnyStack.
Does BunnyStack run on macOS?
No, BunnyStack is Windows only. If you need the same tool on a Mac, Herd is the better choice.
A database, mail and Redis without a subscription
Free for Windows. No Docker, no WSL, no installer.