Every PHP version at once
No more one XAMPP folder per PHP version. Each project picks its own version, and they all run at the same time.
XAMPP alternative · Free
A modern XAMPP alternative for Windows
XAMPP's last release came out in November 2023 and runs one PHP version per install. BunnyStack runs PHP 5.6 to 8.5 side by side, gives every site trusted HTTPS, and stays free and portable.
No more httpd-vhosts.conf
Drop a folder into www and it is served at a trusted https://name.test. BunnyStack writes the config, the certificate and the hosts entry.
Tools XAMPP never had
Mailpit for test email, Redis, Cloudflare Tunnel sharing, one-step WordPress installs and Xdebug per PHP version.
BunnyStack vs XAMPP
| BunnyStack | XAMPP | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free, open source |
| Web server | Caddy | Apache |
| Database | MariaDB | MariaDB |
| PHP versions | 5.6 to 8.5, several at once, one per project | One per download |
| Local domains and HTTPS | name.test with trusted HTTPS | Virtual hosts edited by hand |
| Mail catching | Mailpit | Not included (ships a real mail server) |
| Redis | One-click install | Not included |
| Share a site publicly | Cloudflare Tunnel | Not included |
| One-step WordPress | Yes | Not included |
| Portable | Yes | Yes, portable build |
| Runs on | Windows | Windows, macOS, Linux |
| Latest release | 0.9.0 (September 2026) | 8.2.12 (November 2023) |
Checked against apachefriends.org on 30 September 2026. XAMPP is a trademark of its owners. See how Laragon and Laravel Herd compare in the full comparison.
Switch from XAMPP
Move your XAMPP sites in five steps
XAMPP also uses MariaDB, so your database dumps import as they are.
1. Export your databases
In XAMPP's phpMyAdmin, export each database to a .sql file.
2. Stop XAMPP
Stop Apache and MySQL in the XAMPP Control Panel, so ports 80, 443 and 3306 are free for BunnyStack.
3. Copy your sites
Copy each folder from C:\xampp\htdocs into BunnyStack's www folder and click Sync.
4. Import the databases
Drop each .sql file on the Databases page.
5. Update the site address
Sites move from http://localhost/mysite to https://mysite.test. For WordPress, update wp-config.php and run wp search-replace.
Is BunnyStack free like XAMPP?
Yes. BunnyStack is free to download and use, including everything it installs: Caddy, PHP, MariaDB, Mailpit, Redis and the other tools.
Will my XAMPP databases work in BunnyStack?
Yes. XAMPP and BunnyStack both use MariaDB, so export each database from phpMyAdmin and import the .sql file on BunnyStack's Databases page.
Can I keep XAMPP installed?
Yes, but don't run both at once. They use the same ports (80, 443 and 3306), so stop XAMPP's Apache and MySQL before you start BunnyStack.
Does BunnyStack use Apache like XAMPP?
No. BunnyStack uses Caddy, which gives every site HTTPS without manual certificate setup. Caddy doesn't read .htaccess files, so custom rules written there don't carry over.
Leave XAMPP behind in an afternoon
Free for Windows. No Docker, no WSL, no installer.