# Laravel vs Symfony Comparison

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## Frequently Asked Questions

### What is the difference between Symfony vs Laravel?

Laravel stands out for its higher overall satisfaction and ease of use compared to Symfony, according to G2 reviewers.

| | [Symfony](https://www.g2.com/products/symfony/reviews) | [Laravel](https://www.g2.com/products/laravel/reviews) |
| --- | --- | --- |
| G2 Rating (reviews) | 4.3/5 (30 reviews) | 4.7/5 (159 reviews) |
| Largest Segment | Small-Business | Small-Business |
| Ease of Setup score | 7.6 | 8.8 |
| Quality of Support score | 8.5 | 8.6 |
| Top Reviewer-Cited Strength | Security, flexibility, and stability with a powerful dependency injection container | Comprehensive built-in features, clean structure, and rapid development |



### How do the pricing models of Symfony and Laravel compare?

Laravel is considered the stronger value by reviewers, reflected in its higher satisfaction with price and cost-related dimensions.

- **Symfony:** Reviewers appreciate that Symfony is free and open-source, but note that setup and configuration can be time-consuming for smaller projects.
- **Laravel:** Reviewers highlight that Laravel does not cost anything, offers a wide range of built-in features, and is seen as a cost-effective solution for web apps, especially for small businesses.



### What are the best alternatives to Symfony and Laravel?

The top 3 alternatives to Symfony and Laravel are Angular, CodeIgniter, and Laminas Project (formerly Zend Framework).

| Product | G2 Rating (reviews) | Largest Segment | Pricing Insight | Top Reviewer-Cited Strength |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [Symfony](https://www.g2.com/products/symfony/reviews) | 4.3/5 (30 reviews) | Small-Business | Free and open-source | Security, flexibility, and stability with a powerful dependency injection container |
| [Laravel](https://www.g2.com/products/laravel/reviews) | 4.7/5 (159 reviews) | Small-Business | No cost, cost-effective for web apps | Comprehensive built-in features, clean structure, and rapid development |
| [Angular](https://www.g2.com/products/angular/reviews) | 4.5/5 (168 reviews) | Mid-Market | — | Robust framework for building dynamic web applications |
| [CodeIgniter](https://www.g2.com/products/codeigniter/reviews) | 4.4/5 (58 reviews) | Small-Business | — | Lightweight and easy to use for rapid development |
| [Laminas Project (formerly Zend Framework)](https://www.g2.com/products/laminas-project-formerly-zend-framework/reviews) | 4.2/5 (35 reviews) | Enterprise | — | Enterprise-grade framework with modular architecture |



### Which PHP Web Frameworks features should I prioritize when comparing Symfony and Laravel?

Buyers should prioritize ease of setup, quality of support, built-in features, security, and integration capabilities when comparing Symfony and Laravel.

- **Ease of Setup:** Symfony 7.6, Laravel 8.8
- **Quality of Support:** Symfony 8.5, Laravel 8.6
- **Built-in Features:** Laravel reviewers consistently highlight comprehensive built-in features and rapid development; Symfony reviewers note flexibility and stability.
- **Security:** Symfony is praised for security and stability; Laravel is noted for secure authentication and validation features.
- **Integration Capabilities:** Laravel reviewers mention easy integration with tools like Shopify; Symfony reviewers cite smooth integration with external services such as Twilio and PostgreSQL.



### What are the pros and cons of Symfony vs Laravel?

Laravel's headline strength is its comprehensive built-in features and rapid development, while Symfony is recognized for its security, flexibility, and stability.

- **Symfony strengths:** Security, flexibility, stability, excellent developer experience, powerful dependency injection, and smooth integration with external services.
- **Symfony trade-offs:** Steeper learning curve, heavier setup for simple projects, and challenges with version upgrades and documentation clarity.
- **Laravel strengths:** Comprehensive built-in features, clean and organized code structure, rapid development, strong community support, and ease of integration with third-party services.
- **Laravel trade-offs:** Can feel cumbersome for small projects, "magic" methods can complicate debugging, performance requires attention at scale, and version upgrades may break existing code.



### Is Symfony or Laravel better for small businesses?

Laravel is the better fit for small businesses, as both products' largest reviewer segment is small-business, but Laravel's recent reviews emphasize ease of setup and rapid development for this segment.

- **Symfony:** Largest segment is small-business; reviewers note its flexibility and stability but mention a steeper learning curve and heavier setup for simple projects.
- **Laravel:** Largest segment is small-business; reviewers consistently highlight its ease of setup, rapid development, and cost-effectiveness for small business needs.



### Which PHP Web Frameworks platform has better integrations?

Laravel is favored for integrations, with reviewers citing its ability to integrate with third-party services like Shopify.

- **Symfony:** Reviewers mention smooth integration with external services such as Twilio, Callr, SIA-DC09 alarm receivers, and PostgreSQL.
- **Laravel:** Shopify integration is specifically mentioned in recent reviews.



### How do Symfony and Laravel compare on customer support?

Laravel and Symfony are rated at near-parity on Quality of Support, with scores of 8.6 and 8.5 respectively.

- **Symfony:** Reviewers describe support as strong, with praise for documentation and community resources, though some note challenges with documentation clarity and version upgrades.
- **Laravel:** Reviewers highlight excellent documentation, a large and active community, and rapid problem resolution, with some noting that community support is a key strength.



### Which is easier to implement, Symfony or Laravel?

Laravel is easier to implement than Symfony, with a materially higher Ease of Setup score (8.8 vs 7.6).

- **Symfony:** Reviewers note a steeper learning curve and heavier setup, especially for simple projects, but praise its flexibility and stability once implemented.
- **Laravel:** Reviewers consistently highlight straightforward setup, rapid onboarding, and a clean project structure that accelerates implementation.



| | Laravel | Symfony | 
|---|---|---|
| **Star Rating** | 4.7 out of 5 | 4.3 out of 5 | 
| **Total Reviews** | 159 | 31 | 
| **Largest Market Segment** | Small-Business (71.9% of reviews) | Small-Business (48.3% of reviews) | 
| **Entry Level Price** | No pricing available | No pricing available | 


---
## Ratings Comparison
| Rating | Laravel | Symfony | 
|---|---|---|
  | **Meets Requirements** | 9.3 (122 reviews) | 9.1 (27 reviews) | 
  | **Ease of Use** | 8.9 (122 reviews) | 7.7 (28 reviews) | 
  | **Ease of Setup** | 8.8 (64 reviews) | 7.8 (12 reviews) | 
  | **Ease of Admin** | 8.8 (47 reviews) | 6.5 (8 reviews) | 
  | **Quality of Support** | 8.6 (108 reviews) | 8.5 (26 reviews) | 
  | **Has the product been a good partner in doing business?** | 8.9 (41 reviews) | 8.3 (6 reviews) | 
  | **Product Direction (% positive)** | 9.5 (120 reviews) | 9.1 (26 reviews) | 

---
## Pricing

### Laravel

#### Entry-Level Pricing

No pricing available

#### Free Trial

No information available

### Symfony

#### Entry-Level Pricing

No pricing available

#### Free Trial

No information available

---
## Features Comparison By Category

### Database DevOps Software

| Product | Score | Reviews |
|---|---|---|
| **Laravel** | 9.7/10 | 21 |
| **Symfony** | N/A | N/A |

#### Functionality

| Feature | Laravel | Symfony | 
|---|---|---|
| **Automation** | 9.3 (15 reviews) | Not enough data | 
| **Change validation** | 9.6 (16 reviews) | Not enough data | 
| **Version control** | 9.0 (15 reviews) | Not enough data | 

#### Management

| Feature | Laravel | Symfony | 
|---|---|---|
| **Visibility** | 9.4 (16 reviews) | Not enough data | 
| **Rollbacks** | 9.2 (15 reviews) | Not enough data | 
| **Post-deployment validation** | 8.9 (14 reviews) | Not enough data | 

---
## Categories
**Shared Categories (1):** [PHP Web Frameworks](https://www.g2.com/categories/php-web-frameworks)

**Unique to Laravel (1):** [ Database DevOps Software](https://www.g2.com/categories/database-devops-software)



---
## Reviewer Demographics

### By Company Size

| Segment | Laravel | Symfony | 
|---|---|---|
| **Small-Business** | 71.9% | 48.3% | 
| **Mid-Market** | 21.2% | 48.3% | 
| **Enterprise** | 6.8% | 3.4% | 

### By Industry

#### Laravel

- **Information Technology and Services:** 27.6%
- **Computer Software:** 24.8%
- **Internet:** 9.0%
- **Program Development:** 6.2%
- **Marketing and Advertising:** 4.1%
- **Entertainment:** 2.1%
- **Design:** 2.1%
- **Leisure, Travel & Tourism:** 2.1%
- **Computer & Network Security:** 2.1%
- **E-Learning:** 1.4%
- **Other:** 18.6%

#### Symfony

- **Internet:** 20.7%
- **Computer Software:** 20.7%
- **Information Technology and Services:** 17.2%
- **Program Development:** 10.3%
- **Marketing and Advertising:** 6.9%
- **Leisure, Travel & Tourism:** 6.9%
- **Events Services:** 6.9%
- **Public Safety:** 3.4%
- **Automotive:** 3.4%
- **Accounting:** 3.4%

---
## Alternatives

### Alternatives to Laravel

- [Angular](https://www.g2.com/products/angular/reviews) — 4.5/5 stars (168 reviews)
- [CodeIgniter](https://www.g2.com/products/codeigniter/reviews) — 4.4/5 stars (58 reviews)
- [Laminas Project (formerly Zend Framework)](https://www.g2.com/products/laminas-project-formerly-zend-framework/reviews) — 4.2/5 stars (35 reviews)
- [Slim Framework](https://www.g2.com/products/slim-framework/reviews) — 4.2/5 stars (6 reviews)
- [CakePHP](https://www.g2.com/products/cakephp/reviews) — 3.9/5 stars (43 reviews)
- [Scriptcase](https://www.g2.com/products/scriptcase/reviews) — 4.5/5 stars (5 reviews)
- [Phalcon](https://www.g2.com/products/phalcon/reviews) — 4.4/5 stars (26 reviews)
- [Harness Platform](https://www.g2.com/products/harness-platform/reviews) — 4.6/5 stars (331 reviews)
- [Modx](https://www.g2.com/products/modx/reviews) — 3.8/5 stars (13 reviews)
- [Yii](https://www.g2.com/products/yii/reviews) — 4.2/5 stars (24 reviews)

### Alternatives to Symfony

- [Angular](https://www.g2.com/products/angular/reviews) — 4.5/5 stars (168 reviews)
- [Laminas Project (formerly Zend Framework)](https://www.g2.com/products/laminas-project-formerly-zend-framework/reviews) — 4.2/5 stars (35 reviews)
- [CodeIgniter](https://www.g2.com/products/codeigniter/reviews) — 4.4/5 stars (58 reviews)
- [Slim Framework](https://www.g2.com/products/slim-framework/reviews) — 4.2/5 stars (6 reviews)
- [CakePHP](https://www.g2.com/products/cakephp/reviews) — 3.9/5 stars (43 reviews)
- [Phalcon](https://www.g2.com/products/phalcon/reviews) — 4.4/5 stars (26 reviews)
- [Yii](https://www.g2.com/products/yii/reviews) — 4.2/5 stars (24 reviews)
- [Modx](https://www.g2.com/products/modx/reviews) — 3.8/5 stars (13 reviews)
- [Laravel Development Services](https://www.g2.com/products/laravel-development-services/reviews) — 4.4/5 stars (44 reviews)
- [Scriptcase](https://www.g2.com/products/scriptcase/reviews) — 4.5/5 stars (5 reviews)

---
## Top Discussions

### Laravel

- Title: [What is laravel and why it is used?](https://www.g2.com/discussions/what-is-laravel-and-why-it-is-used) — 3 comments
  > **Top comment:** "Laravel is primarily used for building custom web apps using PHP. It’s a web framework that handles many things that are annoying to build yourself, such as..."
- Title: [What is the best way to create amazing web?](https://www.g2.com/discussions/37035-what-is-the-best-way-to-create-amazing-web) — 2 comments, 1 upvote
  > **Top comment:** "    Start with clear navigation.
    Use conversational English.
    Apply SEO best practices in mind.
    Provide all the relevant information.
   ..."
- Title: [What is the best way to host my Laravel application on live server? And what is the best way to secure it?](https://www.g2.com/discussions/36926-what-is-the-best-way-to-host-my-laravel-application-on-live-server-and-what-is-the-best-way-to-secure-it) — 2 comments, 1 upvote
  > **Top comment:** "You can use Amazon Lightsail. It's the easiest and cheapest cloud web hosting solution by AWS. It has great performance and it is very secure."
- Title: [What are pros and cons of using laravel framework?](https://www.g2.com/discussions/what-are-pros-and-cons-of-using-laravel-framework) — 1 comment
  > **Top comment:** "Pros - fast way to development , large developer community
Cons - ORM query sometime takes time"
- Title: [What is laravel good for?](https://www.g2.com/discussions/what-is-laravel-good-for) — 1 comment
  > **Top comment:** "Web Development"

### Symfony

No discussions available for this product.

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**Source:** [G2.com](https://www.g2.com) | [Comparison Page](https://www.g2.com/compare/laravel-vs-symfony)