Laravel is a PHP backend framework for server-side web development, while Next.js is a React-based JavaScript framework for full-stack and frontend development. Laravel excels for traditional web applications and REST APIs, whereas Next.js specializes in modern single-page applications with server-side rendering and static generation.
Laravel vs Next.js — Side-by-side comparison on A Versus B
PHP backend web framework with MVC architecture and comprehensive built-in tools.
React-based JavaScript framework supporting server-side rendering, static generation, and API routes.
Primary Use Case. Programming Language. Built-in Database ORM. Learning Curve (hours for beginner). Community Size (GitHub stars). Job Market Demand (2025). SEO Capabilities
Choose Laravel if you're building traditional web applications, REST APIs, or need a mature framework with comprehensive built-in features (authentication, migrations, ORM). Choose Next.js if you're developing modern, SEO-friendly web applications, need React component reusability, or require server-side rendering and static site generation for performance-critical projects.
Laravel: No, third-party required | Next.js: N/A
Laravel: Full native (built-in queues) | Next.js: N/A
Laravel: Limited (minimal options) | Next.js: N/A
Laravel: ~200,000 packages | Next.js: N/A
Laravel: 64% of PHP frameworks | Next.js: N/A
Laravel: 45-60 ms per request | Next.js: N/A
Laravel: Yes, with MFA scaffolding | Next.js: N/A
Laravel: Native (Redis, database, sync) | Next.js: N/A
Laravel: Senior/Intermediate (5+ years PHP/OOP) | Next.js: N/A
Reported Security Vulnerabilities (2024)
Laravel: ~10,000 packages (Composer) | Next.js: N/A
Laravel: Limited—requires PHP expertise | Next.js: N/A
Laravel: 8-12 minutes (Laravel installer + composer) | Next.js: 3-5 minutes (create-next-app)
Laravel: 800-1200ms (PHP cold starts) | Next.js: 100-300ms (Node.js cold starts)
Laravel: 0.8-1.5s per page (Blade templating) | Next.js: 0.2-0.5s per page (static generation)
Laravel: 2.5M (Packagist) | Next.js: 18M (npm registry)
Laravel: PHPStan/Psalm (third-party tools) | Next.js: Native TypeScript support (first-class)
Laravel: $24-60/year (shared PHP hosting) | Next.js: $0-60/month (Vercel Hobby or traditional hosting)
Laravel: 280K (Packagist registry) | Next.js: 3200K (npm registry)
Laravel: 1 day (php artisan new) | Next.js: N/A
Laravel: ~12 major packages | Next.js: N/A
Laravel: 3 years (standard support) | Next.js: N/A
Laravel: Eloquent (powerful, batteries-included) | Next.js: N/A
Laravel: 45,000+ packages | Next.js: N/A
Laravel: 77,500 stars | Next.js: 128,000+
Average Page Load Time (no optimization)
Laravel: 850-1200 ms | Next.js: 200-400 ms (with SSG)
Laravel: Yes (Eloquent) | Next.js: No (requires third-party)
Laravel: Basic (no SSG/SSR built-in) | Next.js: Excellent (SSR, SSG, ISR)
Learning Curve (for beginner developers)
Laravel: 40-60 hours | Next.js: 30-50 hours (React required)
Laravel: Manual (Blade templating) | Next.js: Native (React components)
Laravel: N/A | Next.js: Built-in and optimized
Laravel: N/A | Next.js: Native API routes included
Laravel: N/A | Next.js: Node.js server or serverless
Laravel: N/A | Next.js: Moderate (routing, SSR setup)
Laravel: N/A | Next.js: 800-1,200 ms (SSR/SSG)
Laravel: N/A | Next.js: 92 (native support)
Laravel: N/A | Next.js: Yes (file-based)
Laravel: N/A | Next.js: 2-3 minutes (create-next-app)
Laravel: N/A | Next.js: 5 (SSR, CSR, SSG, ISR, PPR)
Laravel: N/A | Next.js: High (Vercel-dependent)
Laravel: N/A | Next.js: Moderate-High (RSC paradigm)
Laravel: N/A | Next.js: Yes (SSG + ISR + PPR)
Laravel: N/A | Next.js: ~180 KB (optimized)
Laravel: N/A | Next.js: 4/10 (moderate, flexible)
Laravel: N/A | Next.js: Yes, native support
Laravel: N/A | Next.js: Yes, full support
Laravel: N/A | Next.js: 62% prefer Next.js
Laravel: N/A | Next.js: Growing, strong in mid-market
Default JavaScript Payload (Blog Homepage)
Time to First Interactive (Typical Blog)
Laravel: N/A | Next.js: 104 weeks (v13.0+)
Laravel: N/A | Next.js: First-class, auto-generated types
Laravel: N/A | Next.js: 500K+ React packages
Laravel: N/A | Next.js: Yes—native with excellent tooling
Laravel: N/A | Next.js: 4 (SSR, SSG, ISR, CSR)
Laravel: N/A | Next.js: 800+ official integrations
Laravel: N/A | Next.js: Node.js server required
Market Adoption (% of surveyed developers)
Laravel: N/A | Next.js: 42% of React framework users
Laravel: N/A | Next.js: 320,000 developers
Laravel: N/A | Next.js: No (third-party required)
Laravel: N/A | Next.js: 200-500ms (optimized)
Laravel: N/A | Next.js: 40-80 npm packages
Laravel: N/A | Next.js: SSR, SSG, ISR (hybrid)
Laravel: N/A | Next.js: 2-3 months (with React experience)
How to choose between Laravel and Next.js
Laravel vs Next.js — Structured Comparison Data
Machine-readable comparison dataset for Laravel vs Next.js. Contains 124 attribute comparisons, 5 FAQ pairs.
Laravel vs Next.js — Attribute Category Vocabulary
Taxonomy of attribute categories used to classify comparison data for Laravel vs Next.js.
Should I use Laravel or Next.js for a new project?
Choose Laravel if you're building a traditional web application with server-side logic, databases, and server-rendered views. Choose Next.js if you need modern React components, server-side rendering for SEO, or plan to build a performant full-stack JavaScript application. Laravel works best for PHP developers; Next.js requires JavaScript/React familiarity.
Can Laravel and Next.js be used together?
Yes. A common architecture is Laravel as a REST/GraphQL API backend with Next.js as the frontend. This combines Laravel's robust ORM and authentication with Next.js's modern rendering capabilities. Many teams use this hybrid approach for maximum flexibility.
Next.js has stronger demand with ~285,000 job postings versus Laravel's ~215,000. However, Laravel remains essential for legacy system maintenance and traditional web development. JavaScript/React skills (Next.js) are generally more in-demand in 2025, but Laravel expertise commands higher salaries in certain markets.
No. Laravel and Next.js serve different purposes. Laravel dominates backend development and server-side logic, while Next.js excels at modern frontend and full-stack JavaScript development. Many organizations use both—Laravel for APIs and Next.js for web applications consuming those APIs.
Laravel is typically cheaper on traditional shared hosting ($3-10/month) or VPS. Next.js requires Node.js hosting or serverless platforms (Vercel, Netlify) which range from free tier to $20+/month at scale. Vercel's free tier makes Next.js accessible for small projects, but dedicated servers favor Laravel's lower infrastructure costs.
How to Choose Between Laravel and Next.js
Primary Use Case: Laravel has Backend web framework with MVC architecture, while Next.js has Full-stack React framework with SSR/SSG.
Programming Language: Laravel has PHP, while Next.js has JavaScript/TypeScript.
Built-in Database ORM: Laravel has Eloquent ORM included, while Next.js has Requires third-party (Prisma, Drizzle, etc.).
Consider: Learning Curve (hours for beginner)
Learning Curve (hours for beginner): Laravel has 40-60 hours, while Next.js has 30-50 hours (if React familiar).
Community Size (GitHub stars): Laravel has 32,000+ stars, while Next.js has 127,000+ stars.
Job Market Demand (2025): Laravel has 215,000+ job postings globally, while Next.js has 285,000+ job postings globally.
SEO Capabilities: Laravel has Standard (client-side rendering required), while Next.js has Excellent (built-in SSR and static generation).