Next.js vs PHP: Development Costs

In this article, we will discuss the costs of developing a Next.JS project versus a PHP project. We will also discuss what Next.js is and what PHP is. What kind of hosting does a Next.js application require, and why is Next.js app hosting more costly than PHP? What is the learning curve of next JS and PHP? What are the job prospects of both?

In an app, sometimes the frontend and backend are created altogether; sometimes separately. The frontend is usually created in libraries like React and frameworks like Angular. The backend, on the other hand, is created in frameworks like Spring Boot and Node.JS, ASP.NET, and PHP frameworks like Laravel and CodeIgniter.

 

Quick Overview: Next.js vs PHP

What is Next.js?

Next.JS is basically an open-source framework built on top of React.JS, and managed by Vercel, which itself is a library(created by Meta). Next.JS is used to make fast, modern single-page web apps and websites. Next.js is a framework where the frontend and backend can be built together; if you are developing a standalone project using monolithic architecture, or if you want to follow a microservice architecture, you can build the frontend in Next.js and the backend in whatever framework/library you prefer. The main strengths of Next.JS are:

• Flexible rendering: server-side rendering, static site generation.
• Built-in performance and full-stack capability.
• Good SEO potential; pages can be pre-rendered

 

What is PHP?

PHP, or Hypertext Preprocessor, is a server-side programming language used to build dynamic websites. Most PHP apps use frameworks like Laravel or CodeIgniter. PHP has a huge developer community, a steep learning curve, and cheap hosting.

 

 

Why Does Next.js Development Cost More Than PHP?

Next JS projects cost more than PHP. There is a reason behind that. Next JS is also open source like PHP. The difference in development costs comes down to how many developers are available for Next.js versus PHP. Since PHP has been around for around 30 years, the developer pool is much larger than Next.js. For PHP WordPress development, you can get developers at a much cheaper rate; for Laravel development, the prices increase. Next.js developers are fewer in number but are very experienced. Experienced Developers are well-versed in React JS and TypeScript. They also know about server-side rendering and static Generation, API design, and database integration as well. So, because Next.js developers need to do a lot of things and there are fewer of them, the per-hour charge of a Next.js developer is more than that of a PHP developer.

 

Key Factors That Affect Development Cost

Two projects: one in Next.js and one in PHP, with different price and time complexity. If a simple site of 5 to 10 pages is to be built, it is an easy task, but since the number of Next.js developers is less than the number of PHP developers in the world, the rate will be higher for a Next.js developer. If a business app is to be built with elegant real-time dashboards, then the project complexity increases, and so does the price. Most software development companies in India usually charge $40 to $50 per hour, whereas in the US the charges are between 90$ to 140$. And 3rd party integrations are involved, especially payment gateways, the charges increase. Also, if the project is very long and complex and needs to be done in very little time, it will require many developers working in parallel, which will multiply the cost.

 

Hosting and Infrastructure Costs

Hosting and infrastructure costs are really different in our next JS project and a PHP project. While PHP can be hosted on shared hosting, a Next JS project requires a Virtual Private Server. Shared hosting costs between three to 15 dollars per month, whereas VPS hosting costs around $10 to $50 per month. For a simple website, PHP hosting is really very easy and cheaper, but as you grow and the traffic increases, the cost for a CDN and automatic scaling will also increase.

 

When Is PHP the Better Choice?

Next JS is definitely a very good framework, but it is not the answer for every project. When you have a small business, and you need an online presence and you need a website quickly, then you can choose PHP because there are a lot of CMS built on PHP that can be used to build static and dynamic websites. If you have to build a quick e-commerce site on which you have to sell your products, PHP is a very good choice, as the e-commerce site is very easy to build in PHP. WordPress and 3rd party payment gateway integration are very easy in WordPress. Also Spotify is also a very good platform to build an e-commerce site.

 

When is Next.js the Better Choice?

When a high-performance web application is to be built that requires real-time updates or a website that will need scaling very quickly, Next.js is the best choice. If the developer wants the entire front end to back end to be built in Next.js, or if he wants to follow a microservice architecture, he can build the UI in Next.js and build the rest of the back-end services in whatever framework is required, like Spring Boot or Node.js, etc.

 

Conclusion

Neither Next JS nor PHP wins. It totally depends on your requirements and the time in which you want the project to be done. WordPress is good for initial website development, but since WordPress uses a lot of plugins, the plugins can cause the page to load slowly. Since Next.js does not use many plugins, it is good for website or web app development. The web page loads very fast, so the Core Web Vitals improve. Also, real-time UI updates are easier in Next.js than in PHP. So, for search engine optimization and better, faster scalability, Next.js is a better choice. If you want ready-made solutions, they are already available in PHP, and they cost less than a Next.js project.

If you want a project to be done and you are confused about whether to go for next JS or PHP, give us a call. Lets talk!