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Laravel PHP Framework vs Zend Framework comparison

Review summaries and opinions

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:
 

Categories and Ranking

Laravel PHP Framework
Ranking in PHP Frameworks
1st
Average Rating
8.4
Number of Reviews
19
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
Zend Framework
Ranking in PHP Frameworks
4th
Average Rating
9.0
Number of Reviews
1
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of June 2026, in the PHP Frameworks category, the mindshare of Laravel PHP Framework is 28.2%, up from 25.7% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Zend Framework is 16.8%, up from 14.0% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
PHP Frameworks Mindshare Distribution
ProductMindshare (%)
Laravel PHP Framework28.2%
Zend Framework16.8%
Other55.0%
PHP Frameworks
 

Featured Reviews

AB
Goldloan at IIFL
Open source optimization and security level complemented by potential enhancement in module development
Apart from Drupal, I work with other technologies including PHP, MySQL, React, Bootstrap, and CSS. With PHP, I use the Laravel PHP Framework. I have experience using Eloquent ORM in the Laravel PHP Framework in a LAMP stack. In the database, I exclusively use MySQL. I have utilized the Blade templating engine with MariaDB. The impact of Laravel's modular packaging system on development processes is significant as it requires setting up your web server and PHP installation, with Apache executing the code in the view root directory. The robust set of security features like protection against CSRF and SQL injections is critical in ensuring application security. In my development process, SQL injection attacks on the database are protected by storing all data in encrypted format. Additionally, I focus on proper database design, indexing with PostgreSQL, and creating stored procedures, ensuring that data is validated and checked every time a form is submitted before being inputted into the database. From a security point of view regarding database security against SQL injections, my first priority is to check what types of data are being sent to the table, ensuring that data is always executed in encrypted format before being stored. I chose to stay with Laravel because it is built on the Symfony framework, which provides good security as a foundation. On a scale of 1-10, I rate the Laravel PHP Framework a 7.
it_user220542 - PeerSpot reviewer
Database Engineer at a financial services firm with 1,001-5,000 employees
We consolidated PHP code into a single set of modules and libraries but it needs integration improvements from the security perspective.
Ease of use Documentation Community Its hard to tell, but Zend Framework allowed us to consolidate PHP code into single set of modules and libraries, which are simple to share between different projects. It requires enterprise integration improvements from the security, and audit perspective…

Quotes from Members

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:
 

Pros

"Laravel PHP Framework has positively impacted my organization by allowing us to switch from developing the same project using Java, which took much longer, to Laravel and PHP, saving a lot of time."
"Laravel PHP Framework has positively impacted my organization as our team that uses this framework is considered really fast."
"Laravel PHP Framework has positively impacted my organization by leading to good productivity and efficiency."
"My organization has experienced outcomes and benefits due to Laravel PHP Framework, as it saves time and reduces costs because hosting a Laravel application is very cheap compared to MongoDB, React, and Node."
"It keeps up-to-date with major releases of common tools, like PHP and SQL databases."
"What I find beneficial in the Laravel PHP Framework is that it is open source, and the code optimization is executed programmatically by default, its built-in tools and levels allow for quick application development, and its security features are good, requiring very little maintenance, while multiple tools and executing plugins are readily available."
"Faster development cycles with good community support and third-party packages to choose from."
"Laravel PHP Framework brings in fast development for developers or for a development team, and from idea to the actual working solution, Laravel reduces the development timeline, as opposed to other frameworks like Java Spring Boot."
"Zend Framework allowed us to consolidate PHP code into a single set of modules and libraries, which are simple to share between different projects."
 

Cons

"In the Laravel PHP Framework, areas that I would like to see improved include enhancements in modules to better manage the crawling of data from the database and executing calls on that data."
"Regarding room for improvement, there are various things at the code level such as Eloquent relationships, including has one and has many, which we can optimize a bit more so that we can get the data faster."
"When I was a beginner to Laravel PHP Framework, I had some trouble understanding the syntax because PHP syntax was somewhat inconsistent at certain points, which I felt Python does not have."
"Laravel PHP Framework could be improved by adding some AI features because I am also doing AI development, and I think it does not work as well with AI models."
"Currently, AI features are not available in Laravel PHP Framework, and it is not interactive with AI models very well."
"First, the learning curve for advanced features is steep; features such as broadcasting for real-time updates, Horizon for queue monitoring, or Sanctum for API token authentication are powerful but require a fair bit of setup and understanding."
"Maybe since the community size, I am not sure about how the community is fast."
"One thing that is not so good about this solution is that the implementation process is quite complex."
"It requires enterprise integration improvements from the security, and audit perspective (AD integration etc.). Also, integration into existing BI tools is not present."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The open-source version of the product is free to use."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Educational Organization
14%
Construction Company
9%
Healthcare Company
7%
University
7%
No data available
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business16
Midsize Enterprise2
Large Enterprise3
No data available
 

Questions from the Community

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Laravel PHP Framework?
My experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing for Laravel PHP Framework is that it is completely free and open source, so it is zero cost.
What needs improvement with Laravel PHP Framework?
Currently, AI features are not available in Laravel PHP Framework, and it is not interactive with AI models very well. If it improves for AI models, then it will be the best for us. Regarding Larav...
What is your primary use case for Laravel PHP Framework?
My main use case for Laravel PHP Framework is developing web applications. I have recently developed an admin panel for a gaming app using Laravel PHP Framework. I have implemented some business lo...
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Overview

 

Sample Customers

bugsnag, PhpStorm, LaraJobs, Vehikl
BBC, AutoTrack, Centroy, Cisco WebEx, Netrail Holding