Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

AMPPS VS Forge

Compare AMPPS VS Forge and see what are their differences

AMPPS logo AMPPS

MAMP and WAMP stack with Latest PHP, Apache, MySQL and Softaculous. Install and manage apps like PHP, WordPress and much more with just one click.

Forge logo Forge

Static web hosting made simple
  • AMPPS Landing page
    Landing page //
    2022-03-17

AMPPS is a bloat-free local development stack with PHP, MySQL, Apache and Softaculous.AMPPS supports all the latest versions of PHP, Apache and MySQL. Installing and updating these packages is just one click. Softaculous auto installer is also included with AMPPS which enables you to install 380+ apps like WordPress, Joomla, Drupal, Magento, phpBB, etc which can be installed and updated with just one click.

  • Forge Landing page
    Landing page //
    2018-09-30

AMPPS

Website
ampps.com
$ Details
freemium $49 / Annually
Platforms
Mac OSX Windows
Release Date
2021 October

AMPPS features and specs

  • Lightweight - Install apps as per your needs
  • Latest PHP versions - One click install and update
  • Domain Management - Add unlimited addon/parked/alias domains
  • Database management
  • Enable/Disable PHP extensions
  • Manage Apache Configuration
  • Start, Stop, Restart Apache and MySQL services
  • WordPress Manager - Manage plugins, themes, auto login, WordPress core updates, plugins and themes updates, debug mode
  • Backups - Local, Dropbox, Google Drive, OneDrive, AWS S3, FTP, FTPS and SFTP
  • Clone and Staging
  • Remote Import
  • 400+ apps

Forge features and specs

  • Ease of Use
    Forge provides a user-friendly interface that simplifies the deployment and management of server applications, which is beneficial for developers who may not be experts in server management.
  • Automation
    Forge automates many of the tedious tasks involved in server management, such as updates, backups, and scaling, saving users significant time and effort.
  • Scalability
    Using Forge, you can easily scale your applications to handle increased traffic by adding more servers or resources, which is advantageous for growing businesses.
  • Integrations
    Forge seamlessly integrates with various services and platforms, like GitHub and DigitalOcean, to streamline the development and deployment workflow.
  • Security
    Forge emphasizes security by providing built-in firewalls, SSL certificates, and automatic updates, ensuring that servers are well-protected against vulnerabilities.
  • Support
    Forge offers comprehensive customer support, including documentation, forums, and direct support options, which help users troubleshoot and resolve issues quickly.

Possible disadvantages of Forge

  • Cost
    Forge is a paid service, which may be expensive for small developers or startups with limited budgets, as the costs can add up with increased usage.
  • Learning Curve
    Despite its user-friendly interface, there is still a learning curve associated with understanding all its features and capabilities, which may be challenging for beginners.
  • Platform Lock-In
    Using Forge ties you to its ecosystem and infrastructure, which could be limiting if you decide to switch to a different platform or use a different set of tools.
  • Dependency on Internet Connection
    As a cloud-based service, Forge requires a stable internet connection to manage and deploy servers, which could be problematic in areas with unreliable connectivity.
  • Limited Customization
    While Forge provides a lot of automation, the level of customization available may not meet the needs of more advanced users who require specific configurations or features.

Analysis of AMPPS

Overall verdict

  • AMPPS is generally a good choice for developers who need a comprehensive local server solution. It is praised for its ease of use and convenience, though some users might find its resource usage to be higher compared to other lightweight solutions.

Why this product is good

  • AMPPS is considered beneficial because it provides an extensive local development stack for developers. It includes all necessary components like Apache, MySQL, MongoDB, PHP, Perl, and Python in a single package, which makes setting up a development environment straightforward and efficient. Additionally, it supports a wide variety of applications and offers an easy-to-use interface for managing databases and development projects.

Recommended for

  • Web developers who require a full-featured local development stack.
  • Students and educators involved in web development training.
  • Freelancers and small teams who need a simple, all-in-one development environment.
  • Those who prefer managing development environments through a graphical user interface.

AMPPS videos

Install Ampps Webserver With Softaculous

More videos:

  • Review - Install AMPPS on Windows 10
  • Review - WAMP on PC to AMPPS on Mac, wordpress site

Forge videos

Devil Forge Single Burner Oval Forge Product Review

More videos:

  • Review - Devil Forge Product Review and Set Up
  • Review - Hell's Forge review

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to AMPPS and Forge)
Web And Application Servers
Web Servers
28 28%
72% 72
Development Tools
100 100%
0% 0
Application Server
13 13%
87% 87

Questions & Answers

As answered by people managing AMPPS and Forge.

What makes your product unique?

AMPPS's answer

AMPPS is a bloat-free stack so you only install the apps that you want to install.

Why should a person choose your product over its competitors?

AMPPS's answer

You can install from a long list of PHP versions available. You can switch PHP versions with a click. You can also install new PHPs when they are released or upgrade the existing PHPs, Apache, MySQL to the latest version with a click.

How would you describe the primary audience of your product?

AMPPS's answer

If you are a developer who use any of the following technologies then you can use AMPPS : - PHP - Apache - MySQL - MongoDB

User comments

Share your experience with using AMPPS and Forge. For example, how are they different and which one is better?
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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare AMPPS and Forge

AMPPS Reviews

Best XAMPP Alternatives for Website Development in 2024
The last alternative to XAMPP on our list is AMPPS available for Windows, MacOS, and Linux. AMPPS provides a complete local setup for WordPress site development. With its versatility across multiple operating systems, it offers convenience and flexibility for developers.
Source: instawp.com
8 Best MAMP Alternatives (Definitive List)
The free version of AMPSS doesnโ€™t limit the number of local websites that you can set up. However, that version doesnโ€™t come with AMPPSโ€™ built-in WordPress manager tool. This feature helps you manage multiple WordPress websites using a panel thatโ€™s very similar to a multisite setup.
Source: kinsta.com
13 Best XAMPP Alternatives
Most AMPPS servers offer similar features as shared hosting plans from companies like HostGator or DreamHost without requiring you to pay a monthly fee. If you donโ€™t have your server, many hosts offer great packages for $5-10 per month that let you test out how effective an AMPPS setup will be for your needs.
Source: thetechtian.com
9 Best XAMPP Alternatives Cross Platform Web Server
AMPPS supports a variety of open sources web applications such as Dolphin, Joomla!, and WordPress. As a result of which, creating a website has become a matter of mere minutes. All you need for that is the AMPPS package and the latest version of your favorite web application.
10 Best alternatives of XAMPP servers for Windows, Linux and macOS
AMPPS comes with a Domain Administrator and an auto-installation tool for hundreds of web applications. Also, there are many free features that we have not yet explored. In comparison, I think that AMPPS could be a better alternative to WAMP, MAMP, and XAMPP.

Forge Reviews

We have no reviews of Forge yet.
Be the first one to post

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, AMPPS seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 3 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

AMPPS mentions (3)

  • Best MAMP Alternatives in 2025
    AMPPS is available for both Windows and MacOS, offering a straightforward setup for WordPress site development. Its versatility across different platforms makes it a convenient and flexible choice for developers. Furthermore, this tool enables you to test your site locally without interfering with the production site, making it a solid option for development and testing environments. - Source: dev.to / over 1 year ago
  • Form data from form page isn't submitted to the database, how can I fix this issue?
    It should have generated a log file, though. If it didn't then you need to make sure you actually restarted everything. I'd also consider switching to something like Ampps and see if that helps. Source: almost 4 years ago
  • How to install WordPress
    Some web hosting providers offer a Softaculous auto-installer that simplifies WordPress installation to the smallest. - Source: dev.to / about 5 years ago

Forge mentions (0)

We have not tracked any mentions of Forge yet. Tracking of Forge recommendations started around Mar 2021.

What are some alternatives?

When comparing AMPPS and Forge, you can also consider the following products

XAMPP - XAMPP is a free and open-source cross-platform web server that is primarily used when locally developing web applications.

Microsoft IIS - Internet Information Services is a web server for Microsoft Windows

MAMP - MAMP is the abbreviation for Macintosh, Apache, MySQL, and PHP. It is a reliable application with its four components that allows you to access the local PHP server as well as the database server (SQL).

Apache Tomcat - An open source software implementation of the Java Servlet and JavaServer Pages technologies

EasyPHP - EasyPHP installs a portable local WAMP server including the server-side scripting language: PHP 5, the web Server: Apache 2, the SQL Server: MySQL 5, a database manager: PhpMyAdmin and others development tools.

LiteSpeed Web Server - LiteSpeed Web Server (LSWS) is a high-performance Apache drop-in replacement.