Software Alternatives & Startups

HHVM VS Opalstack

Compare HHVM VS Opalstack and see what are their differences

HHVM

HHVM is an open-source virtual machine designed for executing programs written in Hack and PHP.

HHVM Landing page
Rating
0 reviews
Pricing
Open source
Opalstack

Managed Hosting for developers, entrepreneurs, and businesses like yours

Opalstack Landing page
Rating
0 reviews
Note: These products don't have any matching categories. If you think this is a mistake, please edit the details of one of the products and suggest appropriate categories.

Which is more popular?

Based on our record, HHVM seems to be more popular. It has been mentioned 7 times since March 2021.

social mentions
7 vs 0
DevOps Tools popularity
100% vs 0%

Base details

Website, pricing, platforms and company facts side by side.

HHVM
Opalstack
Website hhvm.com opalstack.com
Pricing
Open source
Listed in

Features and specs

What each product offers, as listed by its team.

HHVM 4 features
Opalstack 5 features
  • Performance
    HHVM uses Just-In-Time (JIT) compilation to convert PHP code into machine code, which can significantly improve execution speed compared to traditional PHP interpreters.
  • Hack Language Support
    HHVM supports the Hack programming language, which offers additional features like static type checking, generics, and asynchronous code execution, allowing developers to write safer and more efficient code.
  • Scalability
    HHVM is designed to handle high-traffic environments, making it suitable for large-scale applications and websites with high concurrency demands.
  • Open Source
    HHVM is open-source software, allowing developers to contribute to its development and benefit from community-driven improvements and support.

Possible disadvantages

  • Compatibility
    HHVM is not fully compatible with all PHP extensions and libraries. This can create issues when migrating existing PHP applications to HHVM, requiring additional refactoring.
  • Resource Intensive
    HHVM can consume more memory and CPU resources than traditional PHP interpreters, which might be a concern for applications running on limited hardware.
  • Linux Focused
    HHVM primarily supports Linux-based systems. While there is some support for other operating systems, it may not be as robust, limiting its use in heterogeneous environments.
  • Evolving Technology
    HHVM and the Hack language are continuously evolving, which can lead to breaking changes and the need to keep development teams updated with the latest features and fixes.
  • Developer-Friendly Hosting
    Opalstack is designed with developers in mind, offering SSH access, Git integration, and support for multiple programming languages and frameworks including Python, Node.js, Ruby, and PHP, giving developers granular control over their hosting environment.
  • Affordable Pricing
    Opalstack offers competitive pricing for shared and managed hosting plans, making it an accessible option for small businesses, freelancers, and individual developers who need robust features without enterprise-level costs.
  • Modern Control Panel
    Opalstack provides a clean, modern, and intuitive web-based dashboard for managing sites, applications, databases, and email accounts, which is a significant improvement over older-style hosting control panels like cPanel.
  • Strong Support for Multiple Applications
    The platform supports a wide variety of application types including WordPress, Django, Flask, Express, static sites, and more, allowing users to host diverse projects on a single account with easy deployment.
  • Reliable Infrastructure and Support
    Opalstack is built by former WebFaction team members, bringing experienced hosting expertise. They offer responsive customer support and a reputation for stable, well-managed server infrastructure with good uptime.

Possible disadvantages

  • Smaller Community and Ecosystem
    Compared to major hosting providers like DigitalOcean, AWS, or even shared hosts like SiteGround, Opalstack has a smaller user base, which means fewer community tutorials, third-party guides, and forum discussions available for troubleshooting.
  • Limited Scalability Options
    Opalstack is primarily a shared hosting provider, which means it may not be the best choice for high-traffic applications or projects that require rapid, on-demand scaling of resources like CPU, RAM, or storage.
  • Not Ideal for Beginners
    While developer-friendly, Opalstack's approach can be intimidating for non-technical users. Setting up applications often requires familiarity with the command line and server configuration, which may not suit those looking for simple one-click solutions.
  • Limited Data Center Locations
    Opalstack offers a relatively small number of data center locations compared to major cloud providers, which may result in higher latency for users targeting audiences in regions not well-served by the available server locations.
  • Fewer Managed Services and Add-ons
    Unlike larger hosting platforms, Opalstack lacks a wide range of managed add-on services such as built-in CDN integration, managed backups with granular restore options, or one-click SSL management that more mainstream providers offer out of the box.

Analysis

An editorial look at what each product does well and who it suits.

HHVM
Opalstack

Overall verdict

  • In recent years, HHVM has shifted focus more towards supporting Hack rather than full PHP compatibility. While it was once a popular option for running PHP applications efficiently, many projects now recommend sticking to PHP 7.x or later, which has seen significant performance improvements. Therefore, HHVM is considered good if you're specifically using Hack, but might not be the best choice for standard PHP applications.

Why this product is good

  • HHVM (HipHop Virtual Machine) was originally developed by Facebook to provide improved performance for PHP applications. It offers features like a just-in-time (JIT) compiler and compatibility with Hack, Facebook's PHP dialect. It has been praised for enhancing the speed of PHP execution, particularly for large-scale applications.

Recommended for

    HHVM is recommended for organizations or projects that primarily use Hack or have legacy systems built around it. It can also be beneficial for enterprises looking to leverage its performance benefits in a Hack environment. However, for new projects or those focused solely on PHP, sticking with the latest PHP versions is advisable.

Overall verdict

  • Opalstack is a solid choice for developers and tech-savvy users seeking an affordable, flexible control panel hosting solution with good performance and transparent pricing, though it may require more technical know-how than mainstream cPanel hosts.

Why this product is good

  • Uses a custom lightweight control panel that's fast and efficient compared to resource-heavy alternatives like cPanel
  • Offers straightforward, transparent pricing without hidden fees or aggressive upselling
  • Provides SSD storage and solid server performance for the price point
  • Supports multiple app types including Python, Node.js, and various frameworks beyond typical PHP hosting
  • Founded by the original creators of WebFaction, bringing significant hosting industry experience
  • Good for running multiple websites/apps under one account with granular resource control
  • Responsive customer support with a knowledgeable team
  • No long-term contracts required, allowing flexibility

Recommended for

  • Developers who need support for Python, Node.js, or other non-PHP applications
  • Users comfortable with a more technical, non-cPanel control panel interface
  • Small businesses or freelancers hosting multiple websites who want granular control
  • Former WebFaction users looking for a similar service after its shutdown
  • Budget-conscious users who want VPS-like flexibility without full server management
  • Users who prioritize transparent pricing over bundled marketing extras

Videos

Walkthroughs and reviews on video.

HHVM 3 videos + Add
Opalstack 0 videos + Add

HHVM GLIMPSE MEME REVIEW||HARI HARA VEERA MALLU MEME REVIEW||POWER STAR..!

More videos

  • Review - HHVM Performance Status - Hack Dev Day
  • Review - Scaling PHP-based Development with HHVM and Hack

No Opalstack videos yet. You could help us improve this page by suggesting one.

Category popularity

How often each product is chosen within a category, 0–100% relative to the other.

Score bands 0–20 21–40 41–50 51–60 61–100
HHVM
Opalstack
100% 100%
0% 0%
0% 0%
100% 100%
0% 0%
100% 100%

User comments

Share your experience with using HHVM and Opalstack. For example, how are they different and which one is better?

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Social recommendations and mentions

Recommendations tracked on public social media and blogs since March 2021.

HHVM 7 mentions
Opalstack 0 mentions
  • GraphQL vs REST: 18 Claims Fact-Checked with Primary Sources (2026)
    Facebook ran a massive PHP codebase, scaled through HipHop (a PHP-to-C++ transpiler) and later HHVM (a just-in-time compiler for PHP). Keith Adams , Facebook's Chief Architect and HHVM team lead, describes how Facebook scaled a large,... - Source: dev.to / 5 months ago
  • THT v0.8.1 – A modern re-design of PHP
    $hayStack.contains('needle') This looks more or less like a new language ? It must be amazing amount of time and energy to rewrite PHP in to this. I don't see the benefits. I understand the Facebook's HHVM had some. (https://hhvm.com/)... - Source: Hacker News / almost 2 years ago
  • I know that's the name of the language, I'm asking about the first P
    PHP is nearly as old as the web. Change the conversation and say: I use Hack on the Hip Hop Virtual Machine. Source: over 4 years ago

View more

Tracking Opalstack since Sep 2023.

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