Local macOS development, elevated.
Zero Docker overhead. Multi-version PHP 8.1–8.5, Nginx with automatic green HTTPS, MySQL, Redis, MailCatcher, Request Inspector, and Cloudflare tunnels in a single native Swift app.
Stratos Engine
Nginx 1.27 • PHP 8.3 FPM • Dnsmasq
A native stack with clear requirements
Stratos provisions PHP, Nginx, and local DNS on demand. Install Homebrew for MySQL, MariaDB, or PostgreSQL; the app shows prerequisites and installation errors.
- Manage PHP extensions and debugging tools. Availability depends on the PHP version and architecture.
- Nginx configuration is cleanly templated per site; diffable and reproducible.
- Managed binaries and configuration in
~/Library/Application Support/Stratos.
Everything your local stack needs. Zero bloat.
Stratos runs your local stack in a native macOS app without a Docker VM. MySQL, MariaDB, and PostgreSQL installation requires Homebrew.
One-Click Stack Control
PHP-FPM, Nginx, MySQL, Redis, and Dnsmasq start together with a single toggle. Control every daemon independently from menu bar or main window.
Trusted Local Root CA
Every folder under your webroot gets a .test domain automatically with 0-warning green HTTPS lock badges in Safari and Chrome.
Multi-Version PHP 8.1–8.5
Run PHP 8.1 through 8.5 side-by-side with 1-click site switching. Verified with Apple CryptoKit SHA-256 integrity checks.
Visual Laravel Tinker REPL
Execute Eloquent queries and inspect collections in interactive table grids with column sorting, execution timing, and saved snippet library.
Universal Database Hub & ER Diagrams
Native SQLite browser, MySQL/PostgreSQL support, interactive ER Schema diagrams with foreign key bezier lines, and 1-click Web Adminer (db.test).
MailCatcher (Mobile & Desktop)
Outgoing SMTP mail on port 1025 with instant desktop and iPhone (375px) responsive viewport previews, CSP sandbox, and search.
Site Snapshots & Rollback
Back up project files before code or dependency changes. External databases require a separate backup.
Request Inspector & cURL Replay
DevTools-grade HTTP traffic monitor. Filter by Doc/XHR/CSS/JS/Img, copy cURL commands, and replay requests locally in 1 click.
Xdebug & SPX Flame Graphs
Step-debug code in PhpStorm / VS Code and record execution flame graphs with 0-config inline extension provisioning.
Cloudflare Public Tunnels
Expose local sites to the internet via Cloudflare. Generate instant live HTTPS URLs for mobile testing, client reviews, and webhooks.
Ditch Docker battery drain & heavy VMs.
See how Stratos compares to Docker Desktop, Laravel Herd Pro, and MAMP Pro for local macOS web development on Apple Silicon M1–M4.
| Feature / Capability | Stratos (v1.7) | Docker Desktop | Laravel Herd Pro | MAMP Pro |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Runtime Architecture | 100% Native Swift on Apple Silicon & Intel | Linux VM (qemu / virtualization framework) | Native PHP with Electron / hybrid wrapper | Legacy C++ architecture |
| Idle CPU & Battery Drain | 0% idle CPU · Maximizes MacBook battery life | 15%–40% idle CPU · Heavy fan & battery drain | Low idle CPU | Moderate idle CPU |
| Simultaneous Multi-PHP Pools | PHP 8.1, 8.2, 8.3, 8.4, 8.5 active simultaneously | Requires heavy multi-container Docker compose | Requires paid Herd Pro subscription | One global PHP version at a time |
| Local SMTP MailCatcher | Built-in (port 1025 + iPhone 375px preview) | Requires configuring MailHog / Mailpit containers | Requires external Ray / paid tools | Basic log output only |
| Database GUI & ER Diagrams | Universal DB Hub + Interactive ER Schemas + db.test | Requires separate TablePlus / DBeaver license | Requires external TablePlus / Sequel Ace | Basic phpMyAdmin wrapper |
| Live HTTPS Sharing Tunnels | 1-click Cloudflare Tunnels (no account required) | Manual Ngrok or localtunnel setup | Requires paid Expose Pro subscription | Third-party setup required |
| Pricing & Licensing | Free Core forever · Pro $39/yr or $89 Lifetime | Free personal / Docker Desktop business fee | Herd Pro $99+/yr recurring subscription | MAMP Pro $99 one-time + paid version upgrades |
Why Docker drains your MacBook battery—and how native Swift fixes it.
Every Apple Silicon developer knows the pain: open Docker Desktop at a coffee shop, and your MacBook battery is dead by noon. We ran a 3-hour benchmark on an M3 MacBook Pro running a standard Laravel + MySQL + Redis stack.
| Benchmark Metric | Stratos (Native Swift) | Docker Desktop (Sail / VM) |
|---|---|---|
| Idle CPU Consumption | < 0.1% CPU | 14% – 28% CPU |
| macOS Energy Impact | 0.4 Energy Score | 38.4 Energy Score |
| Memory Footprint (RAM) | 62 MB RAM | 4.8 GB RAM |
| Battery Drain (3-Hour Unplugged Test) | Lost 19% battery (~10.5 hrs total) | Lost 58% battery (~3.2 hrs total) |
| Filesystem I/O & Request Latency | 1.2ms – 2.8ms / req | 12ms – 25ms / req |
Replaces $250+/year of standalone developer utilities.
Stop juggling separate subscriptions for database managers, local mail traps, and tunneling utilities. Stratos bundles everything into one cohesive native macOS app.
MailCatcher (SMTP 1025)
Zero-setup local SMTP mail catcher running on port 1025. Inspect HTML, plain text, headers, and attachments with responsive iPhone (375px) previews without configuring third-party mail traps.
Universal DB Hub & ER Diagrams
Native SQLite browser, MySQL, and PostgreSQL client with interactive foreign key bezier diagrams, Destructive Query Guard warnings, and 1-click Web Adminer (db.test).
Cloudflare Public Tunnels
Instant live public HTTPS URLs for client demos, webhooks, and mobile testing. Zero account creation, zero bandwidth throttling, completely free.
Visual Laravel Tinker REPL
A dedicated macOS GUI for interactive Eloquent queries and collections with sortable column tables, millisecond profiling, and a persistent snippet library.
Free forever for individuals.Superpowered for Pro.
Get the core local stack for free, or unlock the full developer workflow with Stratos Pro from $39/year or $89 one-time.
Why Pay $296+/Year For 4 Separate Subscriptions?
Stratos replaces fragmented subscription tools with one unified, 100% native Swift macOS development environment.
- Laravel Herd Pro (Environment & Multi-PHP)$99 / yr
- Tinkerwell (PHP & Eloquent REPL)$49 / yr
- Expose Pro / Ngrok (Public Tunnels)$59 / yr
- TablePlus (Universal DB GUI)$89 one-time
- ✓100% Native Swift Local Stack (PHP 8.1–8.5 & Node)
- ✓Visual Laravel & PHP Tinker REPL built-in
- ✓Zero-config Cloudflare Tunnels (instant public sharing)
- ✓Universal Database Hub (SQLite, MySQL, Postgres, ER Diagrams)
Free Edition
Essential stack for individual developers.
No account or credit card required
- Nginx 1.27 & PHP 8.1–8.5 (Zero Docker)
- Trusted Local Root CA (Green HTTPS)
- Native SQLite Browser & MySQL basics
- Visual Tinker: 3 free queries / day
- ER Diagrams: 1 free schema / day
- Cloudflare Tunnels: 1 session / day (15m)
- 7-Day Pro Pass: Unlock in-app via email
- MailCatcher & Dumps (10 recent items)
- CLI Companion (
stratos php) - 1 Personal Mac included
Stratos Pro Annual
For freelancers & solo builders.
Billed annually • Cancel anytime
- Everything in Free, plus:
- 2 Personal Macs included
- Unlimited 24/7 Cloudflare Tunnels
- Unlimited Visual Tinker REPL & Snippets
- Unlimited ER Diagrams & Retina PNG export
- Site Snapshots & Rollback safety
- Request Inspector filters & cURL replay
- Extended 500-Email & 500-Dump history
- 1 full year of continuous updates
Founder Lifetime
Pay once, keep Stratos Pro forever.
Lifetime usage • 1 year of updates included
- Everything in Pro Annual, plus:
- 3 Personal Macs included (vs 2 on Annual)
- Lifetime Usage Rights (No recurring fees)
- 1 full year of major & minor updates
- Discounted update renewals or keep version forever
- Instant 1-click deep link activation
- Priority developer support & requests
Stratos Team
For dev teams standardizing their stack.
Up to 5 developers ($25.80/seat/yr)
- 5 Team Seats included
- 1-Click Team Stack Sync (.stratos)
- Centralized License Management
- All Stratos Pro Workflows on every Mac
- Direct Support & Dedicated Slack Channel
- Invoice billing & VAT tax receipts
Frequently Asked Questions
Everything you need to know about switching to Stratos for macOS local development.
How does Stratos compare to Laravel Herd and Laravel Herd Pro?
Stratos is a 100% native macOS Swift application designed as an elevated, high-performance alternative to Laravel Herd. While Herd Pro requires a recurring $99+/year subscription for multi-version PHP, Redis, and mail debugging, Stratos provides simultaneous multi-version PHP 8.1–8.5 pools, built-in MailCatcher (port 1025), a Universal Database Hub with interactive ER diagrams, Cloudflare tunnels, and a Visual Tinker REPL. Stratos offers a free edition forever, with Pro available as an affordable $39/year or $89 one-time lifetime license.
Why does Docker drain MacBook battery on Apple Silicon, and how does Stratos solve it?
Docker Desktop on macOS runs a complete Linux virtual machine that constantly uses background CPU for virtualization, memory translation, and file synchronization (VirtioFS / gRPC-FUSE). On Apple Silicon (M1/M2/M3/M4), this keeps the high-performance CPU cores awake and drains battery life rapidly. Stratos runs PHP-FPM, Nginx, and databases natively on macOS as native ARM64 processes with 0% idle CPU overhead, delivering instant page loads and hours of additional laptop battery life.
Can I run multiple PHP versions simultaneously for different sites on macOS?
Yes! Stratos 1.7+ features simultaneous PHP-FPM pool orchestration. You can run PHP 8.1, 8.2, 8.3, 8.4, and 8.5 side-by-side on independent Unix domain sockets (~/Library/Application Support/Stratos/fpm/*.sock). Each project can be pinned to a specific PHP version in 1 click, and all required runtime pools start, stop, and restart automatically without 502 Bad Gateway errors.
How does Stratos eliminate self-signed SSL certificate warnings in Chrome and Safari?
Stratos generates a dedicated 4096-bit Local Development Root Certificate Authority (Stratos Root CA) during initial setup and automatically registers it as trusted in your macOS login Keychain. Every local project domain (e.g., https://my-app.test) receives a valid wildcard SSL certificate matching Subject Alternative Names (SAN), giving you zero-warning green HTTPS lock badges in Safari, Google Chrome, Brave, and Edge.
Is Stratos related to Apache Stratos or Strato hosting?
No. Stratos (stratosapp.dev) is an independent native macOS local web development application. It is completely unrelated to Apache Stratos (a retired Apache Attic cloud PaaS project) and Strato AG (a European web hosting and domain registrar). Stratos is built exclusively for local development on Apple Silicon and Intel Macs.
Get Stratos for macOS today.
Free Edition available forever with no account required. Upgrade to Stratos Pro (from $39/yr or $89 lifetime) anytime for snapshots, profilers, and public tunnels.