Laravel version upgrade
Your app moved to a supported Laravel release, one major version at a time, with packages updated.
The Problem
A Laravel App 3 Versions Behind and Afraid of Composer Update
Laravel ships a major release every year. Apps that skip a few end up with locked packages, homemade workarounds, and an upgrade nobody wants to start.
01 · Stuck upgrade
Composer update fails on a dozen version conflicts.
We upgrade one major version at a time, with tests after each.
02 · Homemade login
Login runs on a custom system instead of Laravel's own.
We move sign-in to Laravel's built-in authentication or a starter kit.
03 · Silent queues
Queued emails run on a cron job that quietly stops.
Horizon runs the queues, and failed jobs trigger an alert to your team.
04 · Slow pages
The orders page fires hundreds of queries per load.
Eager loading and indexes cut the queries on your busiest pages.
Your Laravel app was built on Laravel 8 by an agency that has since moved on. It stopped getting security fixes years ago. Running composer update fails on a dozen version conflicts, so nobody runs it. Login uses a homemade system instead of Laravel's own, and queued emails run on a cron job that silently stops. The orders page fires hundreds of database queries per load, and customers notice the wait.
We start by reading the app and its composer.json, then plan the upgrade one major version at a time, with tests on your core flows. Homemade parts give way to Laravel's own tools: built-in authentication, Horizon for queues, and Telescope to find slow queries. Your app lands on a supported release, and next year's upgrade becomes a routine job.
Yearly upgrades, planned
Each major Laravel release gets a short upgrade plan, so you don't fall 3 versions behind again.
Laravel's own tools first
Horizon, Sanctum, Cashier, and Reverb replace homemade queues, tokens, billing, and sockets.
Queries you can see
Telescope and Debugbar expose N+1 queries, and we fix the slow ones on key pages.
Our Laravel Development Process
From App Review to a Supported Laravel Release in Five Steps
Our Laravel web development services follow five steps. You approve the upgrade path, test every change on staging, and keep the app running for customers throughout.
On a free call, you walk us through the app and share the code. We check the Laravel and PHP versions, composer.json, queues, and the slowest pages. You get an upgrade path and a fixed-price proposal.
What's Included
What You Get With Custom Laravel Development
Laravel application development services built on the framework's own tools: an upgraded core, tested flows, queues you can watch, and deploys you can repeat.
Compare Options
DeveloperLook vs a Generic Agency vs a Laravel Freelancer
A freelancer can be the cheapest way to fix one Laravel bug, and a generic agency may bundle design and marketing. A Laravel development agency fits when the app itself is the business.
| Feature | DeveloperLookBest fit | Generic agency | Freelancer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Laravel depth | Laravel's own tools first | Varies by project | Strong in one area |
| Upgrades | Planned every release | Often skipped | Done when asked |
| Queues and jobs | Horizon with alerts | Cron jobs common | Depends on the person |
| Testing | Pest or PHPUnit on core flows | Manual QA | Rarely included |
| Small fixes | From $1,100, fixed scope | Higher minimums | Lowest hourly rate |
| Design and marketing | Separate web design service | Often bundled | Usually not offered |
| Support | 30 to 60 days included | Retainer usually required | Depends on availability |
| Code ownership | Your repository, day one | Check the contract | Ask for repository access |
DeveloperLook
Generic agency
- Laravel depth
- DeveloperLook: Laravel's own tools firstGeneric agency: Varies by project
- Upgrades
- DeveloperLook: Planned every releaseGeneric agency: Often skipped
- Queues and jobs
- DeveloperLook: Horizon with alertsGeneric agency: Cron jobs common
- Testing
- DeveloperLook: Pest or PHPUnit on core flowsGeneric agency: Manual QA
- Small fixes
- DeveloperLook: From $1,100, fixed scopeGeneric agency: Higher minimums
- Design and marketing
- DeveloperLook: Separate web design serviceGeneric agency: Often bundled
- Support
- DeveloperLook: 30 to 60 days includedGeneric agency: Retainer usually required
- Code ownership
- DeveloperLook: Your repository, day oneGeneric agency: Check the contract
Projects We've Built
Web Apps and Admin Panels We Have Built
Ecommerce, e-learning, HR, and travel booking platforms from our portfolio, chosen for their admin panels and queued work, not as Laravel case studies.
Sefinix Furniture Ecommerce Store and Dashboard
- Furniture
- Dashboard
- E-commerce
Gradely E-Learning Website Design & Development
- Education
- Dashboard
- Membership Platform
Upsen HR Management App Design & Development
- HR & Staffing
- Dashboard
- Mobile App
HoliNest Travel Booking Website and Dashboard
- Travel
- Vacation Rental
- Booking System
What Our Clients Say
What Clients Say After Launch
Feedback from teams we have built web apps and admin tools for.
We had a pretty specific idea of what we wanted our website to become, but I wasn’t sure how easily we could explain all of it to a development team. There were quite a few moving parts, and we were working toward a deadline, so I expected a few things to get lost along the way. That never really happened. They understood what we were trying to achieve, kept us updated throughout the process, and got everything ready within the agreed timeline. The final site feels much easier to navigate, works beautifully on mobile, and is noticeably smoother for our customers. It was a huge relief seeing the original idea actually turn into the website we had in mind.
The mobile experience is probably my favourite part of the new site. We had spent a lot of time making sure the desktop version looked right, and the team kept pushing us to think about how everything would actually feel on a phone too. They were right. The navigation is clean, the interactions feel natural, and everything we’ve tested so far works exactly as it should. They also went through the links, forms, integrations, and other details more than once before launch, which I really appreciated. And even after going live, we could still reach out when something came up. The whole process felt friendly, organised, and surprisingly straightforward.
What I appreciate most is that the website is actually easy for us to manage now. We can update content ourselves instead of sending a developer a message every time we need to change something small. They also paid attention to the technical SEO side, which mattered to us because we didn’t want a new website to create problems for the traffic we already had. I’ve probably asked more questions than I should have since launch, but every question has been handled patiently and without any fuss. The team is easy to work with, they explain things clearly, and when we need something changed, they focus on getting it done rather than making the process complicated.
1,250+
Projects shipped
10+
Years of experience
Top 3%
Upwork Top Rated Plus
5 stars
Average review score
Want results like these?
Tell us what you are building. You get a reply within 24 hours on business days, then a written estimate.
Work Culture
Why Laravel Teams Trust Us With Their App
Laravel makes good habits easy and shortcuts tempting. These are the habits we keep on every Laravel project, so your app stays easy to upgrade.
First-party before third-party
We reach for Laravel's own packages before adding outside ones. Fewer dependencies mean yearly upgrades that take days, not weeks.
An upgrade note every year
When a new Laravel major version ships, you get a short note on what it changes for your app. Upgrades stay small because none get skipped.
Queries checked on every feature
New features get a query count check in Telescope before release. That's how slow pages get caught in review instead of by customers.
Failed jobs surfaced
Horizon shows every failed job, and alerts reach your team the same day. A missed invoice email doesn't wait for a customer complaint to be noticed.
Livewire or Inertia, honestly
We pick Livewire when your team writes PHP and Inertia when it writes React or Vue. The choice depends on who maintains the app, not on our habits.
Forge, Cloud, and code in your name
Your repository, Forge or Laravel Cloud account, and Stripe keys stay under your company. Changing developers later is a handover, not a rebuild.
Overview
How do Laravel development services keep an app fast and upgradable?
DeveloperLook provides Laravel development services for businesses whose app runs on Laravel or is about to. We upgrade apps to a supported release, fix slow queries, and build new modules with Livewire or Inertia, Horizon queues, and Sanctum APIs. Prices start at $1,100, upgrades take 1 to 2 weeks, new builds 4 to 14 weeks, and you own the code.
DEVELOPERLOOK
Project facts · Laravel Development Services
- Service
- Laravel Development Services (upgrades, modules, queues, APIs)
- Typical timeline
- 1 to 2 weeks to upgrade, 4 to 14 weeks for new modules or a new app
- Platforms
- Laravel Forge, Laravel Cloud, AWS, and DigitalOcean
- Built with
- Laravel, Livewire or Inertia, Horizon, Sanctum, Pest, and MySQL
- Experience
- 10+ years of development experience and 1,250+ shipped projects
- Post-launch support
- 30 days, or 60 days on the Custom Laravel Application plan
- Communication
- Calls in US, UK, and AU business hours
- Starting price
- From $1,100 USD, fixed scope after a free app review
Reviewed 8 Oct 2026 by Saimul Islam
Good fit
Apps a few Laravel versions behind
Your Laravel app is 2 or more major versions behind, and composer update fails every time someone tries it.
Companies adding Laravel capacity
You want to hire dedicated Laravel developers for a few months of feature work, with code reviews and a fixed scope each sprint.
Businesses comparing Laravel partners
You're comparing a Laravel development company with freelancers and want upgrades, tests, and a clear plan for next year's release.
Founders starting a Laravel SaaS
You're launching a SaaS on Laravel and need subscription billing, team accounts, and an admin panel built the Laravel way.
Agencies with Laravel clients
Your agency sold a Laravel build and needs a Laravel team that works under your brand and hands over clean, tested code.
Not a fit
Plain PHP or WordPress
Your code is plain PHP or WordPress, not Laravel. Our PHP Development Services page covers upgrades and features for those codebases.
Heavy data work
Your app is mostly data processing or machine learning. Our Python Development Services page fits that work better than Laravel does.
Budget under $1,100
Your budget is under $1,100, or a WordPress plugin already does what you need. If a plugin covers your case, we'll tell you before we quote.
Native mobile app only
You need a native iPhone or Android app rather than a web app. Our Mobile App Development Company page covers that, and Laravel can serve its API.
Not sure we're the right fit?
Book a free call or message us. We'll tell you honestly whether we're the right team.
Pricing
Transparent Starting Prices for Laravel Development Services
These are starting points in USD. Your final price depends on your Laravel version, the modules you need, and your hosting, and you get a fixed proposal after a free app review.
For one small Laravel app a few major versions behind. About 1 to 2 weeks.
$1,100one-time, USD
- Code, package, and query review
- Upgrade to a supported Laravel release
- Abandoned packages replaced
- N+1 and slow query fixes on key pages
- Pest or PHPUnit tests on core flows
- 30 days of fixes after handover
Recommended
For a working Laravel app that needs new modules and reliable queues. About 4 to 8 weeks.
$3,400one-time, USD
- Everything in Laravel Upgrade Sprint
- New module with Livewire or Inertia screens
- Queues with Horizon and failed-job alerts
- Sanctum API for a mobile or front-end app
- Admin panel with Filament or Nova
- 30 days of post-launch support
For a new Laravel SaaS or business app built from a starter kit. About 10 to 14 weeks.
$7,600one-time, USD
- Everything in Laravel Feature Build
- New app from a Laravel starter kit
- Subscription billing with Cashier and Stripe
- Live updates with Laravel Reverb
- Deploys on Forge or Laravel Cloud
- 60 days of post-launch support
For Agencies
White-Label Laravel Development for Agencies and Studios
You stay client-facing. We supply the Laravel engineering behind it: upgrades, Livewire or Inertia modules, queues, and APIs. Everything ships under your brand, with code in your client's repository and deploys on their Forge or Laravel Cloud account.
How the partnership works
White label: your client only ever sees your brand
- Your client
- You, the agency
- DeveloperLook
Share the app
Send the repository, the Laravel version, and your client's deadline.
- Client needs
- You share the details
- Details received
We plan and quote
You get an upgrade path and a fixed price you can resell.
- Scope and plan
- Proposal to resell
- Your quoteYOUR LOGO
Build and hand off
We build, test, and deploy to your client's Forge or Cloud account.
- Done by our team
- Your brand on it
- Handed to your clientDone
Partner with DeveloperLookDelivered under your brand
Stay client-facing
Your brand on every update, report, and handover.
Predictable delivery
Staging links and sprint demos your client can review every two weeks.
Senior Laravel engineers
Livewire, Inertia, Horizon, and Pest work from experienced developers.
Flexible capacity
One upgrade, one module, or a dedicated Laravel developer for months.
The Right Technology for Your Project
Technology Stack
Laravel and the first-party packages we rely on, the data and queue tools behind them, and a test and deploy setup that keeps upgrades routine.
Laravel
PHP- Livewire
- Inertia
- Alpine.js
MySQL
PostgreSQL- Redis
- Horizon
- Pest
- PHPUnit
- GitHub Actions
- Sentry
- Laravel Forge
AWS- DigitalOcean
Stripe
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Straight answers on Laravel costs and upgrades, hiring Laravel developers, mobile apps, and who owns the code.
Saimul IslamFounder & CEO, DeveloperLookStill have questions?
Send a message or book a call with the team.
Laravel itself is free and open source, so you pay only for development and hosting. Laravel development services at DeveloperLook start at $1,100 for an upgrade sprint on one small app. New modules with Horizon queues and a Sanctum API start at $3,400, and a custom Laravel SaaS with Cashier billing starts at $7,600.
A Laravel upgrade for one small app usually takes 1 to 2 weeks, even across several major versions. We move one version at a time and run the tests after each jump. Larger apps with custom packages or a homemade login take longer, and we confirm the time in your proposal after the free app review.
Laravel development is building web apps, APIs, and admin tools with Laravel, the open-source PHP framework created by Taylor Otwell. It gives developers routing, the Eloquent ORM, queues, authentication, and testing out of the box. That leaves more of your budget for actual features instead of plumbing.
Use Laravel when you want a mature PHP framework with the basics built in: authentication, queues, mail, and testing. First-party packages like Horizon, Sanctum, and Cashier cover common needs, so less code is homemade. Its yearly release cycle is predictable, and hosting stays affordable because it runs on PHP.
Hire Laravel developers by reviewing a real Laravel app they built, including its tests and queue setup. Ask how they'd upgrade an app 3 major versions behind and when they'd pick Livewire over Inertia. If you want to hire dedicated Laravel developers for months, ask who reviews their code and who covers holidays.
A Laravel developer is a PHP developer who specializes in the Laravel framework and its ecosystem. They build features with Eloquent models, controllers, and Livewire or Inertia screens, run queues with Horizon, and write tests in Pest or PHPUnit. Good ones also keep the app on a supported Laravel release.
Laravel is usually the backend for a mobile app, not the app itself. Tools like NativePHP can package Laravel apps for phones, but most mobile apps are written in Swift, Kotlin, Flutter, or React Native instead. That app then talks to a Laravel API secured with Sanctum, which handles accounts, payments, and push notification jobs.
Laravel doesn't publish an official user count, so any exact number you see is an estimate. What's clear is the size of its ecosystem. It's one of the most-starred PHP frameworks on GitHub, with its own Laracon conferences, learning sites like Laracasts, and thousands of packages. Finding Laravel developers later is rarely the hard part.
Laravel apps need a major upgrade about once a year, because a new major version ships each first quarter. According to Laravel's support policy, each release gets 18 months of bug fixes and 2 years of security fixes. Skipping one is fine, but skipping three leaves you exposed, so every handover includes an upgrade note.
You own all of it. The code lives in your GitHub or GitLab repository from the first commit, and Forge, Laravel Cloud, and Stripe accounts stay in your company's name. Paid packages like Nova are licensed to you, not to us. After the 30 or 60 day support window, you can keep us on or switch teams cleanly.
Saimul IslamFounder & CEO, DeveloperLookStill have questions?
Send a message or book a call with the team.
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