Symfony vs Laravel: Deference, Cost and Features

Just like other business owners, if you are too confused about which framework to choose for application development, then this blog is just right for you.

In this blog, Symfony vs Laravel, we will make a detailed comparison of all the crucial aspects to help you make the right decision. Both these PHP frameworks are the first choice of developers when it comes to building secure, engaging, and user-friendly web solutions.

You might be wondering why it is important to choose the right frameworks for web development. The answer is quite simple and straightforward. The selection of the right framework decides the failure or success of your project.

Also, the competition around your business is expected to get fiercer, and you cannot afford to make any mistakes with your online presence. Thus, Symfony and Laravel – the two stars of PHP are the perfect choice, and we have to find the right one for you and your business.

So, let’s get started with the journey of finding the best web development frameworks.

What is Symfony?

Symfony is an open-source PHP framework and component library that is used to build web applications and APIs. It was developed by SensioLabs in 2005. It emphasizes modularity, reusable packages (called “bundles”), and strict adherence to best practices like MVC (Model-View-Controller), object-oriented design, and solid testing tools.

Symfony was carefully designed to scale well at the time of need. This PHP framework is easy to maintain, upgrade, and integrate with modern frontend tools and microservices.

There are numerous benefits to considering Symfony for web app development, and the numbers associated with Symfony’s use are also impressive. Globally, around 42,000 companies are using Symfony to support their online presence.

It holds roughly 2.9% of the backend framework market share and is present in about 0.3% of all websites around the world.

Along with the global usage, the number of Symfony developers is also handy. Across 120 countries, there are more than 60,000 developers who contribute to or work for Symfony. Also, there are hundreds of millions of components to download to speed up the development process.

Below are some famous brands that use Symfony:

• Spotify uses Symfony to manage its user accounts and authentication layers.
• Dailymotion powers its video streaming platform with Symfony, handling large traffic and complex content delivery.
• Trivago relies on Symfony for its hotel-search platform, especially for search, comparison, and user experience features.
• BlaBlaCar uses Symfony on both the front and back end of their website and apps.  
• Vogue (France and the Netherlands) uses Symfony for its media publishing platforms.

With all these benefits and impressive statistics on the web, Symfony is surely one of the best choices for web development.  It is not just a niche or legacy option. It remains a solid choice especially for large-scale or enterprise-grade applications that require reliability, maintainability, and performance.

What is Laravel?

Laravel is also an open-source PHP framework. It is designed and developed to simplify and accelerate web application development. It enforces good design practices like MVC architecture, ORM, expressive routing, caching, authentication, and more. Laravel allows developers to build prototypes fast and scale smoothly.

Just like Symfony, Laravel also has a great statistics and user base across the world. It is one of the most trusted and useful PHP frameworks that powers more than 1.5 million websites globally. More than tens of thousands of companies, some brands as well, trust Laravel for web development.

When it comes to custom web application development, more than 60% of developers decided to go with Laravel – making it way ahead of its archrivals. Among startup and tech-sector projects, around 40% have chosen Laravel for their development stack. The U.S., India, and Brazil are among the top countries in terms of Laravel usage.

Brands and Large Enterprises Using Laravel include:

1. Pfizer
2. BBC
3. Huawei Technologies
4. Renault SA
5. General Electric
6. Oi S.A

These businesses leverage Laravel for diverse use-cases—from customer-facing web apps to internal tools and high-traffic services.

Top Features of Symfony

Symfony is among the top-rated PHP frameworks. It is a perfect choice for a web solution that demands scalability, power, and security. Moreover, it is also the right choice for enterprise-grade solutions because of its flexibility and robust architecture.

List of Top Features of Symfony:

1. Modular Component System:
   
   Symfony is built on a collection of over 50 reusable and decoupled components like HttpFoundation, Console, Security, etc. These components can be used separately or together, which gives amazing flexibility and control at the time of development.
   
2. Bundles & Reusability:
   
   Symfony has bundles that allow developers to package and reuse features across different projects. It helps developers to save time and money while maintaining consistency.
   
3. High Performance and Scalability:
   
   Symfony is optimized for enterprise-grade applications. This is why it can easily handle complex business logic, heavy web traffic, and large databases with great speed and efficiency.
   
4. Twig Templating Engine:
   
   Symfony integrates with Twig. The latter is a fast, secure, and flexible templating engine. Twig allows Symfony developers to build clean and maintainable frontends.
   
5. Advanced Security:
   
   Symfony offers enterprise-level security. From role-based access control to powerful authorization mechanisms, Symfony ensures great protection from hacks and threats.
   
6. Built-in Testing:
   
   Symfony has strong support for unit testing and functional testing. It makes it easier for developers to build high-quality and bug-free applications.
   
7. Flexibility & Customization:
   
   Compared to other frameworks, Symfony gives developers the freedom to structure applications in their own ways. It makes it easy for developers to build apps that are a great fit for both small projects and highly customized enterprise-grade systems.
   
8. Long-Term Support (LTS) & Stability:
   
   Symfony ensures long-term support and upgrades for its released versions. This is the reason; it is the first choice of businesses that want to develop mission-critical applications that require long-term stability.
   
9. Thriving Community:
   
   The Symfony community is large and active. It has commercial backing from SensioLabs and thousands of bundles to power a web solution; thus, it ensures long-term growth and innovation.

Top Features of Laravel

Laravel is among the top-rated PHP frameworks for web development. It has earned this reputation by offering a feature set that simplifies development without compromising with performance, scalability, and security.

Laravel is one of the top-rated PHP frameworks for web development. It has a set of features that make it stand above the other frameworks offered in the market. These features simplify and speed up the web development process. Moreover, the web solution developed using Laravel is safe, secure, and highly scalable.

List of Top Features of Laravel in:

1. Elegant Syntax & MVC Architecture:
   
   Laravel has expressive and clean syntax combined with the MVC design pattern. This ensures easy code maintainability, clarity, and separation of concerns.
   
2. Eloquent ORM:
   
   Laravel has a powerful, built-in ORM that makes database interactions seamless and intuitive. It allows Laravel developers to work with databases using simple PHP syntax instead of complex SQL queries.
   
3. Blade Templating Engine:
   
   Laravel has a lightweight yet powerful templating engine. The latter allows developers to create dynamic, reusable, and visually appealing frontends with minimal effort.
   
4. Robust Security Features:
   
   Laravel has strong built-in security mechanisms such as CSRF, password hashing, and input validation to safeguard applications.
   
5. Built-in Authentication & Authorization:
   
   Laravel developers can easily implement secure user login, registration, and access control features without relying on third-party libraries.
   
6. Artisan CLI:
   
   Laravel’s command-line tool, Artisan, automates repetitive tasks such as migrations, seeding, and testing, boosting developer productivity.
   
7. Comprehensive Ecosystem & Tools:
   
   For end-to-end modern app development, Laravel has tools like Forge, Vapor, Nova, and Horizon. These tools ensure swift and convenient app development and deployment.
   
8. Active Community:
   
   There are more than millions of Laravel developers worldwide and thousands of open-source packages to support fast development. This Laravel community is very active and offers active support and continuous innovation.

These features collectively make Laravel an excellent choice for building enterprise-grade applications. It is also an ideal choice to develop SaaS products, APIs, and high-traffic platforms that require performance without compromising developer experience.

Difference Between Symfony and Laravel Frameworks

Sr. No	Feature / Aspect	Laravel	Symfony
1	Release Year	2011	2005
2	Architecture	Opinionated MVC framework with a full ecosystem (Forge, Nova, Vapor, etc.)	Component-based architecture allowing granular use of 50+ independent components
3	Learning Curve	Beginner-friendly; extensive tutorials, documentation, and community support	Steeper; requires deeper PHP knowledge and understanding of components
4	Templating Engine	Blade – lightweight, intuitive, and designed specifically for Laravel	Twig – fast, secure, and highly flexible templating engine
5	Database Handling	Eloquent ORM for simple, expressive database operations	Doctrine ORM for powerful, database-agnostic mapping and advanced database relationships
6	Customization & Flexibility	Less flexible due to opinionated structure but quick to build apps	Extremely flexible and customizable, ideal for complex enterprise solutions
7	Built-in Tools	Artisan CLI, Laravel Mix, built-in authentication, queues, caching, and RESTful routing	Symfony CLI, Flex, Debug Toolbar, Profiler, built-in testing tools, and reusable bundles
8	Performance & Scalability	Excellent for small to mid-sized apps; scales well with optimization	Excellent for high-traffic, enterprise-grade applications with complex workflows
9	Security	CSRF protection, encryption, hashed passwords, and easy-to-use authentication scaffolding	Advanced security component with role-based access control and robust authentication options
10	Ecosystem	Rich ecosystem with official tools (Forge, Vapor, Nova, Horizon, etc.)	Large library of reusable community and official bundles/components
11	Community & Support	Massive global community, frequent updates, strong third-party package availability	Strong but slightly smaller; backed by SensioLabs and long-term support (LTS) releases
12	Best Suited For	Rapid development of SaaS products, eCommerce sites, APIs, and startups	Enterprise-grade applications, complex business solutions, and highly customized platforms

If you look at the table closely and compare features, you will understand that Laravel is the best option if you need speed, simplicity, and rapid development. On the other hand, Symfony is best for complex and large-scale applications as it offers great flexibility and modularity.

So, in the debate of Symfony Vs Laravel, the winner depends on your project type, complexity, and business needs.

In case of confusion, you can also contact us for a free consultation. Based on your project requirements, we will suggest to you the most suitable framework for your next project. Most importantly, we offer 100% free consultation.

Symfony vs Laravel: Comparing Key Web Development Points

Just comparing the features of Laravel and Symphony won’t give you a clear idea about which PHP framework is the best for your next web development project. The feature comparison of both frameworks was to give you an idea about their strengths in certain aspects of development.

In order to help you make an informed decision, we will compare Laravel and Symfony in some crucial development points. These points will clearly help you decode the scenarios and pick the right PHP framework for your business web solution.

So, here are the real-time scenarios to help you understand which framework is the best option for your next web project.

Symfony vs Laravel Performance Comparison:

Laravel: If your idea is to develop a small or medium-sized business application, then Laravel is the perfect fit. Tools like caching, queues, and database optimization are ideal for handling high web traffic.

However, if your business involves certain layers with more complexity, Laravel developers must add a few more layers of optimization to maintain high performance.

Symfony: If your idea is to develop an enterprise-grade web solution, then go for Symfony. It can handle high traffic and complex business logics. Moreover, its modular architecture ensures that your web solutions are stable and efficient even during heavy workloads.

Laravel vs Symfony for Enterprise Applications:

Laravel: If you want to develop an enterprise-grade solution using Laravel, then it is also possible. But for that, you have to pair Laravel with tools like Forge or Vapor.

It is still suitable for mid-sized businesses and startups that want a high-performing web solution at a low cost. For a more complex enterprise-level web solution, you will need more customization and tools.

Symfony: It is the PHP framework that is the perfect choice for enterprise application development. It offers scalability, modular components, and long-term support versions. Most of the organizations choose Symfony to develop complex and mission-critical applications.

Laravel vs Symfony for eCommerce Websites:

Laravel: Yes, Laravel is the first choice for eCommerce website development. It has packages like Bagisto and Aimeos that support and simplify eCommerce development.

Laravel is the perfect option for small and medium-sized eCommerce businesses looking for a quick and affordable solution with a faster time to market.

Symfony: Symfony is also the best option for eCommerce website development, but for large and complex eCommerce solutions. To support complex eCommerce development, it has multi-vendor marketplaces or international stores.

Its flexibility and ability to integrate with third-party systems make it a perfect framework for handling global operations.

Symfony vs Laravel Security Features:

Laravel: Laravel offers robust security features, including CSRF protection, encrypted passwords, and easy authentication scaffolding. This set of security features assists Laravel developers in building a business application that is highly secure and safe.

Symfony: Symfony also has great security features. For enterprise-level app security, it has role-based access control, strong authentication and authorization systems, and customizable firewalls. For web applications where data security is important, it offers fine-grained control to developers.

Symfony vs Laravel Speed Comparison:

Laravel: If you want to build a web application faster, then Laravel is the perfect option. It has built-in tools, solutions, and a strong ecosystem to support rapid prototyping. It is the first choice for MVPs and SaaS platforms where time to market is critical.

Symfony: Compared to Laravel, Symfony may feel a little heavier during the initial development phase. It is because it requires more configuration time. But once it is configured, it is ready for high performance.

It is the best framework for complex projects where you need more stability and high performance, even during high loads.

Symfony vs Laravel Developer Community Support:

Laravel: Laravel has one of the most vibrant PHP communities. There are thousands of tutorials, packages, and forums to help and guide you during Laravel development.

Moreover, this active community also releases updates periodically to help you keep your system up-to-date and secure. Along with the community, some third-party contributors constantly provide solutions and modern tools to support developers.

Symfony: Compared to Laravel, Symfony has a smaller community. It has the backbone of a highly professional community called SensioLabs.

This community offers structured documentation, commercial support, and reliability. It is the reason why Symfony is the first choice for enterprise-grade app development.

Laravel vs Symfony Learning Curve:

Laravel: Laravel has a developer-friendly design and easy-to-follow documentation that makes it easy to learn and implement.

New developers can easily learn and start working on the project, thereby increasing the productivity of any team. Due to easy-to-learn curves, it is popular among teams with mixed levels of expertise.

Symfony: Due to advanced PHP principles, Symfony is a bit complicated to learn and implement. For a new developer, it might take some time to learn and implement the project.

It is the best PHP framework for experienced developers who want complete control over app design and architecture.

Symfony vs Laravel: Which is Better for Web Development

As said earlier, the choice of framework totally depends on the type of project, its complexities, business goals, and many other factors. But even after the close comparison between Symfony and Laravel, if you are still confused between which is better for web development then let’s dig a bit more.

If you need a web application with speed, simplicity, and rapid prototyping, then Laravel is the best option. Moreover, its clear syntax, beginner-friendly learning curve, and a rich ecosystem make it the most preferred framework.

Additionally, development tools like Forge, Nova, and Vapor make web development easy and faster for developers. Laravel is the right choice for startups, SaaS products, eCommerce solutions, and API-driven applications.

So, if you want to build an app in less time with all the features, then Laravel is the best PHP framework.

On the other hand, Symfony is the best for the development of enterprise grade web apps. If you want to develop an app that is complex, mission-critical, requires high flexibility, and long-term stability, then choose Symfony.

Its modular architecture, reusable components, and powerful security features make it an ideal framework for corporations and large organizations.

So, if you have a question “Which PHP framework is best for large projects” that can handle large-scale systems, multi-vendor platforms, and heavy load, then Symfony is your go to PHP framework.

There is no one-size-fits-all winner. If you want to launch a product fast with an easy learning curve, Laravel is the practical choice. But if your focus is on building highly customized, large-scale, and future-proof applications, Symfony proves to be the stronger contender.

Comparision Of Laravel vs Symfony

Sr. No	Aspect	Laravel	Symfony
1	Websites using framework	Around 2.5M + websites using Laravel according to BuiltWith and similar services.	About 110,000+ websites actively use Symfony.
2	GitHub Stars / Popularity	79,000+ stars for Laravel repository.	30,000-30-40,000 stars for Symfony
3	Active Contributors / Developers	Laravel has 2,576+ contributors in its core / major repos. Also huge community presence.	Symfony has 2,394+ contributors (core/main repos) and over 600,000 developers spread globally who use Symfony components.
4	Market share among PHP frameworks	Approx 35-37% market share among PHP frameworks.	Somewhere around ≈15% (depends on source) for Symfony.
5	Number of Packages / Plugins / Ecosystem Size	Very large ecosystem: Laravel’s packages on Packagist number tens of thousands; many third-party tools (Nova, Forge, Vapor, etc.).	Symfony has 50+ reusable standalone components; lots of bundles & components; used in many major projects (Drupal, etc.). But fewer “Laravel-style” packages.
6	Developer Community / Support	Very active, large global community, many tutorials, resources, questions on StackOverflow. Laravel often edges ahead in popularity.	Strong, especially in Europe; enterprise-oriented; many Symfony components used beyond just “Symfony projects” (in other frameworks, CMSs). Good documentation & long-term support.

Pros and Cons of Symfony vs Laravel

If we are discussing the advantages of Symfony and Laravel—their features, use cases, and much more—then we must also consider the pros and cons of these top-rated PHP frameworks. The limitations of these frameworks must also be explained to businesses.

Pros and cons of Symfony and Laravel:  

Sr. No	Aspect	Laravel	Symfony
1	Pros	✅ Elegant syntax & easy learning curve ✅ Huge community & ecosystem ✅ Rich built-in features like Blade, Eloquent ORM, queues	✅ Highly flexible & modular ✅ Excellent for large-scale, enterprise apps ✅ Strong long-term stability & backward compatibility
2	Cons	❌ Can be slower for very large enterprise apps ❌ Heavy reliance on Laravel ecosystem ❌ Frequent updates may cause version conflicts	❌ Steeper learning curve ❌ Smaller community compared to Laravel ❌ Development can be slower due to complexity
3	Best For	Startups, SMEs, and teams that need rapid development, MVPs, and cost-effective solutions	Enterprises, complex projects, and applications that require scalability, customization, and long-term stability

The comparison table above shows the Pros and Cons of Symfony and Laravel. If you still have any questions or doubts, you can call our teams of Laravel and Symfony developers over a free consultation call.

Cost of Developing Web Apps with Symfony vs Laravel

Symfony and Laravel are both open-source PHP frameworks. It means you don’t have to pay anything. However, the overall web development cost depends on factors, including project complexity, developer rates, required integrations, and long-term maintenance.

So, to give you a rough idea, here is the frame-wise development cost breakdown:

Laravel Web Development Cost:   

Laravel is considered as a budget-friendly PHP framework. Its simple learning curve, ready-to-use packages, and rapid development features makes it a cost-effective platform. This means, developers can develop small and medium-sized projects faster at lower costs.

The average cost of Laravel Development is:

1. Freelance Laravel developers may charge between $20–$60 per hour.
2. A mid-sized Laravel project can range from $10,000 to $50,000.
3. A larger enterprise-grade solution may go higher than $70,000.

Laravel is the first choice of startups and SMEs as it keeps costs under control without compromising on performance.

Symfony Web Development Cost:

As Laravel is more focused on small and mid-sized projects, Symfony is mostly used for enterprise-level web solutions. Thus, the overall development cost of Symfony is higher than that of Laravel. Symfony is built for large-scale and complex web solutions; therefore, you will need a team of experienced Symfony developers.

The average cost of Symfony Development is:

1. Symfony developers may charge between $30–$100 per hour.
2. A complex Symfony project can range from $25,000 to $100,000+.

So, the question still remains answered – which framework is cost-effective? And the answer is:

Laravel is more cost-effective for MVPs, eCommerce websites, and small-to-medium web apps.

Symfony is better value for enterprises where scalability, long-term maintenance, and robust security are more important than initial cost savings.

Conclusion

What’s best for your next project depends on factors, including business objectives, budget, time to market, and features required. Laravel is a cost-effective PHP framework, whereas Symfony is good for complex projects. Laravel is the best option for startups and mid-sized businesses, whereas Symfony is the right choice for enterprise-grade solutions.

If you look at the app development cost and community support, both these PHP frameworks go neck to neck. They both have their own strengths and weaknesses. So, what matters most is the business objectives, user needs, and growth strategy.

At Albiorix Technology, we specialize in delivering custom Symfony and Laravel development services to businesses globally. We design and develop tailored solutions for every industry that suit their goals and budget.

Whether you are a startup or an enterprise, our team of experienced developers can turn your vision into reality. From rapid MVP development to complex solutions, you will find all the services under one roof – Albiorix Technology.

If you are ready to build your next web application with Symfony or Laravel, contact us today. We will discuss your project requirements and create a high-performing digital solution that drives growth and success for your business.