# Laravel vs Node.js for web application development > Laravel is a full-featured PHP framework with authentication, queues, admin tooling and database tools built in, which makes business applications, SaaS products and portals fast to build. Node.js runs JavaScript on the server and excels at real-time features, streaming and teams using JavaScript across front and back end. Choose Laravel for feature-rich business apps; choose Node.js for real-time and event-heavy systems. Both power large production systems. Laravel gives you more out of the box; Node.js shines for real-time features and JavaScript everywhere. - **Laravel:** PHP, batteries included, fast to build - **Node.js:** JavaScript, event-driven, real-time - **Both:** Mature, scalable, widely hired - **Our view:** Pick by product type and team - **Laravel:** You are building a business application, SaaS, portal or e-commerce back end and want conventions, built-in features and quick delivery. - **Node.js:** Your product is real-time (chat, live tracking, collaboration), your team is JavaScript-first, or you need lightweight services and streaming. ## Comparison | Factor | Laravel | Node.js | |---|---|---| | Language | PHP | JavaScript or TypeScript | | Type | Full framework with conventions | Runtime; frameworks such as Express, NestJS or Fastify on top | | Built in | Auth, queues, scheduling, mail, ORM, migrations, admin options | Assembled from packages or a framework such as NestJS | | Real-time | Supported through Laravel Reverb or broadcasting services | Native strength with WebSockets | | Performance | Fast for typical web workloads; Octane for higher throughput | Excellent for many concurrent connections and I/O | | Hosting | Inexpensive and widely available | Widely available; containers or serverless common | | Hiring | Large PHP and Laravel talent pool | Very large JavaScript talent pool | | Best fit | SaaS, portals, CRMs, ERPs, e-commerce back ends | Real-time apps, APIs for JavaScript front ends, streaming | ## Can you use both? Yes, and many products do: a Laravel core for business logic and admin, with a small Node.js service for real-time features. Keep it simple at the start, though: one well-structured application is cheaper to build and run than several services. See [monolith vs microservices](https://infikeytechnologies.com/compare/monolith-vs-microservices). ## Cost For the same scope, cost differences come mostly from how much the framework provides. Laravel often needs less custom setup for standard business features; Node.js can be more efficient for real-time features. Estimate your project with the [custom software cost calculator](https://infikeytechnologies.com/tools/custom-software-cost-calculator). ## Frequently asked questions ### Is PHP outdated? No. Modern PHP is fast and typed, and Laravel is one of the most productive web frameworks available. A large share of the web still runs on PHP. ### Which scales better? Both scale to large workloads. Scale problems usually come from database design, caching and architecture rather than the language. ### What does Infikey use? We build with both. We often choose Laravel for business applications and SaaS, and Node.js for real-time features or when a client’s team is JavaScript-first. ## Related guides - [Monolith vs microservices: which architecture should you choose?](https://infikeytechnologies.com/compare/monolith-vs-microservices): A monolith is one application deployed as a single unit: simpler to build, test and run, and the right start for most products and small tea... - [React vs Angular vs Vue: choosing a front-end framework](https://infikeytechnologies.com/compare/react-vs-angular-vs-vue): React is a flexible UI library with the largest ecosystem and hiring pool, and Next.js adds server rendering for SEO. 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