When making and developing a WordPress website, any website developer worth their salt knows that you should use a WordPress development environment or a WordPress sandbox. It can be a completely clean WordPress website or a clone of the live website you’re currently making.
Whichever it is, it’s important because you work without affecting the actual website. That means you can try new things or make changes without fear.
And if you’re looking for a way to make such an environment, LocalWP by Flywheel is one of them. It’s free, has many features, and is generally easy to use. But is it enough for LocalWP to be a dependable local development environment? Certainly not!
What about its restricted development site preview? And, the data hacking horror that LocalWP users’ have faced in the past.
That’s why in this article, we’ll be looking at the best LocalWP alternative that developers can bank upon blindly in this 2025 and beyond. Prepare to make your development process even faster and more efficient!
Table of Contents
What is LocalWP?
LocalWP is a powerful tool that transforms your computer into a personal WordPress development environment. Imagine having a complete WordPress website setup right on your laptop, no internet required! It’s like having a mini web server dedicated to your projects. Originally for macOS, LocalWP now extends its convenience to Windows and Linux users.
Let’s say you’re a freelance web developer working on a new portfolio site. Normally, you’d need a web hosting service, a domain name, and an internet connection to build your WordPress site. With LocalWP, you can skip all that initial setup.
You install the software, create a new site with a chosen name, and LocalWP sets up a complete WordPress environment on your computer. You can then access your site through a local URL, install themes, write posts, and test changes instantly, all without needing an internet connection. Once your portfolio site is ready, you can export it and upload it to a live web host.
Is LocalWP Free?
Yes, LocalWP has been free since 2021 and this is why many WordPress developers lay their hands on this tool. Back then, Back then, LocalWP used to hide premium features behind a paywall. But in 2021, they announced that all their features would now be available for everyone to use.
They even offered refunds for those paying for their LocalWP subscription. What’s not to like about a free tool, right?
Why is LocalWP well-known for creating a WordPress development environment?
When you search for reviews, you’ll find that people on Capterra and Product Hunt are giving this WordPress local development environment app glowing reviews. It’s pretty popular among WordPress developers for the following reasons:
It’s easy to use
Whether you’re an experienced web developer or someone looking to explore using WordPress for the first time, LocalWP is a good choice. The steps in using it and creating a test website are pretty straightforward. Just follow the instructions, and you’ll be able to make one in no time.
You don’t need the Internet to use it
LocalWP is a WordPress local development environment. With it, you can seamlessly test your website or plugin without an internet connection. This feature is also great if you live in an area with poor Internet connectivity or plan to go somewhere off the grid for vacation, but still want to continue working.
And if you think about it, some browsers can consume plenty of RAM while being used. That means your computer might potentially be slowed down—and so will your development process. Let’s not forget to add that being online exposes you to a lot of distractions.
Being offline is helpful, especially if you’re working on a rush project.
You can test sites in an isolated environment
LocalWP’s “clone site” feature offers a powerful and secure method for testing and development. It allows you to create exact replicas of your live WordPress websites directly on your local computer. This isolated environment acts as a sandbox, preventing any changes or errors from impacting your production site.
LocalWP ensures cross-compatibility with flexible PHP environments
LocalWP empowers you to rigorously test your WordPress projects across a spectrum of PHP versions, a critical step in ensuring compatibility and stability. This feature is particularly valuable when introducing new features, themes, or plugins, as it allows you to anticipate and mitigate potential conflicts arising from PHP version differences.
LocalWP has plenty of valuable features
The team that developed LocalWP made sure to include a bunch of features that will make WordPress development more manageable, such as:
- Flexible Server Environments: With a single click, you can choose between Apache and NGINX and see if your WordPress site works in different server environments. You can also switch PHP versions.
- Shareable URLs: With their Live Links feature, you can easily share your work with clients and team members. You can also check your website on different devices to see if you have optimized your site for those devices.
- One-Click Admin: You don’t need to memorize usernames or passwords when developing WordPress sites. Local gives you a one-click login feature.
- Cloud Backups: You can connect your account to either Dropbox or Google Drive and then quickly back up all the data related to your project. If you need to work on your site on a different computer, just install LocalWP on that computer and download the files to resume your project.
- Local Connect: When you’re done developing your site, you can quickly push it to Live to either Flywheel or WP Engine in a very straightforward process.
Sounds interesting, right? But, hold on to your horses as LocalWP by Flywheel isn’t flawless. It has evident drawbacks, forcing developers to hunt for the best LocalWP alternatives. Let’s review those shortcomings of LocalWP.
The Drawbacks of LocalWP
Here are some things about LocalWP that can slow down your development process:
You are device-reliant
One problem with using LocalWP is that you need a computer that has it installed. If it so happens that you don’t have a computer that has it, you’ll have to download it and install it all over again. That already means a delay in your WordPress development workflow.
Furthermore, if your device doesn’t meet the required specifications to run LocalWP smoothly, it may not perform optimally, leading to plenty of delays and frustrations. Another possibility of delay is if your computer crashes due to malware or other issues. You might have to start over again if you don’t have online or offline backups.
If you haven’t backed up your work online, that would be one more problem since you won’t be able to work even if you put InstaWP on a different computer. And speaking of backups…
Backups are not automatic
You can start backing up files as soon as you link your cloud backup to your LocalWP account. However, do note that, for now, backups are not automatic. That means if you forget to back up your work and something happens to your work or your files, you’ll have to redo everything from scratch, which isn’t ideal if the project you’re working on is a rush job.
Live links have limitations
LocalWP’s live links mean sharing your progress with your clients and teammates is convenient. However, these live links are only meant for viewing. That means if you want your team to continue the work you started, you’ll have to back up your work online and get them to download it on their end.
In short, LocalWP is not really a good tool for remote teams.
Another issue with live links is that websites are displayed very slowly. It doesn’t make a good impression on clients. They might feel that the website you’re presenting them is poor quality.
Other apps can come into conflict with LocalWP
In the Kaspersky forum, there was a question about Kaspersky throttling the capabilities of LocalWP. And since it is an app on the computer, this can happen. Who knows what other apps will interfere with LocalWP?
Migrating the site can only be done with Flywheel or WP Engine
If you think about it, this makes sense. After all, LocalWP IS by Flywheel, which WPEngine acquired. However, what if you wanted to use a different host or if you already bought a subscription to one before using LocalWP?
Does that mean you’ll have to spend on another subscription just to get your website live?
While this problem can easily be solved via a plugin, it’s still an additional hassle on your end.
Developing locally is not the same as developing online
Developing your website offline may seem convenient, but it doesn’t accurately reflect real-life situations. Your computer has more power than an online server, so things that work fine locally might become buggy when your website is live.
All these limitations of LocalWP will stunt agency growth, forcing teams to struggle with collaboration, migration headaches, and backup nightmares—all while juggling multiple tools that barely work together. It’s like trying to build skyscrapers with a toolbox full of broken wrenches.
Now, imagine a better way to develop WordPress sites.
- Spin up WordPress sites instantly—no waiting, no local setup issues.
- Seamless backups & migrations—move sites effortlessly without breaking a sweat.
- Real-time collaboration—teamwork that actually works, with no more “it works on my machine” excuses.
- One-click staging & testing—no need for plugins, extra setups, or manual cloning.
- Remote management—control and deploy from anywhere, no local limitations.
This isn’t just an upgrade—it’s WordPress development, evolved. No more restrictions, no more bottlenecks—just pure, frictionless site-building at blazing speed. Wondering which LocalWP alternative offers this? Stay tuned.
The Best LocalWP Alternative: InstaWP
Agencies and developers looking to replace the hassles of local development that comes with LocalWP or with any other similar development tool need a cloud-based WordPress development platform where staging sites can be created through multiple means, clients can preview the demos easily, migration is a one-click job and teams are collaborating in real-time.
All this under one roof? Sounds too good to be true for many but not for InstaWP users. Unlike traditional local development setups, InstaWP eliminates friction and unlocks a powerful, cloud-based WordPress workflow.
With InstaWP, agencies can move beyond the limitations of local environments and step into a fast, scalable, and truly flexible ecosystem that adapts to their needs. Whether it’s spinning up a test site in seconds, pushing changes live with a single click, or managing multiple WordPress sites effortlessly, InstaWP ensures developers spend less time troubleshooting and more time innovating.
But when we talk about InstaWP as the best LocalWP alternative, we mean many other things.
What Makes InstaWP One of The Best LocalWP Alternatives?
Creating a WordPress staging environment using InstaWP gives you many advantages over LocalWP. Here are a few:
InstaWP can be accessed on any internet-ready device
You won’t be stuck at one computer when you create your staging environment on InstaWP. InstaWP is online, meaning no matter what computer or device you use, you can test and develop your WordPress site as long as there’s internet.
And speaking of development, since you will be making test sites online, the result of your development will be close to having a live site. You’ll get more realistic results than when developing offline.
Test websites are easily shared
The great thing about InstaWP sandboxes is that sharing them with your team and client is easy. On your InstaWP dashboard, go to the rightmost part of the name of your website, click the three dots, and then click View Creds.
The site’s details will appear, including the username and password. InstaWP makes them easily shareable with anyone.
Your team can start working on the same site without needing your computer.
You don’t have to worry about storage or backups
Backing up is easy with InstaWP. You don’t have to connect any third-party apps or worry about offline storage. Everything you do is backed up to InstaWP’s own server.
Also, while test sides expire after a certain period, that doesn’t mean your work will disappear. You can quickly restore them within the Dashboard when they expire:
And if you want your site never to expire, just reserve it in the Dashboard—it’s only available on paid plans, though.
You have more options in terms of migrating your site
While LocalWP only lets you take your site live via Flywheel or WP Engine, InstaWP lets you migrate your site via the following options:
- RunCloud
- Cloudways
- Pressable
- Server Avatar
If you’re subscribed to any of these, your subscription won’t be wasted. And, when it comes to hosting a site directly with InstaWP, you can go ahead with one of the best managed WordPress hosting solutions—InstaWP Live.
It’s InstaWP’s very own managed WordPress hosting that brings:
✅ Blazing-fast performance with a global CDN and optimized infrastructure
✅ Auto-scaling resources—every site gets dedicated CPU, RAM, and storage
✅ Automatic backups & security—no more worrying about data loss or downtime
✅ Seamless site migration—move from a staging environment to live in just a click
✅ One-click WordPress management—effortlessly handle updates, configurations, and monitoring
With InstaWP Live, hosting is not just about putting your site online—it’s about performance, reliability, and peace of mind. No shared resources, no sluggish servers, no unnecessary complexity—just premium, developer-friendly hosting that works flawlessly with your workflow.
LocalWP vs. InstaWP: Feature Comparison
Both LocalWP and InstaWP offer powerful tools for WordPress development and testing, but they cater to slightly different needs and workflows. LocalWP focuses on local development, providing a robust environment directly on your computer, while InstaWP emphasizes cloud-based staging and collaboration.
WordPress Development Environment
LocalWP: Local development environment; sites reside on your computer’s hard drive. Ideal for offline work and resource-intensive tasks.
InstaWP: Cloud-based staging environment; sites are hosted on InstaWP’s servers. Accessible from any device with the internet, facilitating team collaboration.
Accessibility
LocalWP: Requires a WordPress account; works offline. Provides a consistent local experience regardless of internet connectivity.
InstaWP: No WordPress account is needed for sandbox creation; an internet connection is required. Quickly create temporary sites for testing and demos.
Speed and Performance
LocalWP: Generally faster due to local processing. Reduces latency and speeds up development cycles.
InstaWP: Dependent on internet speed, but site creation is very fast. Offers rapid deployment for quick iterations and feedback.
Storage
LocalWP: Limited by your computer’s hard drive space. Suitable for projects with large media files or databases.
InstaWP: Storage is provided by InstaWP, freeing up your local space. Allows for testing without consuming local storage resources.
Site Creation and Cloning
LocalWP: Cloning templates and multiple site creation are possible. Enables the creation of standardized development environments.
InstaWP: Site creation is extremely fast; cloning sites is easy. Facilitates rapid prototyping and testing of variations.
Deployment and Migration
LocalWP: Backups via Google Drive/Dropbox; live links for easy viewing. Provides control over backups and easy sharing of local sites.
InstaWP: Easy push/pull; site migration across hosting providers. Simplifies the process of moving sites between environments.
Collaboration and Sharing
LocalWP: Live links facilitate sharing. Allows for quick previews and feedback from stakeholders.
InstaWP: Git integration; magic logins for easy access and sharing. Enhances team collaboration and simplifies access management.
Features and Tools
LocalWP: One-click admin; developer tools; free access to all features. Offers a comprehensive suite of tools for local WordPress development.
InstaWP: One-click login; developer tools; WordPress plugin; templates/boiler sites; some features behind a paywall. Provides a range of features tailored for cloud-based staging and collaboration.
Staging and Testing
LocalWP: Isolated local environments for safe testing. Ensures changes don’t affect live sites and allows for controlled testing.
InstaWP: Cloud-based staging for testing without affecting live sites. Provides a live-like environment for testing changes before deployment.
Support
LocalWP: Community support. Relies on community forums and resources for troubleshooting.
InstaWP: Easy access to support. Offers dedicated support channels for assistance.
This InstaWP vs. LocalWP table will make this comparison a bit more interesting.
| Feature | LocalWP | InstaWP |
|---|---|---|
| Environment | Local (Offline work) | Cloud-based (Team Collaboration) |
| Internet Required | No (Consistent local experience) | Yes (Rapid temporary sites) |
| Storage | Local Hard Drive (Large files) | InstaWP Servers (Freeing local space) |
| Site Creation Speed | Dependent on hardware (Standardized environments) | Very Fast (Rapid prototyping) |
| Cloning | Templates | Sites (Variations testing) |
| Migration | Backups (Google Drive/Dropbox) (Control over backups) | Push/Pull, Cross-Provider (Simplified movement) |
| Collaboration | Live Links (Quick previews) | Git/GitHub, Magic Logins (Easy access management) |
| Pricing | Free (Comprehensive tools) | Some Features Paid (Tailored features) |
| WordPress Account | Required (Consistent local experience) | Not Required (sandbox) (Quick temporary sites) |
| Developer Tools | Yes (Complete suite) | Yes (Range of tools) |
| Staging | Local Isolated (Controlled testing) | Cloud-based Staging (Live-like environment) |
| One-Click Login | Admin | Login |
| Plugin | No | Yes |
And guess what? InstaWP goes beyond just WordPress site development, migration, and hosting. It’s not just about spinning up sites—it’s about managing them effortlessly, too.
For agencies juggling multiple WordPress projects, InstaWP offers a powerful, centralized site management dashboard—something you won’t find anywhere in LocalWP by Flywheel. No more hopping between dashboards, no more manual updates, no more scattered workflows.
🖥 One dashboard, total control – Manage all your WordPress sites from a single interface.
⚡ Magic Login – Jump into any site without fumbling for credentials.
🔄 Bulk updates – Update plugins, themes, and core WordPress across multiple sites in one click.
🔍 Real-time monitoring – Keep an eye on site health, uptime, and performance stats effortlessly.
🛡 Security & vulnerability scanner – Get alerts on potential threats before they become a problem.
🔧 Remote debugging & maintenance – Make changes to your sites without logging into each one separately.
With InstaWP’s site management tools, agencies can work smarter, not harder—spending less time on tedious maintenance and more time on growing their business.
In short, with InstaWP as a LocalWP alternative, agencies can build, manage, and scale—all from a single, streamlined platform.
Conclusion
LocalWP has its place in the WordPress world for creating offline test sites, and sure, it has its fans. But let’s be real—modern WordPress development needs more than just a local setup. If you’re looking for speed, flexibility, and a workflow that actually works for you, InstaWP is the clear winner.
With this LocalWP alternative, you’re no longer draining your computer resources, enjoying automatic backups, testing, and building in an environment that mirrors live conditions, and seamlessly moving from development to deployment.
With InstaWP, you’re not just setting up test sites—you’re supercharging your entire WordPress workflow.
Sign up for free today and experience a faster, smarter, and more efficient way to build WordPress websites!
