Local web server
Apache, Nginx, PHP, MySQL and more start in seconds — local domains and real HTTPS included, with no hand-editing of config files.
Local web server & Mac setup for developers
Your local web server — and the starting point for your whole Mac.
Apache, Nginx, PHP, MySQL and real HTTPS in one calm macOS app. Install your editors, database tools, terminals and AI CLIs alongside — and reach your servers over SSH/SFTP too. A fresh Mac needs nothing else.
Why WebDonkey
A genuinely useful local web server — plus remote access, notes and everything that gets your Mac ready to code.
Everything from one app
Install editors, database tools, terminals, browsers and AI CLIs straight from WebDonkey. New Mac? One app is all you need to be ready.
Toolbox built in
JSON viewer, regex tester (JS & PCRE), diff, colour tool with a screen picker, icon browser, code sandboxes for PHP/Node/SQL and an HTML builder for Bootstrap & Tailwind — all local, all free.
Widgets & dashboard
16 macOS widgets put services, sites, monitoring and more right on your desktop — and inside the app you build your own tile dashboard via drag & drop.
Remote over SSH/SFTP
Connect to your servers over SSH — an integrated terminal and a full SFTP file manager with drag & drop, right inside WebDonkey.
Notes built in
An Obsidian-compatible Markdown editor on board: your notes with live preview, right next to your dev environment.
Monitoring for freelancers
Keep client sites in view: uptime, SSL and domain expiry, Lighthouse scores and SEO audits with JSON-LD checks — entirely local, from your Mac.
HTTPS out of the box
Trusted local certificates and a front proxy for real https domains — just like production.
Local & private
Everything runs on your Mac. No mandatory cloud, no telemetry, full control — and verifiable in the terminal anytime.
In tune with Homebrew
WebDonkey works hand in hand with Homebrew — the package manager most Mac developers already know and trust. Services and tools come from open, traceable sources rather than a black box: safe, transparent, and verifiable in the terminal at any time.
Free or Premium
Free isn't a demo — it's a full local web server. Premium is for everyone who wants more comfort and no limits.
Free
€0.00
A genuinely usable local web server — free forever.
- Unlimited local sites with their own domains
- Up to 6 services running at once (PHP, MySQL, Nginx, Apache …)
- Local HTTPS for up to 3 sites at a time
- Install apps, database tools, terminals & AI CLIs for your Mac
- Multiple PHP/Node versions, terminal shims & all stable updates
- 3 scheduled tasks (cron jobs) free — run commands on a schedule
- API client for HTTP requests with tests (assertions) — free
- DDEV & Docker integrated: projects and containers right next to your sites — start, open, container terminal
- The full toolbox for free: JSON, regex, diff, colours, icons, code sandboxes & HTML builder
- Monitor (1 project, 3 targets) and subscription overview (6 entries) — full feature set
- Local AI: chat with language models via Ollama — models matched to your hardware, everything on your Mac
Premium
€7.99 / month
For pros and teams who want no limits and every comfort.
- All services at once — no 6-service limit
- Unlimited local HTTPS — no 3-site limit
- Mail, database & log views built right into the app
- Remote over SSH/SFTP: terminal & file manager for your servers
- Obsidian-compatible notes & ready-made project packs (Laravel, WordPress …)
- Live-tail your own logs, global php.ini & floating-seat licence
- Scheduled project backups: back up & restore folders and databases
- Unlimited scheduled tasks (cron jobs) instead of just 3 on Free
- API client: saved requests, collections, environments & history
- Monitor: watch client sites — uptime, SSL & domain expiry, Lighthouse and SEO audits with JSON-LD checks, all local
- Monitor & subscription tracking without limits: unlimited projects, targets and subscriptions
- AI specialists: reusable experts with instructions and file context — usable right inside your chats
Frequently asked questions
What exactly is WebDonkey?
WebDonkey is a native macOS app with two jobs: it runs your local web server environment (Apache, Nginx, PHP, MySQL, local domains, real HTTPS) — and it sets your Mac up for coding, letting you install editors, database tools, terminals and AI CLIs straight from the app. On a fresh Mac you need nothing else to get started.
What's free, and what do I need Premium for?
Free is a full local web server: unlimited sites, up to 6 services at once, HTTPS for up to 3 sites, and installing every app and CLI. Premium lifts the limits (all services at once, unlimited HTTPS) and adds comfort like embedded mail/DB/log views, the global php.ini and ready-made project packs.
How does the Premium licence work?
Premium is a subscription with a floating-seat licence: your key appears in your account after purchase and is activated in the app under Settings → Licence. One seat, any number of Macs — the licence is active wherever you're working. Free keeps getting all stable updates.
Can I connect to remote servers with WebDonkey?
Yes. Premium adds a full remote workspace: SSH connections with an embedded terminal and an SFTP file manager with drag & drop between local and server, multiple tabs and a built-in editor. Credentials are stored encrypted on your machine. There’s also an Obsidian-compatible notes editor — all right inside the app.
Can I back up my projects automatically?
Yes. Premium adds a full backup workspace: assemble backup sets from folders and databases, group them into categories, and run them manually or on a schedule (hourly, daily, weekly). Missed runs are caught up on the next start. You decide how many states to keep, can back up incrementally, and can write to a custom folder — e.g. an external drive. Restoring works per folder and database, always asking before anything is overwritten.
Can I run commands automatically on a schedule?
Yes. WebDonkey has a cron workspace with a UI: create scheduled tasks that run any shell command on a standard cron expression (e.g. php artisan schedule:run, a queue worker, or a database export). Pick the working directory, output and exit code are captured, and missed runs are caught up on start. Three tasks are free; Premium makes them unlimited.
Is there an API client like Postman?
Yes. WebDonkey has a built-in API client: HTTP requests of any method with headers, query params, body (JSON/form) and auth (bearer/basic/api-key), plus a response view with status, timing, headers and a formatted body. You can define tests/assertions on the response (status code, response time, body contains, JSON path). Sending requests and running tests is free; saving into collections, environment variables and history are Premium. It runs in the backend — no CORS issues, and it reaches your local dev servers directly (including self-signed HTTPS).
Which developer tools are built in?
A whole toolbox — for free: a JSON viewer with conversions (CSV, YAML, PHP, TypeScript), a regex tester in JS and PCRE flavours, file diff, a colour tool with screen picker and WCAG contrast, an icon browser with 200,000+ open-source icons including plain-language licence guidance, code sandboxes for HTML/CSS/JS, PHP (using the same php.ini as your sites), Node and SQL, plus an HTML builder for Bootstrap and Tailwind. On top: manage shell aliases, SSH keys and host shortcuts through a proper UI.
Can I cancel or withdraw?
Yes. The subscription can be cancelled monthly, and the statutory right of withdrawal applies — details are in our cancellation policy in the footer.
Ready to get your Mac coding-ready in minutes?
Start free with the full local web server — and grab Premium when you want the limits gone. Cancel monthly.