PyCharm Professional (Unified)
$0 (Personal/Hobby) / $99/yr (Commercial Individual)
PhpStorm 2025.3
$99.00/yr (1st year) - $59.00/yr (3rd year+)
Analysis
The industry's leading Python IDE, now unified into a single product. The late 2025 version features native MCP (Model Context Protocol) support for connecting AI agents like Claude or Cursor directly to the IDE's internal index. It includes world-class support for Django, Flask, and FastAPI, alongside a powerful Data Science suite. While it is more resource-heavy than VS Code, its built-in Jupyter Notebook support is now free for all users in the unified edition.
Analysis
The industry's most specialized IDE for PHP and web development. The December 2025 'v2025.3' update features full PHP 8.5 support, native Claude Agent integration, and built-in Laravel support (via bundled Laravel Idea). It excels at WordPress development, complex refactoring, and deep code analysis. While it remains a paid subscription (unlike WebStorm), its efficiency in handling massive frameworks and its robust Xdebug integration make it the standard for professional PHP teams.
The Breakdown
| Feature | PyCharm Professional (Unified) | PhpStorm 2025.3 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | IDE | IDE |
| Subscription Cost | $0 (Personal/Hobby) / $99/yr (Commercial Individual) | $99.00/yr (1st year) - $59.00/yr (3rd year+) |