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For many, PHP is the lifeblood of web development.
It may be a general-purpose scripting language, but it powers WordPress, Drupal, Magento, and more; not to mention the thousands of individual PHP scripts available. If you've got a problem that needs an online solution, more than likely, you can solve it by creating a PHP script—or downloading something already built.
PHP is clearly suited for web development. Take these top 20 most popular PHP scripts available on Envato Market, for example:
1. Simple PHP Contact Form
The Simple PHP Contact Form is exactly that.
Simple.
And it does "simple" very well. It includes only the basic contact form essentials:
easy integration into your existing PHP page
adheres to your existing website Stylesheet
a validation script
anti-spam filters
message sent completion message
and a few other bits you’d expect in a simple contact form
The Simple PHP Contact Form has all the essentials you need. This is why it has made itself into many developer toolboxes as a "go-to" simple contact form.
2. Booking System
Booking System, aka BookingWizz, is a wiz at managing reservations for any website offering services, lessons, and event reservations.
Packed with plenty of power, this easy-to-set-up booking script has a clean design and is fully responsive.
Called the "'Swiss Knife' of Booking Software," you can easily see why:
You can book multiple events and services.
Users can print their details to PDF.
Organizers can keep an eye on things with the Admin Dashboard.
Schedule single-day services, multi-day services, and events.
You can even book phone customers by using the manual booking option!
This barely scratches the surface of what it can do. When you begin to expand into the Booking System add-ons, you'll even find more power, like notifying clients using SMS with 10 SMS gateways.
Impressive.
3. PHP Login & User Management
There's no need to use an entire CMS to handle user logins and have private pages that can only be viewed by logged-in visitors to your website.
This can easily be done by leveraging PHP Login & User Management, a MySQL-powered website PHP login script. You can even change User Levels using the built-in Control Panel when you need different levels of page security.
This script includes:
captcha integration
profiles
social media login support
login expiration
lost password activation code email
welcome and activation emails
as well as many control panel features for Admin
With the installation wizard and the HTML5 Twitter Bootstrap design, you'll be up and running with solid PHP Login & User Management in no time.
4. Ultimate Client Manager - CRM - Pro Edition
If you're needing a CRM for your business or maybe you're wanting to up your freelance project management, instead of adding another monthly fee to your expenses, why not host your own customer and project management system?
More specifically, the Ultimate Client Manager - CRM - Pro Edition.
UCM Pro really does pack an impressive punch of features. You can:
enjoy industry-standard PGP/RSA encrypted fields
email support tickets.
organize your leads, customers, projects, and invoices
have your customers log in and see their project status
enable subscription billing features to help organize and automate client billing
convert invoices into PDF documents
make multiple currency and tax rate adjustments
have customers and staff upload project files
This is only a fraction of the useful features you'll find. And while this CRM contender is robust enough to challenge many other subscription-based CRMs, it's the little things like being able to change your CRM theme that give the Ultimate Client Manager - CRM - Pro Edition that extra polish.
5. Freelance Cockpit 2 - Project Management
Freelance Cockpit 2 is a really nice project management system that fits the needs of the active freelancer.
Not only can you keep your projects organized and communicate with agents and clients, but you can also handle your expenses and billing!
You'll find the usual Gravatar support, the ability to customize your CSS, and helpful tools like recurring invoices and expense tracking. But you'll also find some nice gems in here—things like:
private messaging
PayPal subscriptions and IPN integration
database backup
user activity widget
client estimates and portal
project timer
more!
Throw in the nice graphs that show your business progress, and you'll wonder why you didn't start using Freelance Cockpit 2 - Project Management sooner.
6. xCRUD - Data Management System (PHP CRUD)
Get ready to save hours of time with only a few minutes of implementation with xCRUD (Create-Read-Update-Delete) - Data Management System.
This is a simple, yet powerful application for PHP and MySQL.
Features include, but are not limited to:
Bootstrap support
fast jQuery-powered AJAX interface
WordPress plugin for WordPress integration
easy integration with any script, framework, or CMS
simple and easy single-line syntax
multi-instance system for multiple xCRUD instances running on a single page with multiple tables at once
Simple. Powerful. xCRUD - Data Management System (PHP CRUD).
7. Newsletter System
You can easily send subscriber emails using this simple Newsletter System.
While this isn't bulging with features, it has everything you need to send professional newsletters to your database of subscribers.
Keeping it simple with all the right features.
Send emails and manage your subscribers with features like:
custom templates
double opt-in
open tracking
CSV import
And subscribers can subscribe through your website and unsubscribe themselves.
This Newsletter System is nice and simple.
8. Super Store Finder
Customers can easily find your store in style with Super Store Finder.
By fully integrating Google API V3 and using Geo IP to detect the user location, Super Store Finder allows your customers to find your location quickly and easily from their smartphones.
The Twitter Bootstrap powered design—complete with modal popups, tabs, alerts, and more—looks great from the desktop or smartphone. But it's the feature set of this PHP script that really catches your eye:
results sorted from nearest to furthest
use Google Street View
unlimited locations
bulk CSV import
autofill search field
multi-language support
users can request to add locations
multiple admins
add your own map markers
and much, much, more
This is a great way to leverage Google Maps into your website for both desktop and mobile users, and includes enough unique features to use Super Store Finder for more than your stereotypical use cases.
9. MailWizz - Email Marketing Application
There's no need to keep monkeying around with your email marketing.
If you're serious about having your own email marketing application, this is a great place to start. In fact, the MailWizz - Email Marketing Application is robust and feature rich enough for you to become an Email Service Provider for your customers!
Autoresponders? Check.
Restful API and Web Hooks? Double check.
Powerful theming system, customizable list forms, and customer backend? Triple check.
You'll have no problem sending tens of thousands of emails in just an hour, or importing and exporting subscriber lists, reports, and stats; not to mention enjoying IP location services, and best of all, unlimited lists and subscribers.
The MailWhizz - Email Marketing Application includes support for many delivery servers, including SMTP Amazon SES, Directory Pickup, PHP's mail, and Sendmail.
10. CMS Pro - Content Management System
A popular or powerful CMS has its place, but many small business websites simply don't need it. In fact, many of the options included in these Content Management Systems become a distraction.
CMS Pro - Content Management System, on the other hand, provides an intuitive, easy-to-use solution.
Small business owners can edit, manage, and change their website and enjoy features like:
database backup
responsive layout
SEO optimization
drag and drop plugin widgets
installation wizard
It also includes top-notch plugins:
jQuery Tabs
Poll
News Slider
Event Manager
Recent Twitts
And of course, more.
One CMS doesn't fit all, so CMS Pro - Content Management System may be just the fit you're looking for.
11. Freelance Manager
Attention freelancers, consultants, service professionals, and project managers: Freelance Manager is a simple, but powerful, client management solution.
Whether you're pulling this self-hosted solution up from your desktop browser or away from your desk on your mobile device, this responsive app is ready to help you get things done.
Easily create estimate forms, build forms, and assign support tickets. You can keep both your client projects and staff managed, and even make sure everyone is on the same page with the built-in messaging system.
File upload tool? Time-billing tool? Smart event calendar? Freelance Manager offers these features and more.
12. Premium URL Shortener
If you've used Bit.ly very much—especially if you're using a custom domain—you'll find there's a giant leap between their free and paid service. That makes something like Premium URL Shortener a "no-brainer".
This PHP URL shortener was built with performance in mind, and that's exactly what it does. Complete with a powerful dashboard, admin, geotargeting, and fully social-media ready, you'll not only enjoy using Premium URL Shortener, but maybe even take advantage of the new built-in membership system.
13. ThumbsUp
ThumbsUp isn't just a thumbs-up PHP voting script.
It's a thumbs-up or thumbs-down PHP voting script.
If you're running PHP5 with PDO and a database like MySQL, you'll be ready for a big thumbs-up. Use one of the included six templates and custom result formats, and keep your results accurate by adjusting your IP lifetime setting or the IP address blocking option.
Will you give it a ThumbsUp?
14. PHP Live Support Chat
Set up a live support chat system with PHP Live Support Chat. This PHP and SQL based solution brings real-time chat to your website.
(Yes, it also includes a high-quality emoticons set.)
On the customer/user side, PHP Live Support Chat offers:
a well-designed chat window
avatars and emoticons to keep communication clear
and mobile support
From the customer support side, you'll benefit from the:
chat logs
desktop notifications
prepared messages
and more!
PHP Live Support Chat is easy to install, supports multiple users at once, and has unlimited usage.
15. phpSFP - Schedule Facebook Posts
Use the phpSFP PHP script to schedule all your Facebook messages, ads, events, and updates.
It's as easy as that.
This can be used by one or multiple users. Features include, but are not limited to:
user level access
user time zones
retry posting limit
scheduled post preview
total clicks on scheduled posts
scheduled post status
much more!
Whether you're trying to save time by scheduling your Facebook messaging all at once or managing a social media team with multiple clients, phpSFP is worth a look.
16. phpDolphin - Social Network Platform
With the popularity of Facebook, many people have found themselves leaving the popular social network for smaller, niche online communities.
With the phpDolphin - Social Network Platform, you can host your very own social network.
Facebook users will find themselves right at home with:
likes
profile pages
news feed
groups
sharing
and much more
As Admin, you'll have full control to manage users, groups, and reports. You can even add phpDolphin plugins to extend your social network's features—Dislike Plugin, anyone?
phpDolphin is very robust, so don't let it's Facebook "cloned" design deter you from it.
17. Ninja Media Script - Viral Fun Media Sharing Site
Creating your own media sharing site has never been so easy—or looked this good!
The Ninja Media Script - Viral Fun Media Sharing Site delivers lots of features and solid design.
Built with Laravel 4, Bootstrap 3, Font Awesome 4, and more, this PHP script is easy to install, customizable, and fully responsive.
Users can log in and register with their email address, Facebook or Google, and then upload images and videos that can then be approved by a site admin or published directly.
Add a logo, use a watermark, choose your layout, you're dealing with a ninja.
Features include:
add pages
commenting
likes
NSFW functionality
translation ready
and more
Any YouTube, Vimeo, Vine, GIF, or JPG could go viral with the Ninja Media Script - Viral Fun Media Sharing Site PHP script.
18. FileGator
Copy, move, rename, edit, delete, and upload files online with FileGator.
Without using a database—or Flash—you can run this powerful PHP file manager and Ajax uploader.
Share, zip, and manage multiple files online with your own file manager.
With FileGator's fast and easy-to-use UI, you can:
use Google's URL shortener for email links
have multiple user and guest accounts
search files and folders
create archives with zip
unzip and decompress files online
and much more
Easy to install, easy to use, easy to download FileGator.
19. Stock Manager Advance with Point of Sale Module
You can update product stock, purchases, and sales with an Internet connection and Stock Manager Advance with Point of Sale Module.
Manage multiple warehouses, generate reports, and more.
Features:
works well with touch screens
print order and bill
supports Stripe and PayPal Pro
calendar and calculator
staff and customer notifications
and more
Manage your standard, combo, and digital products with Stock Manager Advance with Point of Sale Module.
20. Freelancer Office
Freelancers can keep their office just a window away with Freelancer Office.
Manage your time, projects, invoicing, and more, with this PHP script.
Communicate with your clients with email alerts when tickets are submitted, prepare estimates and invoices and send them as PDFs, and share project files.
Keep your projects organized in the well-designed dashboard, as well as:
send private messages to both clients and staff
take project notes
set up recurring invoicing
and more
Stay connected and organized with Freelancer Office.
Conclusion
You can clearly see how versatile PHP is—it can be used for anything from simple solutions to full social networks and project management.
On Envato Tuts+, you'll find all kinds of helpful resources to learn PHP, like PHP tutorials, code eBooks, and video code courses. I particularly enjoy the video code courses. They have beginner PHP courses, like Introduction to WordPress Plugin Development and PHP Fundamentals, or more advanced video courses such as PHP Object Oriented Programming Fundamentals and Go Further With WooCommerce Themes. No matter your learning style, you'll be sure to find helpful PHP code courses.
And if you're curious to know what other PHP scripts are out there, take a peek at what's on offer at Envato Market.
