Compare a real workflow, not a feature count.
Choose one task your users must finish and prepare identical sample data for every candidate. Include the setup effort, administration model, upgrade process and exit path. Shortlisting is an editorial judgment, not a claim that a product is the fastest or most secure.
A useful starting point
DDEV
DDEV: Container-based development environments shared across a team.
Lando
Lando: Configurable local development environments based on containers.
XAMPP
XAMPP: A local development bundle with Apache, PHP and database tools.
Laravel Herd
Laravel Herd: Native PHP development tools and local site management.
What to verify
For each candidate, inspect the official installation guide, supported environment and edition boundaries. Identify who will maintain the system and how you will recover it. Prefer the smallest option that meets the actual requirements; a paid product still needs backups, and an open-source product may require paid expertise.
