Localhost Web Server & PHP

Run PHP, SQLite and a database console on localhost. A web server for Android that stays running — host a website, collect files, catch webhooks, and keep serving while you switch apps or lock the screen.

HostPilot turns your phone or tablet into a real server. Pick what you want to run, start it, scan the QR code on another device, and it is live on your network.

A SERVER THAT KEEPS RUNNING

HostPilot runs under an Android foreground service with a persistent notification, so serving continues while you use other apps or the screen is off. A guided reliability checklist walks you through the battery settings that matter on your device, and a live uptime counter shows how long it has been up. The reliability core is in the free tier — it is the whole point of the app.

PHP AND SQL, ON YOUR DEVICE

• A PHP server on your device — PHP 8.4 runs your .php files, no laptop and no network needed

• SQLite databases stored on the device, created for you on first run

• A visual SQL database console in the browser: run queries, browse tables, edit rows, import and export

• Connect out to MySQL or MariaDB with the built-in client

• Ready-made starters: a JSON REST API and a shareable guestbook, both backed by SQLite

FIVE THINGS IT CAN BE

• Web server — host a website from a folder: HTML, CSS, JavaScript, images, video

• File Drop — a WiFi file server: share a link and collect files from anyone on your network, straight to your phone

• Request Inspector — point a webhook or form at your phone and watch every request arrive live

• PHP app — run real PHP with a database behind it

• Database console — browse and query SQL from any browser on your Wi-Fi

BUILT IN EDITOR

Edit the files you are serving without leaving the app: syntax highlighting for HTML, CSS, JavaScript, PHP, SQL, JSON, YAML and Markdown, with undo/redo, find and replace, and version history so a save is never final. Large files open in a paged viewer that loads a page at a time instead of the whole file.

DEVELOPER TOOLS

• Live access log — every request with method, path, status code and client IP

• Static site server extras: CORS headers, SPA fallback, custom 404, gzip, cache control, and live reload on file change

• A standards-correct HTTP server: range requests for video, correct MIME types, HEAD support, UTF-8 file names

• Run it localhost-only or as a LAN server, with a directory listing toggle and a QR code of your URL

PRIVATE BY DESIGN

HostPilot asks only for the folders you choose — scoped storage, not the all-files permission. No cloud, no account, nothing uploaded to us. Your files and databases stay on your device and are served over your own network, only while the server is on.

WHO IT IS FOR

• Web developers previewing a build on a real phone or sharing it over Wi-Fi

• PHP and SQL learners who want a server and a database without a laptop

• Anyone collecting files from friends, clients or students through a link

• Makers hosting dashboards, docs or an API from a spare Android device

FREE WITH OPTIONAL PRO UPGRADE

The free tier includes the full reliability core — foreground service, uptime counter, QR sharing, live access log, the editor, File Drop and the Request Inspector — and shows ads to support development. Pro removes ads and unlocks the database console beyond its free runs, your full inbox history, password protection, browser upload, custom port and network mode, and unlimited sites. Pro is a subscription or a one-time lifetime purchase — your choice.

LANGUAGES

UI in 26 languages including English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, German, Italian, Dutch, Polish, Czech, Slovak, Romanian, Greek, Russian, Ukrainian, Hindi, Bengali, Urdu, Arabic, Somali, Indonesian, Vietnamese, Thai, Turkish, Chinese (Simplified), Japanese and Korean.

Built by the Cosmovex team.