1. Laravel Sanctum — Simple API Authentication
If you’re building a single-page app (SPA) or a REST API with Laravel, Sanctum is a game-changer for authentication.
With Sanctum, you get a simple, token-based authentication system that works perfectly for SPAs, mobile apps, or even traditional web apps that need secure API calls. It’s not bloated like some alternatives, and it integrates seamlessly with Laravel.
Why I Love It:
- It’s super simple to set up.
- Works great with SPAs and mobile apps.
- Secure and lightweight. No need for OAuth2 complexity unless you need it.
composer require laravel/sanctum2. Spatie Laravel Permissions — Role & Permission Management
Role and permission management is crucial for almost any app. Instead of rolling your own solution, just use Spatie’s Laravel Permissions package. It’s easy to use, flexible, and widely adopted in the Laravel community.
You can easily assign roles and permissions to users and manage access throughout your app. Plus, it integrates seamlessly with Laravel’s built-in authorization system.
Why I Love It:
- Super flexible for any role/permission structure.
- Allows for granular control over access.
- Clean integration with Laravel’s built-in gates/policies.
composer require spatie/laravel-permission3. Laravel Telescope — All-in-One Debugging Tool
Let’s face it: debugging can be a nightmare if you don’t have the right tools. But with Laravel Telescope, you’ll have all the debugging power you need at your fingertips.
Telescope gives you an in-depth view of your app’s requests, database queries, logs, and more. It’s like having a live monitor for your app, making it incredibly easy to troubleshoot and optimize.
Why I Love It:
- It shows all requests and database queries in real-time.
- Keeps an eye on logs, jobs, mail, and more.
- It’s a first-party package, meaning it’s maintained by the Laravel team itself.
composer require laravel/telescope
php artisan telescope:install4. Laravel Livewire — Build Dynamic UIs with PHP
JavaScript? Who needs it! 😎 Okay, that’s not entirely true, but if you’re looking to build dynamic UIs without writing a ton of JavaScript, Laravel Livewire is the package.
Livewire allows you to build reactive components with pure PHP — no JavaScript required! So if you’re comfortable with Laravel’s ecosystem and want to stay within the world of PHP, this is for you.
Why I Love It:
- Build interactive UIs using PHP (no JS required!).
- Tight integration with Laravel makes it easy to get started.
- Real-time updates without the overhead of a front-end framework.
composer require livewire/livewire5. Spatie Media Library — Manage Media Files Like a Pro
Managing media (images, videos, PDFs, etc.) can get pretty messy if you don’t have a system in place. That’s where Spatie Media Library comes in.
With this package, you can easily associate media files (like images and videos) with your Eloquent models. It even handles file conversions (resizing images, generating thumbnails, etc.).
Why I Love It:
- It simplifies media management and file storage.
- Handles media file conversions (resize, crop, etc.) automatically.
- Seamlessly integrates with Eloquent models.
composer require spatie/laravel-medialibrary6. Laravel Excel — Import/Export Data Like a Boss
When you’re dealing with lots of data, Laravel Excel is your best friend. It allows you to easily import and export Excel and CSV files without breaking a sweat.
Whether you’re building an admin panel that needs to export reports or just need to handle large datasets, this package does it all. It even handles large files without running into memory issues.
Why I Love It:
- Handles large files with ease.
- Simple to implement — just a few lines of code.
- Export/import Excel & CSV files with full control over the data.
composer require maatwebsite/excel7. Spatie Laravel Backup — Back It Up, Baby!
Backups are one of those things that you hope you never need, but you’re so thankful when you do. With Spatie Laravel Backup, you can easily automate backups for your app’s files and database.
The best part? It supports storing backups to services like S3, Dropbox, or even locally, so you’re covered no matter where you need to store them.
Why I Love It:
- Automatic backups for your app’s files and database.
- Stores backups locally or in cloud services like S3.
- Super easy to configure and set up.
composer require spatie/laravel-backupWrapping Up 🎁
So there you have it — 7 free Laravel packages you need to know about in 2025. These are the ones I’ve found to be the most useful, flexible, and well-supported for almost any Laravel project.
By integrating these packages into your workflow, you’ll save time and effort, allowing you to focus on what really matters: building cool stuff!