Both stacks ship real businesses every week here, so this is not a fan letter to either. It is the decision framework we actually use when a new project lands.
When Google Apps Script wins
- Zero hosting cost. The app runs on your own Google account. No server, no SSL renewals, no monthly bill.
- Your data stays in Sheets. The owner can always open the spreadsheet and see everything — a comfort no admin panel fully replaces.
- Google Workspace is the integration. Gmail, Drive, Calendar and Forms are a function call away, not an API contract.
- Fast to ship. A working system with login, roles and dashboards lands in days, not months.
When PHP + MySQL wins
- Scale. Tens of thousands of rows with indexed queries, joins and transactions — territory where a spreadsheet-as-database strains.
- Your own domain and server. Full control over hosting, backups, cron jobs and performance tuning.
- Heavier integrations. Payment gateways, WhatsApp APIs, webhooks and background jobs live more naturally on a server you control.
- Concurrent write load. Many users writing at once is what a real database engine is for.
The rule of thumb
Internal team tool, moderate data, Google-centric office → Apps Script. Customer-facing product, heavy data, payments, public traffic → PHP + MySQL. Plenty of businesses run one of each — and a well-built Apps Script system can be migrated to PHP later, because the thinking (roles, validation, audit logs, one source of truth) transfers even when the code does not.
Unsure which side your project falls on? Describe it in plain language — the quote will name the stack and the why.