Where PHP versions stand today
| Version | Status (php.net) |
|---|---|
| PHP 5.6 | End of life 31 December 2018 |
| PHP 7.0 | End of life 10 January 2019 |
| PHP 7.4 | End of life 28 November 2022 |
| PHP 8.1 | End of life 31 December 2025 |
| PHP 8.2 | Security support until 31 December 2026 |
| PHP 8.4 | Security support until 31 December 2028 |
| PHP 8.5 | Security support until 31 December 2029 |
Sources: php.net, unsupported branches and supported versions, checked 5 October 2026.
An application on PHP 5 has had no security fixes from the PHP project for more than seven years. Upgrading to PHP 8.2 now would buy little over a year.
What published upgrade prices look like
| Application | One PHP or framework version |
|---|---|
| Smaller web app | About €6,000 |
| Larger SaaS product | About €24,000 |
Source: Accesto, How much does it cost to upgrade PHP? (published 11 November 2025, updated 13 January 2026). These figures are per version step. PHP 5 to PHP 8 crosses several, often alongside a framework that has also moved on.
What drives the cost
The same benchmark names test coverage “the most important part of upgrading”. The full set of drivers it lists:
| Driver | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Test coverage | Without tests, every change has to be checked by hand — or not at all |
| Framework age | An old framework may need its own upgrade, or replacing |
| Third-party dependencies | Libraries abandoned before PHP 7 need replacements |
| Code consistency | One pattern repeated is quick to fix; fifty patterns are not |
| Infrastructure readiness | Servers, hosting and deployment have to move with the code |
| Size of the jump | PHP 5 to 8 means several sets of breaking changes at once |
Upgrade in place, or modernize?
Sometimes a straight upgrade is right: the code is reasonable, the framework still exists, the business logic is sound. Sometimes the upgrade is the moment to move module by module to something new, while the old system keeps running the parts that have not moved. The deciding question is whether you would build the same thing again today.
What to have ready before you ask for a quote
- Which PHP version and framework it runs on now
- Roughly how big it is, and whether it has any automated tests
- Which libraries and outside services it depends on
- Who uses it, and which parts can never go down
How Pricient quotes a modernization
Modernization starts with a Legacy System Specification Assessment. It produces a written specification, a risk register, a keep-vs-replace cost comparison and a staged replacement plan, and its fee is credited in full against the first build stage if it starts within 90 days of the report. You can start with a conversation about the system; we ask for read-only code access only when the assessment begins. Tell us what you are running and you get a fixed quote for the assessment.