Better Performance
Upgrade to PHP 8.4 for up to 500% faster performance compared to 5.X, 200% faster than 7.X, or 40% faster than 8.2 — enabling your app to handle more users or cut server costs by up to 80%.
Do You Need a PHP Upgrade?
Running an outdated PHP version can slow down your application and expose it to serious risks. According to php.net, only PHP 8.3 and 8.4 are actively supported as of May 2025, with security updates provided. Versions 8.1 and 8.2 are in a "recommended to update" state, receiving limited security fixes, while 8.0, 7.X and older (like 5.X) are completely unsupported — leaving them vulnerable to attacks. A recent PHP Foundation audit (April 2025) uncovered several security issues in the PHP core, which are only being patched in supported versions.
If you’re in healthcare, fintech or other high-risk fields, where security is non-negotiable, delaying an upgrade isn’t just risky; it’s a lawsuit waiting to happen. You might be vulnerable — check the graph below to see if your version is up to date. If not, Accesto can help with a seamless upgrade to keep your app secure and performant.
I’ve overseen countless PHP upgrades, and I can tell you the process is smoother than most businesses fear. Why upgrade? Beyond the obvious performance boosts — like the 35% faster response times we achieved for Event Tickets or the 4x overall improvement for MediaHQ — modern PHP versions unlock new possibilities that let your developers work smarter, not harder. The sooner you act, the easier future upgrades will be, and the more competitive your business will become.
Accesto CTO
What PHP Upgrade Gives You
Security
Upgrading to PHP 8.3 or 8.4 eliminates vulnerabilities. Recent PHP Foundation audits, conducted in cooperation with a German government-backed agency (April 2025), confirmed the necessity of fixes for critical security holes unavailable in unsupported versions like 7.X and 5.X.
Long-term Support for Frameworks
Stay compatible with the latest Symfony and Laravel versions, ensuring your app benefits from extended support and new features — only possible with updated PHP.
Modern Syntax
Unlock PHP’s latest features like named arguments, union types, and null-safe operators, making development faster and code more maintainable.
Compatibility
Keep up with new libraries and tools (e.g., Composer 2.X, post-August 2025) and integrate emerging technologies like AI, avoiding compatibility roadblocks with old PHP.
Maintainability
Much easier to update, debug the code as well as finding and onboarding new developers, reducing hiring costs, and lowering long-term maintenance expenses.
Battle-proven approach
PHP Upgrade Process
Analysis & insights Review
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- Sign in NDA to ensure your privacy is covered
- Share code access with our auditor
- Audit the code and discuss findings on a call
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Planing Prepare upgrade
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- Plan out the upgrade (how many steps, which versions)
- Set up a local environment for our specialist
- Create unit tests and/or review existing ones
- Add automated error monitoring
- Monitor and gather depreciation warnings
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Development process Core upgrade
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- Proceed with an upgrade in steps
- Upgrade libraries and dependencies
- Refactor depreciated code
- Align with recent standards
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Wrapping up Post-upgrade
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- Ensure all unit tests are passing after an upgrade
- Organise and release code to testing server
- Proceed with comprehensive manual testing
- Deploy changes to production
- Repeat the process if there are more versions to upgrade
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Benefit from cooperation
We don’t just sell dev hours! We handle the entire PHP update process for you, ensuring a seamless transition and scaling your product as our own, unblocking your way to success.
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Free review & consulting
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NDA & IP protected
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Uninterrupted Development Process
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Upgrade finished in 2-6 weeks
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Fully managed process
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CTO care & guidance included
PHP Upgrade Timeline and Cost?
At Accesto, we tailor the PHP upgrade process to your specific needs, ensuring a smooth transition with transparent timelines and costs. Our expert team delivers efficient results, minimizing downtime while maximizing performance and security gains.
- 8-24 hours for local setup (depending on the existing setup)
- 80-160 hours for a major PHP/Framework upgrade (depending on project size)
- 20-40 hours of comprehensive post-upgrade testing (depending on project size)
See the upgrades we are proud of
Placker
Costs cut by 40%
Project management SaaS from the Netherlands is used globally by 130k users. Our upgrade and refactoring process reduced Placker’s maintenance and development time & effort by 40%.
Notebookrank
Web Vitals improved to 98%
AI-driven service that advised on laptop purchases. Built on PHP 7.2 and Symfony 3.4. The upgrade process to Symfony 5.4 and PHP 8.2 took 2 months and resulted in a great jump in Core Web Vitals score for mobile from 54% to 98%.
MediaHQ
Performance boosted by 4x
PR & media SaaS platform from Dublin, used by the Bank of Ireland and National Museum. A couple of PHP, Symfony and MariaDB upgrades allowed the company to pass security audits and to scale the product to 12x larger UK market.
Listen to how our services helped them
FAQ
Know the details
Key Information about Your Upgrade
Can I develop my app in parallel with the upgrade?
Of course! We will make sure our upgrade won’t stand in the way of your standard development and maintenance. We proceed with upgrades in small increments, regularly fetching the code from your main branch to ensure there will be fewer code conflicts before the release. Each major upgrade takes around 2 weeks, so it is more or less just one sprint of work. So don’t worry! You can proceed with your standard development and we will make sure there will be no blockers.
Can you also upgrade frameworks and databases?
Sure! We specialize in PHP but also all the tooling related to it. Symfony? Laravel? No problem! We will also ensure that your SQL is up to date, same as all the modules, libraries and bundles.
Will my app work correctly after the upgrade?
Absolutely, we go the extra mile to ensure your app runs smoothly post-upgrade. We start by writing unit tests (or reviewing existing ones) and run them before and after the upgrade to catch any issues early. We also integrate error-monitoring tools to keep track of performance. Multiple rounds of thorough manual testing are conducted to verify everything works as expected. Finally, we deploy the upgraded app to a testing server, giving you the chance to test everything on your end before going live. Your app’s stability is our priority!
Do you do anything else except PHP upgrades?
Definitely! With a team averaging 10 years of seniority, we bring deep expertise to more than just PHP upgrades. We offer custom PHP, Laravel and Symfony development, build scalable web apps, refactor legacy code, and modernize outdated systems through code audits and architecture redesigns. From integrating modern frameworks like Angular or React to enhancing security with penetration testing, we deliver tailored, high-performance solutions. For most of our clients, we become long-term tech partners, taking full responsibility for their development over the years to ensure their products remain reliable, scalable, and user-friendly.