(created with assistance of ChatGPT)
Here at Hop Studios, it’s no surprise that we love ExpressionEngine; we’re even using it Right Now!
It’s a flexible and powerful platform for running your website, but just like any other software, it requires regular updates to maintain security and efficiency. Suppose you’ve been procrastinating on upgrading your ExpressionEngine CMS. Sure, there might not be any noticeable issues right away.
Still, over time, problems can start to pile up: from security risks, failing integrations, or even errors caused in part by a frustrating-to-use part of the CMS interface.
Meanwhile, keeping EE software up to date ensures the latest security, improved performance, and a better overall experience for your team and visitors.
We’re sharing seven common problems you’ll face with an outdated version and seven benefits that come from keeping your CMS upgraded. Let’s start with the positive.
Benefits of Keeping your EE Upgraded
Enhanced security and stability
Security should be the foundation of a website, and ExpressionEngine is known for its secure codebase. The maintainers of EE work hard to ensure each version is built to minimize vulnerabilities and strengthen defences against the latest modern threats. Staying current reduces the risk of hacks, data breaches, and downtime, giving you peace of mind that your website runs on a stable, supported foundation.
Boost Performance and Efficiency
Often upgrades include performance improvements, like improved caching and smarter database queries, leading to faster page load times. A faster site allows visitors to remain engaged and reduces strain on your server, keeping infrastructure hosting costs low.
Improved Features and Functionality
With each update, ExpressionEngine introduces new tools and enhancements, some small, some larger, that make your site even more powerful and user-friendly. Features that may have once required custom development or a third-party add-on can now be refactored natively with built-in code, which leads to lower future maintenance costs. Delaying upgrades simply delays these potential savings.
Superior Usability and Content Editing
New updates overall improve the Control Panel (CP) experience, allowing your team to create, edit, and monitor content more easily. Improvements to the mobile-friendly interface let you make changes to your website on the go. Better usability and accessibility reduce frustration and friction for back-end users, regardless of their limitations.
Modernized Ecosystem and Integrations
Staying up-to-date ensures better ongoing compatibility with other modern tools and add-ons. Whether you’re connecting to CRMs, analytics, or e-commerce platforms, keeping up with the latest ExpressionEngine version ensures smoother integrations with fewer roadblocks, outages or glitches. How much would a day or a week or a failed integration end up costing you?
Ensured Future-Proofing
Regular upgrades keep your website aligned with ever-changing web standards and server requirements. This proactive approach prevents upgrade headaches later on and ensures your site can adapt to new technologies with minimal downtime and disruption. You can’t predict every technology shift, but you can be better prepared for the unknown and unplanned.
Reduced Costs
While upgrading your EE CMS may seem like an investment, it can actually save you money in the long run. Staying current reduces emergency fixes, eliminates unnecessary add-ons, and lowers the cost of maintenance by avoiding expensive “catch-up” upgrades. You don’t save money by putting off car maintenance. Same thing with a website, except your hands don’t get greasy.
Common Problems of Running an Outdated EE
Now, let’s take a look at the problems you’re avoiding.
Security Breaches
Older versions of ExpressionEngine no longer receive security updates, leaving your site open to vulnerabilities. An outdated version increases the risks of hacks, data loss, or malware attacks that could damage your reputation and cost you time and money to fix. (However, to be frank here, EE’s security is pretty rock solid, and that’s part of why people sometimes feel emboldened to leave EE in an older state. Read on…)
Missing Features
Holding onto an old version prevents you from taking advantage of new tools and improvements that make managing your site easier and more efficient. If you try to build more features and fixes while on an old version, this often results in relying on costly workarounds or outdated add-ons, which don’t work as well as their newer versions or the core itself.
Limited Community Support
As third-party developers stop supporting old versions, your integration with CRMs, analytics, or payment systems may break. And it’s often harder to find someone who can assist with older versions—you’re limiting the pool of qualified experts to a smaller, more expensive group.
Performance Bottlenecks
Outdated code can slow down your site, resulting in sluggish load times and increased server strain. As performance slows, visitors may bounce, and your site could struggle to handle natural growth or traffic spikes. What’s the cost of discouraged, disappointed visitors?
Poor Usability
An outdated Control Panel can feel clunky and archaic for your team. Editing is slower, less intuitive, and even downright frustrating, particularly if you’re using a mobile device. Brighten up their day with modern usability improvements.
Rising Maintenance Costs
Keeping an old version alive requires extra developer time for patches and workarounds. Emergency fixes and incompatibility issues are typically far more expensive than planned, proactive upgrades.
Upgrade Cliff
The longer you delay, the harder it becomes to upgrade later. Skipping multiple versions often requires a more complex, time-consuming, and expensive process when you finally have no choice but to upgrade.
Why Staying Current Matters
Staying on top of ExpressionEngine upgrades isn’t only about keeping up with the latest version number; it’s about protecting your investment, avoiding costly problems, giving your visitors the smoothest experience, and equipping your team with the best tools to manage your site effectively. Running outdated software leaves you vulnerable to security risks, broken integrations, greater bounce rates, and higher long-term costs. Keeping ExpressionEngine current offers stronger performance, easier usability, and peace of mind for the future.
If your site hasn’t been updated in a while, now is the perfect time to act before minor issues become expensive emergencies. Regular upgrades are the simplest way to keep your website secure, stable, and ready for what’s next.
Need help planning your upgrade? Send us a message. Our team can help ensure that your ExpressionEngine site is running at its best and assist you with regular maintenance to keep it up to date.
