Is ExpressionEngine Still Supported in 2026?
Yes. EE7 is actively maintained (7.5.28 shipped in October 2026) and EE8 is on the way. Which versions are supported, and what to do if yours isn't.
Yes. ExpressionEngine 7 is actively developed and supported. The latest release, 7.5.28, came out on 20 October 2026, and EE8 is expected before the end of the year. EE6 gets security fixes until 31 December 2026. EE1 to EE5 are end of life and should be upgraded.
People search "is ExpressionEngine dead?" more often than you'd think, usually because their own site is old and they've seen nothing new about EE in years. The short answer is no. Here's where things actually stand, with dates from the official sources.
Is ExpressionEngine still being developed?
Yes. ExpressionEngine is open source and maintained by Packet Tide. The GitHub releases page shows a steady stream of EE 7.5 updates: 7.5.25 in June, 7.5.26 in July, 7.5.27 in September and 7.5.28 on 20 October 2026. ExpressionEngine 8 was previewed at EEConf 2026 and is expected before the end of the year.
The ecosystem is active too. CartThrob and Expresso Store, the two main e-commerce add-ons, joined the ExpressionEngine family and both have current releases.
Which ExpressionEngine versions are supported?
From the official version support table:
- EE7 (LTS): released 3 August 2022. Fully supported, no end dates announced.
- EE6 (LTS): bug fixes ended 31 December 2025. Security fixes end 31 December 2026.
- EE5: end of life. Security fixes ended 31 December 2021.
- EE4: end of life since 16 November 2019.
- EE3: end of life since 14 December 2018.
- EE2: end of life since 30 April 2017.
- EE1: end of life since 7 December 2013.
Can ExpressionEngine run on PHP 8?
EE7 can. Its system requirements recommend PHP 8.2 with PHP-FPM and list PHP 8.3 as fully supported. EE6 supports PHP 8.2 from version 6.4.15. EE5 and older do not support PHP 8.2, which is now the oldest PHP branch that still gets security fixes. That's the real problem for old sites: they can't run on a patched server. See ExpressionEngine PHP 8 compatibility.
So what should you do?
- On EE7: keep it updated. You're in good shape, and EE8 will be a small step.
- On EE6: upgrade to EE7 before 31 December 2026. It's a direct upgrade; most of the work is add-on checks. See the 7-step upgrade checklist.
- On EE2 to EE5: you can go straight to EE7 in one step. See EE2 to EE7 or EE3–EE5 to EE7.
- Thinking of leaving EE? Compare ExpressionEngine vs WordPress or a move to Craft CMS before deciding.
Frequently asked questions
Is ExpressionEngine dead?
No. EE7 gets regular releases (7.5.28 came out on 20 October 2026), and ExpressionEngine 8 is expected before the end of 2026.
Is ExpressionEngine free?
Yes. ExpressionEngine has been free and open source since version 5 (2018). Paid options such as EE Pro and commercial add-ons are available, but the core CMS costs nothing.
When does ExpressionEngine 6 support end?
Security fixes for EE6 end on 31 December 2026. Bug fixes already ended on 31 December 2025.
