Upgrade · PHP upgrade & security patching

Joomla PHP upgrade & compatibility service

Get PHP patched, fix compatibility problems and check the Joomla features your business depends on. A written scope, staging for compatibility work, and a report you can keep.

Request a PHP assessment See scope & pricing

Patch & verify from $149Compatibility from $399Reply under 12 business hours

PHP readiness reportExample

Runtime	Website PHP checked
Patch	Release or vendor fix recorded
Compatibility	Extensions & overrides tested
Business flows	Forms, checkout & scheduled tasks
Handover	Results, exceptions & next steps

Illustrative deliverablesYour report reflects your site

Choose the right job

A security patch and a PHP upgrade need different scopes

We first establish what runs your website and what needs to change.

Your host says PHP is patched

We check the runtime serving your domain and collect release or vendor-backport evidence.

Domain and PHP handler identified
Hosting coordination where required
Written verification and smoke tests

Your site needs a newer PHP branch

We test a copy, identify incompatible code and agree the fixes before the live switch.

Template, extension and override review
Custom-code fixes quoted explicitly
Controlled deployment and rollback plan

PHP was changed and Joomla broke

We diagnose the error, preserve logs and restore service or prepare a tested fix.

Blank pages and HTTP 500 errors
Forms, admin and integrations
Suspected compromise scoped separately

Scope & pricing

One-off work, with a quote before we start

Starting prices in USD for one website. No subscription is required. The assessment determines the final scope.

Patch & verify · from $149

For a supported environment that needs a security patch or confirmation of an existing vendor fix.

Runtime and package/vendor evidence
Backup check and agreed patch window
Host coordination or agreed server update
Key-page, admin and form smoke tests
Before/after report and unresolved items

Upgrade & compatibility · from $399

For a Joomla website moving to a supported PHP branch.

Environment and extension inventory
Backup and isolated staging copy
Compatibility diagnosis and itemized fixes
Agreed frontend and administrator test list
Production switch and verification report

Agency & complex Joomla · quoted

For several sites, shops, membership systems or extensive custom code.

One scope per site or a batch proposal
VirtueMart, CiviCRM and StackIdeas flows
Cron, CLI and integration runtimes
White-label handover; NDA on request
Optional ongoing maintenance

Major Joomla migrations, paid extension licenses, substantial custom rebuilds, hosting charges and malware cleanup are quoted separately. A starting price does not include unlimited compatibility fixes. Read-only initial triage uses your URL and the details you provide; deeper access-based investigation is agreed before it starts.

Request a PHP assessment

What gets tested

Check the features that matter to your site

Content & administration

Frontend pages and editorial work, using the roles that actually publish content.

Admin login and content save
Media uploads and template overrides
Search and representative URLs

Forms & transactions

We agree test transactions and test recipients before sending anything.

Form submission and email delivery
VirtueMart checkout or sandbox payment
CiviCRM membership and contribution flows

Background work

A working homepage does not prove that imports or scheduled jobs use the right PHP.

Cron and Joomla scheduled tasks
CLI handlers and queue workers
APIs, imports and relevant error logs

How it runs

Four steps with a reviewable handover

Assess
Send the URL, hosting type, Joomla/PHP versions if known, and the failure or deadline.
You getFindings and fixed scope
Prepare
Confirm access, backup and restoration approach. Isolate staging from real payments and outbound mail.
You getBackup and staging plan
Patch or fix
Apply the agreed patch, or test the target branch and repair the scoped compatibility issues.
You getChange log and staging results
Launch and verify
Use an agreed window, recheck the active runtime and run the acceptance list.
You getVerification report and next steps

PHP2Shell · October 2026

Need help with the current PHP security release?

The PHP security team published fixes for CVE-2026-109618 and CVE-2026-109619 on 21 October 2026. We assess the PHP build serving your site, including vendor backports. Updating Joomla alone does not update the underlying PHP runtime.

Read our Joomla PHP security update guide → · Official PHP advisory

Patch verification establishes the status of the recorded runtime at the time of the check. It is not a penetration test or a guarantee that a site has never been compromised.

Experience

Joomla upgrades and integrations we have worked on

These projects show related Joomla experience; they are not presented as PHP2Shell remediation case studies.

Orthogate

A Joomla community rebuild involving members and forums.

Read the project

CiviCRM & VirtueMart

Specialist upgrade services for sites with business-critical transactions.

Ongoing care

Keep backups, updates and monitoring on a monthly routine after the one-off job.

FAQ

Joomla PHP upgrade questions

Can my host do the PHP patch for free?

Often, yes. The host manages its PHP packages. Our paid scope covers investigation, coordination, verification and agreed Joomla testing or compatibility fixes. If the host has already completed the work, we say so.

Can you work on shared hosting?

Yes, within the access the host provides. We coordinate package changes with the host; we cannot install server packages without permission or guarantee the host’s release schedule.

Does an old-looking PHP version always mean it is vulnerable?

No. A distribution or LTS vendor may backport a fix without adopting the upstream version number. We record vendor evidence and the runtime actually serving the site.

Will I need a Joomla migration?

Not always. A patch on the same PHP branch may be enough. If the installed Joomla version or its extensions block a supported PHP branch, we quote a migration or replacement separately.

Do you guarantee zero downtime or a same-day fix?

No. We agree the deployment window, response expectations and rollback approach after assessing your site. Our standard first reply is within 12 hours on business days; completion depends on scope, access and hosting.

Can you prove my site was not hacked?

A patch check cannot prove that. If there are suspicious files, accounts or log entries, we preserve the evidence and propose a separate incident-investigation scope.

What should I send first?

Send the site URL, hosting provider, Joomla and PHP versions if available, any error message and the important functions to test. Do not put passwords or private keys in the initial message.

Start with your site

Tell us what needs to keep working

We reply within 12 hours on business days with the next step. Nothing starts before you approve the scope.