Your host charges extra for old PHP – what to do with Joomla 3?

Many owners of a Joomla 3 website are hearing from their host these months: the website's PHP version is outdated, and a monthly surcharge is due to keep it running. Those who simply switch to the new PHP version often see an error message instead of their website. Here is why that happens, what the surcharge costs – and how to get rid of it for good.

Why the host charges extra

PHP is the programming language Joomla runs on. Every PHP version receives security updates only for a fixed time: PHP 7.4 until 28 November 2022, PHP 8.0 until 26 November 2023, PHP 8.1 until 31 December 2025 (php.net). After that, hosts have to secure their servers themselves – and pass the cost on:

• IONOS (Germany) lists 15.62 € a month for its "PHP Extended Support" for PHP 7.4 and 8.0 and 7.81 € for PHP 8.1. Existing customers are informed before their website is moved into extended support (IONOS).
• STRATO charges a paid "PHP Extended Support", for PHP 8.1 since 2 March 2026; the amount is shown in the customer login (STRATO).
• Other hosts no longer offer old PHP versions at all and switch them over.

Why Joomla 3 cannot simply follow

Joomla 3.10, the last Joomla 3 version, is designed for PHP up to version 8.0; for PHP 8.1 only a few adjustments followed. There have been no updates since 17 August 2023; the paid programme for extended security updates (ELTS) ended on 17 February 2025 (elts.joomla.org). On top of that come the extensions and templates from the Joomla 3 era: many were never adapted to PHP 8. When the host switches, the typical result is an error 500 or a blank page.

What the surcharge really buys

An example with IONOS's price for PHP 7.4 and 8.0: 15.62 € a month is 187.44 € a year, 374.88 € after two years. Your website keeps running as before – but it does not get any safer, because Joomla 3 itself receives no more updates. The surcharge buys time, not a solution.

Three ways – and what we recommend

1. Pay the surcharge and wait: only sensible as a bridge for a few months when the switch is already planned.
2. Raise PHP yourself: only with a backup and ideally tested on a copy first. With Joomla 3 the website rarely runs stably afterwards.
3. Move to Joomla 6: Joomla 6 is the current version with ongoing updates and needs at least PHP 8.3, 8.4 is recommended (Joomla manual). Your website then fits every current hosting package again – without a surcharge.

A stop at Joomla 4 is not worth it: Joomla 4 itself has had no security updates since October 2025.

How we go about it

• Inventory: which extensions and which template does your website use, and what is there for them in Joomla 6? Then we name the effort – before we start.
• Work on a copy: your website stays online the whole time.
• Switch after your approval: content, addresses and users are kept; for extensions without a successor we find the way via Joomla's own features.
• The host as well, if you wish: if your package is too old anyway, we help with the move.

More about the process and the costs is on the page Joomla 3 to 6 migration.