How Much Does a Laravel Upgrade Cost in 2026?

How much does a Laravel upgrade cost?

At Cuanto Labs, a Laravel or custom PHP app upgrade is a fixed $5,500 for one app of up to about 25,000 lines of code and about 30 packages. A typical job moves Laravel 9 or 10 to a current release and PHP 8.1 to 8.3 or newer. It takes 3 to 4 weeks and carries a 30-day warranty.

Bigger or older apps cost more. The honest answer depends on how far behind the app is, how many packages it uses and whether it has automated tests. We price after a short look, so you get a number before any work starts.

What changes the price of a Laravel upgrade?

Five things move the price: how many versions the app has to jump, how many third-party packages it depends on, how much custom code it has, whether automated tests exist, and what the app does. Payments, patient data or an API used by other systems all raise the care needed.

Tests matter most. Without them, nobody can prove the upgraded app behaves like the old one, so we write the key ones first. That is why our process is test-first, then a staging copy, then deploy.

Why does an old PHP version raise the stakes?

Laravel apps run on PHP, and PHP versions stop getting security fixes on a schedule. Per the PHP supported versions page, 8.2 gets security fixes only until December 31, 2026, 8.3 until December 31, 2027, 8.4 until December 31, 2028 and 8.5 until December 31, 2029. PHP 8.1 and older are no longer listed.

The October 2026 php2shell flaws made this concrete. The PHP team shipped fixes for 8.5, 8.4, 8.3 and 8.2, and said that 8.1 and older no longer receive updates. CISA added both flaws to its list of exploited vulnerabilities on October 26, 2026 (see the CISA KEV feed). Our plain-English explainer covers the details.

Is a Laravel app safe if I only update PHP?

Not necessarily. Updating PHP closes the PHP flaws, but the app and its packages have their own risks. A publicly reported example: GitGuardian and Synacktiv found 260,000 Laravel APP_KEY values on GitHub, and over 600 Laravel apps could be taken over through them (reported July 2025).

That is a configuration problem, not a version problem. An upgrade is a good moment to check secrets, settings and old packages together, instead of patching one layer and leaving the rest.

How do I find out where my app stands first?

Start by checking what PHP version the server actually runs, then list the Laravel version and the packages in use. Our free PHP version checker is a quick first step for a public site, though it cannot see inside an app.

• • Server PHP version. Ask your host, or look at your server settings.
• • Laravel version. It is listed in the app's dependency file.
• • Abandoned packages. Anything with no updates for years needs a replacement plan.
• • Tests. Note whether any exist and whether they pass.

If you want this done for you, our $295 PHP Health Check covers the version, the compatibility scan and a written plan. It is credited toward any upgrade you book within 30 days. See the PHP upgrade service.

Should I upgrade the app or rebuild it?

If the app works and the business logic is sound, upgrading is usually the cheaper and lower-risk route. Rebuilding makes sense when the code is hard to change, has no tests and is far behind. We explain how to decide in Should I Upgrade or Rebuild My Old PHP App?.

For very old or custom apps, our Legacy PHP Modernization starts from $9,500 after a $950 audit that is credited toward the work. It takes 6 to 8 weeks.

What about WordPress sites and plugins?

WordPress sites are a different, smaller job. A standard WordPress PHP upgrade for a site with up to 20 plugins is $3,500, and a WooCommerce or complex site is $4,500. See How Much Does a PHP Upgrade Cost for a WordPress or Custom Site? for the comparison.

What does Cuanto Labs do after the upgrade?

We hand over a short written record: what changed, what version you are on, and what to watch next. Many clients then move to a website care plan so PHP and package updates stay on a schedule and the app does not fall behind again.

We cannot promise an app will never have a problem, but a scheduled upgrade path costs far less than an emergency one.

Frequently asked questions

How long does a Laravel upgrade take?

Our Laravel and custom PHP upgrade takes 3 to 4 weeks for a standard-sized app. Larger or older apps take longer, and we say so before starting.

Will my app be offline during the upgrade?

Usually not. We build and test on a staging copy, then switch over at a planned time with a rollback ready.

Do I need to upgrade if the app still works?

Working today is not the same as supported. Once the PHP version stops getting security fixes, every new flaw stays open on your server.

Next step

If you want a number for your app, book a call and tell us your Laravel and PHP versions. We will tell you what the job looks like before you commit.

This article is general information, not legal or compliance advice. Written by Eliran Yihye, founder of Cuanto Labs, on October 27, 2026.