How Much Does a TYPO3 Update Cost?

The performance of a website largely depends on the CMS, and TYPO3 is considered to be one of the most comprehensive tools for website creation.

TYPO3 is a top-notch open source content management system (CMS) for businesses. It has a large international community, as the TYPO3 Association has around 900 members. The CMS platform was released in 1998. However, it became very well known after the release of the third version and is currently available in several versions (The latest version is 13). A new TYPO3 version is released every 2-3 years to update the software and fix security vulnerabilities.

The latest updates should be installed in the systems using TYPO3 as soon as possible after release. An update can be carried out within a TYPO3 system if it is within a release, e.g. an update from 13.1 to 13.2. However, the sources must be in the correct directory and the installation must be a Linux version. The costs for a TYPO3 update depend on various factors, such as the functional scope of the TYPO3 system or the way in which the update is carried out.

A TYPO3 update/upgrade is the renewal of the software of this CMS. These updates should be installed regularly and can be carried out with/without the support of the TYPO3 agency.

It is possible to divide the main structure of a TYPO3 version into 3 components:

• Main version: The main version of TYPO3 is published every 2 years. It contains secondary versions with functional stabilizations and the latest functions.
• Primary minor version (referred to as LTS)
• Secondary minor release: Providing security updates and patches for the LTS

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There are two main reasons for updating the TYPO3 main version.

• Updating the security and legally relevant software applications is mandatory according to the German Telemedia Act.
• However, the optimization of technical features and the addition of new functionalities are optional. The necessity of this type of update depends on the importance of the improvements.

Security & legal updates

The operators of commercial websites are responsible for both the technical up-to-dateness and the security of the system and the associated elements. You are in breach of the Telemedia Act (§13 and §16) if you do not fulfill this obligation.

• Section 13 defines the obligations of a service provider.
• Section 16 describes the provisions on fines for breaches of these obligations.

Technical update

By updating the TYPO3 system, you can make use of the latest technologies.

• The technical update reduces the operating costs, as the customizations and latest developments based on the outdated technologies may seem complicated to a user.
• It is possible to continuously upgrade a technically updated system.
• The technical update improves the performance of the TYPO3 system, which is a ranking factor for Google.

There is no flat rate for the TYPO3 update. This usually depends on the individual requirements of the respective system as well as on a variety of functions, such as templating procedures, API connections, in-house developments, multi-domain websites, integrated extensions, customizations, external stores or existing data management systems.

The type of update, e.g. minor or major version updates, also influences the TYPO3 update costs.

Minor version updates (regular security updates)

The security patches for the latest TYPO3 version are installed and bugs are fixed when the minor version is updated. The latest updates are made available at regular intervals and the TYPO3 agency can charge a monthly maintenance fee for this type of optimization. The monthly cost for minor version updates is around 200-400 euros per TYPO3 website. It is possible to limit the cost of minor version updates if the technical optimizations are performed routinely.

Updating the major version

TYPO3 should be upgraded every 2-3 years. The main version of TYPO3 is updated to the latest LTS version with this update for the main version. The costs for updating the main version vary from system to system. It is therefore difficult to calculate the exact costs if you do not have all the information. Approx. the cost of the TYPO3 update for the main version to the latest LTS version starts at 5000 Euro. Two main factors influence the cost of updating the main version.

• The effort required to update the core.
• The effort required to update the functionalities and extensions used in the system.

Conclusion

Both the end users and the editors benefit from the updates of the minor version and the major version of TYPO3. Users can easily find their way around the websites and editors can work faster with the TYPO3 updates. The update to the latest TYPO3 version (13) has the following beneficial aspects:

• Improved user interface handling with a responsive interface.
• Improved social media and SEO support
• Functions for cutting and scaling images in the backend
• A new and comprehensive wizard for creating custom forms
• Better feedback from TYPO3 to the editor
• Media links for reference

If you are planning to update/upgrade your TYPO3 version to the latest version and would like to know the exact cost, please contact us please. We will be happy to take a look at your website and give you an exact quote for a TYPO3 update.