Don't risk waiting too long to upgrade from Kentico 13 

Kentico 13 has been a reliable platform for many organisations, and it has served businesses well for many years. End of life for Kentico 13 is fast approaching and slated for 31 December 2026, so if you aren’t thinking about what comes next already, now is the perfect time to get started.

Migrating to XbyK is more than just moving to the latest version. It is an opportunity to rethink your digital presence and take advantage of a platform that has been designed for a multichannel approach. By starting your planning now, you can do more than replicate your existing site on new technology; you can address some of the big challenges XbyK solves; helping you refine your content, streamline your workflows, and prepare your organisation to deliver stronger, more consistent customer experiences across every channel.

What does “end of life” for Kentico 13 mean?

When Kentico 13 reaches end of life, it doesn't mean your website will just stop working so you can rest assured about that. It does however mean your website will no longer receive security updates, patches, or official support. Businesses that wait too long to upgrade face significant risks to their business:

• Security vulnerabilities: Unpatched systems are prime targets for malicious actors. Without ongoing security updates, even minor weaknesses can quickly become serious threats that put sensitive data and customer trust at risk.
• Compliance risks: Unsupported software may put you out of step with industry or government compliance requirements.
• Rising maintenance costs: Without vendor support, keeping Kentico 13 running securely requires more time, money, and technical effort.
• Integration challenges: As other technologies evolve, your Kentico 13 site may struggle to integrate with modern tools and APIs.
• Talent gaps: Over time, fewer developers will have up-to-date expertise with older platforms, making it harder and more expensive to find support.

Moving beyond Kentico 13 before 2026 not only protects you from risk but also positions your organisation to take advantage of a platform designed for the future.

Why upgrade to Xperience by Kentico?

Upgrading is not only about avoiding risk. XbyK represents a new chapter: a modern, evergreen platform designed to grow with your business.

Key benefits include:

• Better performance and usability
  Xperience features a completely rebuilt administration interface that is faster and more intuitive for marketers and editors.
• Lower infrastructure costs with SaaS
  With the SaaS option, you can reduce internal infrastructure and maintenance costs, allowing your teams to focus on strategy instead of upkeep.
• Evergreen product model
  Kentico’s shift to an evergreen model means no more disruptive major version upgrades. Instead, you will receive monthly updates with new features, security enhancements, and performance improvements that keep your platform current.
• Transparent and customer-driven roadmap
  Kentico publicly shares its product roadmap at roadmap.kentico.com. Customers can also provide feedback directly into the roadmap, which Kentico uses to shape and prioritise future development. This open and collaborative approach shows that Kentico is committed to building the features and enhancements that customers actually need.
• AI-powered features and tooling
  Kentico has made artificial intelligence a focus area, embedding it into the platform through AIRA to support marketers with intelligent insights and productivity tools. For developers, Kentico is also introducing AI-driven tooling to accelerate delivery and reduce complexity when building functionality in XbyK. This focus on AI demonstrates Kentico’s commitment to staying ahead of the curve and delivering value well into the future.

This is not just another upgrade, it is a strategic investment in stability and futureproofing, backed by a vendor that listens to its customers and is actively innovating in areas that matter.

The good news: Leverage your Kentico expertise

There are several core elements that remain consistent from Kentico 13 to Xperience by Kentico:

• Content modelling and page types - Your existing content structure and custom page types can be adapted using familiar concepts and approaches
• Business logic - Much of your custom functionality translates directly, though you'll benefit from improved performance and modern syntax
• User permissions and workflow concepts - Your editorial processes and approval workflows follow the same foundational principles, with enhanced capabilities

These consistencies across both platforms enable experienced teams like Zeroseven to take full advantage of your existing Kentico investment whilst unlocking the opportunity to tweak and enhance the modern architecture that makes XbyK future ready.

You're moving forward with Xperience by Kentico

Whilst the migration builds on familiar foundations, you'll gain access to:

• Headless and hybrid delivery options that weren't possible in Kentico 13
• Enhanced marketing automation and personalisation tools built for today's multichannel world
• Cloud-native architecture designed for reliability and automatic scaling

Because the core Kentico concepts remain consistent, your team won't be learning an entirely new system. Instead, they'll be working with familiar tools that have been enhanced and modernised.

This approach means faster adoption, reduced training time, and the ability to leverage your existing Kentico knowledge whilst gaining access to capabilities that simply weren't available in earlier versions.

But didn’t we just upgrade to Kentico 13?

Many organisations have only recently upgraded to Kentico 13, which makes it a perfect time to build on that investment and take the final step to an evergreen platform.

Here is why this upgrade is different:

• The last “big bang” upgrade: Once you are on Xperience, you will not need to budget for major migrations again. Monthly updates will keep your platform current without disruption.
• Designed for marketers: The new admin interface is not just a technical refresh, it was rebuilt to directly improve the productivity of marketing and content teams.
• Supported migration path: Kentico provides tools to simplify the process, helping you retain content and functionality while moving forward.
• Future-focused investment: This upgrade aligns your business with Kentico’s long-term roadmap, ensuring you do not get left behind as the platform evolves.

This upgrade should be seen as the final step in Kentico’s evolution, opening the door to long-term stability and continuous innovation.

How Zeroseven can help with your upgrade

At Zeroseven, we specialise in bespoke web solutions for large organisations. As a Kentico Gold Partner and Kentico Quality Expert, we are uniquely positioned to guide you through the transition from Kentico 13 (or earlier) to Xperience by Kentico.

Our services include:

• Discovery and assessment workshops
  Reviewing your current Kentico 13 setup, customisations, and integrations to identify risks and opportunities before the upgrade begins.
• Migration strategy reviews
  Tailoring the upgrade path to your business needs to ensure a smooth and efficient transition.
• Content and data migration planning
  Mapping and migrating your existing content, assets, and data to Xperience without loss or duplication.
• Integration strategy
  Reviewing third-party tools such as CRM, marketing automation, ERP, and analytics platforms to ensure they continue to work seamlessly in the new environment.
• Experience optimisation
  Using the upgrade as an opportunity to refine user journeys, improve performance, and adopt new features that enhance both marketer and customer experiences.
• Custom development and extensions
  Rebuilding or extending bespoke functionality in Xperience by Kentico while taking advantage of its modern framework.
• Hands-on upgrade support
  Guiding your team through the migration process to ensure a smooth, confident transition.
• Training and onboarding
  Providing your marketing and content teams with the knowledge they need to get the most out of XbyK from day one.
• Ongoing optimisation and support
  Helping you take advantage of monthly updates and continuously improve your digital presence long after the migration is complete.

With Zeroseven, the migration is not just a technical project. It is a strategic opportunity to improve performance, reduce costs, and set your business up for the future.

Don’t wait until 2026

The end of Kentico 13 may feel far away, but planning your move now gives you the opportunity to do more than simply migrate. It allows you to reimagine how your digital presence can work harder for your organisation and your customers.

By starting early, you can:

• Take full advantage of XbyK’s evergreen model and continuous innovation
• Reduce long-term costs with SaaS and streamlined infrastructure
• Empower your marketing teams with tools designed for productivity and multichannel delivery

This is not just about avoiding the risks of unsupported software. It is about unlocking the benefits of a platform that is always evolving and setting your business up for sustained success.

If you are ready to take the next step, contact Zeroseven today. Together we can create a migration strategy that goes beyond a simple upgrade and delivers real value for your business into the future.