Key facts
- Current CubeCart 6 releases need PHP 7.4 or newer, and PHP 8.2 is the version CubeCart recommends for 6.5 and later
- CubeCart 4 used ionCube-encoded files and only runs on old PHP 5 builds with a matching ionCube Loader
- CubeCart 5 was never made PHP 7 ready; the CubeCart team advise upgrading to version 6 instead
- Needs MySQL or MariaDB, plus the PHP extensions GD, cURL, mbstring, zip and OpenSSL
- Managed CubeCart hosting from dijitul is £1 a day + VAT, including migration, daily backups and SSL
- dijitul is a UK company, trading since 2006, based in Mansfield, Nottinghamshire
What a CubeCart shop needs from its server
CubeCart is a lightweight PHP shopping cart that is still popular with small UK retailers. It is not demanding, but it is fussy about versions. Recent CubeCart 6 releases ask for PHP 7.4 or newer, with PHP 8.2 recommended, and a MySQL or MariaDB database.
- PHP extensions: GD for product images, cURL for payment gateways and shipping rates, mbstring, zip and OpenSSL
- A PHP memory_limit of at least 128M, and 256M if you have large catalogue imports
- Apache with mod_rewrite for search-friendly product URLs
- An SSL certificate on every page, not just checkout
On dijitul hosting each of these is set up before your shop goes live. You get your own Plesk login, so you can still see your files, database and logs.
Old CubeCart 4 and CubeCart 5 shops
Plenty of UK shops are still running versions of CubeCart that were released more than ten years ago. They usually come to us because their host has switched off old PHP and the shop has gone blank or thrown a fatal error.
- CubeCart 4 shipped with files encoded by the ionCube Encoder. Those files only run on the PHP 5 versions they were encoded for, with the matching ionCube Loader.
- CubeCart 5 is open code but relies on functions removed in PHP 7, such as the old mysql_ extension and create_function.
- Early CubeCart 6 builds, up to about 6.2, were written for PHP 5.6 and break in small ways on PHP 8.
Where it can be done safely, we get the shop trading again first, then plan the move to current CubeCart 6. That order matters: you keep taking orders while the upgrade is tested on a copy. See our legacy PHP hosting and website rescue pages for how we approach this.
Payments, PCI and Strong Customer Authentication
The most common reason an old CubeCart shop stops taking money is the payment module, not the server. UK card payments have needed 3D Secure 2 under Strong Customer Authentication since 2022, and gateways regularly retire old integration methods and older TLS versions.
- Use a gateway module that redirects to, or embeds, the provider's hosted payment page. Card numbers then never touch your server, which normally keeps you on the short PCI self-assessment form (SAQ A).
- Check your gateway module is the current one from CubeCart's extension store, not a copy from years ago.
- Keep admin access locked down: a strong password, a renamed admin file and two-factor login where your version supports it.
We can't sign your PCI questionnaire for you, but we can tell you plainly what is on the server and how it is set up.
Keeping CubeCart quick
CubeCart pages are rendered by Smarty templates and are cached on disk. A few simple changes make a noticeable difference:
- Run the newest PHP your version supports. CubeCart 6 is much faster on PHP 8 than it was on PHP 5.6.
- Leave CubeCart's own cache switched on, and clear it after changing skins rather than switching it off.
- Resize product photos before upload. Huge camera images are the usual cause of slow category pages.
- Put the domain behind Cloudflare DNS so static images and CSS are served quickly.
How dijitul moves and looks after your CubeCart shop
We copy your files and database from your current host, check the store config, fix paths and test checkout on a temporary address before the domain is switched. You do not need to touch FTP or phpMyAdmin.
After that, the shop sits on our managed Plesk server with daily backups, free SSL certificates and server updates handled for you. If something breaks after a CubeCart update, you phone a real person in the UK on 01623 650333. Everything is part of dijitul Complete Hosting at £1 a day + VAT, and you can order online.
Frequently asked questions
Who can host an old CubeCart shop in the UK?
dijitul, a UK company trading since 2006, hosts old CubeCart shops on managed Plesk hosting for £1 a day + VAT. We move the shop for you, get older CubeCart 4, 5 and early 6 stores working where it is safe to do so, then help you plan an upgrade to the current CubeCart 6 release.
What PHP version does CubeCart 6 need?
Recent CubeCart 6 releases need at least PHP 7.4, and CubeCart recommends PHP 8.2. Earlier 6.x versions were written for PHP 5.6 to 7.x. If you are not sure which version you have, it is shown in your CubeCart admin dashboard, and dijitul can check it for you during migration.
Why has my CubeCart shop stopped working after my host upgraded PHP?
Older CubeCart versions use PHP functions that were removed in PHP 7 and PHP 8, and CubeCart 4 also needs an ionCube Loader that only exists for old PHP 5 versions. When a host moves everyone to newer PHP, these shops show a blank page or fatal error. The fix is a suitable PHP version short term, then an upgrade.
Does CubeCart need ionCube?
Current CubeCart 6 does not need ionCube. CubeCart 4 did, because parts of it were encoded with the ionCube Encoder. Some paid CubeCart extensions from third parties may still be encoded, so check your plugins before moving host. dijitul checks this as part of migrating your shop.
Can I upgrade CubeCart 5 to CubeCart 6?
Yes. CubeCart 6 includes an upgrade routine from version 5, and the CubeCart team recommend upgrading rather than patching version 5 for PHP 7. Your skin and any third-party plugins usually need replacing or updating. Always do it on a copy of the shop first, with a full backup.
How much does CubeCart hosting cost with dijitul?
dijitul Complete Hosting is £1 a day + VAT, which is £365 a year + VAT. It includes managed hosting, Plesk access, Cloudflare DNS, daily backups, free SSL, one domain registration or renewal a year and moving your CubeCart shop from your current host.
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