ExpressionEngine
ExpressionEngine is an open source content management system for storing, organizing, and publishing website content.
What ExpressionEngine is
ExpressionEngine is an open source content management system for storing, organizing, and publishing website content. Its flexible channels and fields support custom content types, editorial workflows, multilingual content, SEO tools, and a media library. Editors can update pages from the site’s front end, while administrators can also bring the control panel there. Templates can include HTML, JavaScript, PHP, and ExpressionEngine tags, and the system provides more than 20 field types. One installation can manage multiple sites and share design, content, and members; each additional MSM site needs an additional MSM Pro License. The free Core plan allows one control panel user. Pro costs 249.00 USD once and includes unlimited control panel users and one year of updates. Renewal options include a $49 a year subscription for continued updates. ExpressionEngine is available for web, self-hosted, and API use, with community add-ons extending its capabilities. Learning resources include documentation, forums, and ExpressionEngine University.
Good
- Free Core plan includes unlimited features.
- Supports multilingual content and editorial workflows.
- Front-end editing is available to editors.
- One installation can manage multiple sites.
- Pro includes unlimited control panel users.
Watch out
- Core allows only one control panel user.
- Pro costs 249.00 USD once.
- Each additional MSM site needs another license.
Who it suits
ExpressionEngine suits site owners and teams that need a flexible CMS with editorial workflows, multilingual content, and custom content types. Its single-installation multi-site support may suit those managing several sites.
Verdict
ExpressionEngine combines flexible content management with front-end editing and multi-site support. The free Core plan is limited to one control panel user, while Pro costs 249.00 USD once and includes one year of updates.
Plans and prices
From ExpressionEngine's own pricing page, checked 28 Sep 2026.
| Plan | Price | What it gives you |
|---|---|---|
| Core | Free | Perfect for projects that only require control panel access for 1 user. · Unlimited Features · 1 Control Panel User |
| Pro | $249, paid once | Includes one year of updates; additional updates start at $49/year. · Unlimited Features · Unlimited Control Panel Users · Includes one year of updates. Additional updates start at $49/year. |
| Pro Renewal Subscription | $49 a year | Continued updates each year; automatic renewal; discounted price. · Continued updates each year · Automatic renewal · Discounted Price |
| Pro Renewal | $59, paid once | Provides 1 year of updates. · 1 year of updates · billed annually |
| Additional MSM Site | $49, paid once | Includes one year of updates; additional updates start at $39/year. · Unlimited Features · Unlimited Control Panel Users · Includes one year of updates. Additional updates start at $39/year. |
| MSM Pro Renewal Subscription | $39 a year | Continued updates each year; automatic renewal; discounted price. · Continued updates each year · Automatic renewal · Discounted Price |
| MSM Pro Renewal | $49, paid once | Provides 1 year of updates. · 1 year of updates · billed annually |
| MSM Pro Renewal | $49 a year | 1 year of updates |
| Pro Renewal | $59 a year | 1 year of updates |
| MSM Pro License Renewal | $49 a year | Provides 1 year of updates. · billed annually at $49 |
The facts
Each one read from ExpressionEngine's own pages, with the date it was checked.
What it does
- API
- ExpressionEngine's legacy API libraries support operations including managing templates and channels and creating, editing, and deleting channel entries.checked 28 Sep 2026
- Community Channels
- The community connects through Slack, forums, and GitHub.checked 28 Sep 2026
- Content Management
- It stores, manages, and publishes website content.checked 28 Sep 2026
- Content model
- Content is stored in flexible channels with fields that can be served anywhere on a site.checked 28 Sep 2026
- Core user limit
- The Core edition is intended for projects requiring control panel access for one user.checked 28 Sep 2026
- Custom content types
- Yeschecked 22 Sep 2026
- Custom user roles
- Yeschecked 22 Sep 2026
- Developer Add-Ons
- A developer community creates add-ons that extend system capabilities.checked 28 Sep 2026
- Editorial workflows
- Yeschecked 22 Sep 2026
- Email integrations
- Its built-in email system supports PHPMail, Sendmail, and SMTP.checked 28 Sep 2026
- Expiry Behavior
- An expired subscription shows a control-panel warning but does not take the site down.checked 28 Sep 2026
- Extensibility
- A community add-on ecosystem extends ExpressionEngine's capabilities.checked 28 Sep 2026
- Field types
- ExpressionEngine provides more than 20 field types.checked 28 Sep 2026
- Front-end editing
- Editors can update content directly on the front end without using the control panel.checked 28 Sep 2026
- Front End Editing
- Administrators can bring the control panel to the front end of any site.checked 28 Sep 2026
- Included Updates
- The Pro license includes one year of updates.checked 28 Sep 2026
- Learning Resources
- Documentation, forums, and ExpressionEngine University provide learning resources.checked 28 Sep 2026
- License Currency
- Prices are listed in USD.checked 28 Sep 2026
- Long-term support
- ExpressionEngine 7 is listed as an LTS version with ongoing bug-fix and security-fix support dates not yet specified on the version-support table.checked 28 Sep 2026
- Media library
- Yeschecked 22 Sep 2026
- Monitoring integration
- ExpressionEngine supports deep application monitoring with New Relic out of the box.checked 28 Sep 2026
The company
- Company Owner
- Packet Tide owns and develops ExpressionEngine.checked 28 Sep 2026
Money
- Free plan
- Yeschecked 22 Sep 2026
- Free Tier Limit
- The free Core plan is limited to control panel access for 1 user.checked 28 Sep 2026
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