THE SHORT ANSWER
Yes for most client sites, but not all at once. Move simple sites and sites you are actively changing first. Wait on sites that depend on third-party Divi modules without a Divi 5 version, and on stores in their busy season. Plan the whole portfolio in early 2027 and move it in batches.
Divi 5 has been out since 26 February 2026. Elegant Themes promised Divi 4 security and critical fixes for at least 12 months after that, so the guaranteed window runs into late February 2027. That doesn’t mean every Divi 4 site breaks in March. It does mean the clock is now part of every client conversation.
Agencies ask us the same question every week: do we move everything now, or wait? The honest answer is “it depends on the site”, so here is the guide we use to decide, site by site.
01Why moving in 2027 makes sense
- New features only ship in Divi 5: design variables, the new presets, flexbox and grid layouts, the Loop Builder and interactions.
- Divi 4 is on maintenance only. Security fixes are promised into early 2027, not forever.
- Native Divi 5 pages drop the Divi 4 framework, which is where the speed gains come from.
- Clients are starting to ask. It is easier to sell a planned upgrade than to explain a rushed one.
02Move now, plan, or wait
Sort every client site into one of three groups. This table is how we do it.
| Group | Typical site | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Move now | Brochure sites with only native Divi modules, or sites getting a redesign anyway | Migrate on staging this quarter |
| Plan it | Sites with a few third-party modules, heavy custom CSS or old presets | Scan, quote and schedule for Q1 2027 |
| Wait | Sites built on a module with no Divi 5 version, or stores in peak season | Check again each month and keep Divi 4 updated |
FROM OUR DESK
Most portfolios we see split roughly into thirds. The “move now” group is quick wins you can bill this month, and it gives your team practice before the harder sites.
03Signs a site should wait
- A key layout depends on a Divi 4 module whose developer hasn’t shipped a Divi 5 version yet.
- The site is a store and the move would land in its busiest weeks.
- Nobody has touched the site in years and the client won’t pay for testing.
- The hosting runs an old PHP version that needs upgrading first.
WAITING IS NOT DOING NOTHING
A site in the “wait” group still needs Divi 4, WordPress and every plugin kept up to date. Put it on a care plan so it stays safe while you wait for its modules to catch up.
04How to sell the upgrade to clients
Clients don’t buy “a new builder version”. They buy a faster site, fewer surprises and easier edits. Lead with those.
- Speed: show a before and after test on their most visited page.
- Safety: Divi 4 is on maintenance only, and you want them on the supported version.
- Control: design variables mean a color or font change happens once, not on 40 pages.
- Price: a fixed quote per site, done on staging, with their live site untouched until they approve.
Not sure which group a site is in?
Send us the URLs. We run the Divi 5 Migrator scan on staging and send a fixed quote in 24 hours.
05A simple plan for your portfolio
- List every Divi 4 client site, with its plugins and third-party Divi modules.
- Run the Divi 5 Migrator scan on a staging copy of each one.
- Sort them into move now, plan and wait.
- Quote the “move now” and “plan” groups, then schedule them in batches through Q1 2027.
- Recheck the “wait” group every month.
When a site is ready, work through our Divi 4 to Divi 5 migration checklist step by step.
06What drives the cost of a move
No two Divi sites cost the same to migrate. These five things decide the quote.
- The number of third-party Divi modules, and whether they have Divi 5 versions.
- How much custom CSS and JavaScript sits in modules and the child theme.
- Theme Builder templates, especially for posts, products and archives.
- WooCommerce, memberships or other dynamic features to retest.
- Whether presets are rebuilt as Divi 5 design variables or left as converted.
A brochure site built only with native modules is the cheapest move. A store with several add-on plugins is the most expensive, mostly because of testing. Our Divi 4 to Divi 5 migration service quotes each site after a Migrator scan.
07A timeline for a 20-site portfolio
| When | What happens |
|---|---|
| November | List every site, run Migrator scans on staging, sort into groups |
| November to December | Quote and move the “move now” group, avoiding stores in holiday season |
| January to February 2027 | Move the “plan it” group in batches of three to five sites |
| From March 2027 | Recheck the “wait” group monthly and move each site when its modules are ready |
FROM OUR DESK
Batches work better than one site at a time. The first site in a batch finds the problems, and the next ones go faster because the fixes are already known.
08What to tell clients
Keep the client email short and about them, not the software. Something like this works:
“Your site runs on Divi, which released a major new version this year. The old version gets security fixes until early 2027. We’d like to move your site on a staging copy, test it fully and show you a before and after speed result. Your live site stays untouched until you approve. The fixed price is in the attached quote.”
Then attach a quote and a date. Clients approve upgrades that come with a plan far more often than open-ended warnings.
09FAQ
Will Divi 4 sites stop working in 2027?
No. Sites keep working. What ends is the promise of security and critical fixes, which Elegant Themes guaranteed for at least 12 months after the 26 February 2026 Divi 5 launch. After that, staying on Divi 4 is a growing risk, not an instant break.
Is Divi 5 stable enough for client sites?
Yes for native modules and common setups. The weak spot is third-party Divi 4 modules, which run in backward compatibility mode until their developers ship a Divi 5 version.
Should I charge clients for the upgrade?
Yes. It takes testing and often rebuilding work. A fixed price per site, done on staging with a rollback plan, is easy for clients to say yes to.
Can I move a site to Divi 5 and still use old modules?
Yes, through backward compatibility mode. The page works, but it loads the Divi 4 framework and misses the speed gains until those modules are replaced.
Do I need a new license for Divi 5?
No. Divi 5 is included with an active Divi membership, the same as Divi 4.
What happens after February 2027?
Divi 4 sites keep running. Elegant Themes promised at least 12 months of security and critical fixes after the Divi 5 launch, so plan to have busy client sites moved before that window ends.
