ESX Legacy Guide 2026: Is It Still Worth Using?

ESX is the original FiveM roleplay framework, and despite newer alternatives, it remains one of the most widely used frameworks in 2026. Thousands of servers still run ESX, and its massive script library means you can find a resource for virtually anything. This guide explains ESX's current state, when to use it, and how to get the most out of it.

ESX in 2026: Still Relevant?

Yes, but with caveats. ESX (specifically ESX Legacy, the maintained fork) is stable, well-documented, and has the largest script ecosystem of any FiveM framework. However, it's no longer the recommended choice for new servers.

Here's the honest assessment:

Strength	Weakness
Largest script library available	Older architecture compared to QBCore/QBOX
Stable and battle-tested	Performance lags behind modern frameworks
Extensive documentation	Some community resources are outdated/unmaintained
Many experienced developers	New developer attention shifting to QBCore/QBOX
Easy to find help and tutorials	Legacy patterns can encourage bad practices

For a detailed technical comparison, see ESX vs QBCore vs QBOX.

ESX Legacy vs Old ESX

If you're running ESX, make sure it's ESX Legacy (the actively maintained version). Old ESX versions (1.x, 2.x) have known security vulnerabilities and performance issues. The ESX Legacy source code and latest releases are available on the official ESX Legacy GitHub.

ESX Legacy improvements over old ESX:

Significantly better performance
Modern ox_lib integration support
ox_inventory compatibility (replaces the weak default inventory)
Improved security and exploit prevention
Active maintenance and bug fixes
Better documentation

If you're on old ESX, upgrading to Legacy should be your first priority.

ESX Legacy Changelog Highlights (2024-2026)

ESX Legacy has not stood still. Key improvements shipped over the past two years include:

ox_lib as default UI provider: ESX Legacy now ships with ox_lib integration for notifications and menus, replacing the dated legacy UI components. Servers on the old notification system should migrate.
oxmysql default: The switch from mysql-async to oxmysql reduced database query overhead significantly. If you're still on mysql-async, update your server.cfg and database handler.
Improved player loading: Player data load times on join were optimized, reducing the "loading screen stuck at 100%" issue that plagued older ESX versions.
Job grade system refactor: Job grades are now handled more efficiently server-side, reducing the sync overhead when players change grades.
Exploit patches: Multiple client-side exploits related to item duplication and money manipulation were patched. Servers on old ESX versions remain vulnerable.
Module system: ESX Legacy moved to a modular architecture, letting servers disable unused features (society, billing, etc.) to reduce overhead.

Community Size and Ecosystem

Understanding the community around each framework helps set expectations for long-term support:

Metric	ESX Legacy	QBCore	QBOX
GitHub Stars	~3,500+	~4,000+	~1,500+
Active Servers (est.)	Thousands	Thousands	Hundreds (growing)
Free Scripts Available	Largest library	Large library	Growing rapidly
Forum Activity (cfx.re)	Very high	Very high	High
New Scripts Targeting It First	Declining	Moderate	Increasing

ESX's library advantage is real but narrowing. QBCore and QBOX receive most new paid script support first, with ESX support added later -- or not at all for newer resources.

Best Scripts for ESX Servers

Essential Upgrades

These scripts modernize an ESX server significantly:

Replace This	With This	Why
Default ESX inventory	ox_inventory	Performance, features, metadata support
ESX menus	ox_lib	Modern UI, better UX, consistent design
esx_doorlock	ox_doorlock	Better performance, more features
No targeting system	ox_target	Modern interaction system
mysql-async	oxmysql	Faster queries, promise support

These replacements work natively with ESX and bring your server closer to modern standards without switching frameworks.

Popular ESX Scripts by Category

Jobs:

esx_ambulancejob / wasabi-ambulancejob (EMS)
esx_policejob (police basics, upgrade with dedicated police scripts)
esx_mechanicjob / jg-mechanic
Full job script guide

Economy:

esx_banking / okokBanking
esx_shops (basic) or custom shop systems
See economy balancing

Housing:

esx_property (basic)
bcs-housing or qs-housing (premium)

Vehicles:

jg-advancedgarages (garage)
qs-vehicleshop (dealership)
lation-fuel (fuel)

ESX Security Considerations

Security is one of the most frequently overlooked aspects of ESX server management. Because ESX has been around longer, more exploits are publicly known -- and more players know how to use them.

Common ESX Attack Vectors

Client-side money manipulation: Old ESX versions allowed clients to trigger server-side money events without validation. ESX Legacy patched most of these, but custom scripts can reintroduce the vulnerability if they trust client-sent amounts.
Item duplication: Race conditions in item transfer logic can allow duplication. Always use database-level locks or transactions for item transfers.
Unauthorized job changes: Scripts that allow job changes without proper server-side validation can be exploited to set a player's job to any value, including admin jobs.
SQL injection via poor escaping: Older community scripts often built SQL queries by string concatenation. Use parameterized queries with oxmysql exclusively.

Security Hardening Steps

Never trust the client: All item additions, money transfers, and job changes must be server-authoritative. The client requests; the server validates and executes.
Audit your scripts: Review every custom script for client events that modify player data directly. These are your attack surface.
Use ESX Legacy's built-in anti-cheat hooks: ESX Legacy provides server-side validation events. Connect your scripts to these instead of rolling your own.
Rate-limit sensitive events: Add cooldowns to any event that touches money, items, or permissions. Rapid-fire event spam is a common exploit technique.
Enable server logging: Log all money transactions and item movements to a database table. When an exploit happens, you need an audit trail to reverse damage.

ESX Migration Case Study

A mid-sized ESX server (average 40 concurrent players) migrated from ESX to ESX Legacy + OX ecosystem over a single weekend. Here's what the process looked like:

Day 1 (Friday evening): Backed up the full database. Replaced the framework files with ESX Legacy. Started the server, confirmed basic functionality. Identified 3 scripts that broke due to deprecated API calls -- patched them.

Day 2 (Saturday): Installed ox_lib, ox_inventory, ox_target. Migrated the MySQL handler from mysql-async to oxmysql. Ran the ox_inventory SQL migration. Wrote a conversion script to move player inventory data from the old schema to ox_inventory's schema.

Day 3 (Sunday): Full player testing session with 10 trusted regulars. Found and fixed 2 item stack issues and 1 stash loading bug. Opened to full population Sunday evening.

Result: Server ms dropped from an average of 4.2ms to 1.8ms. Player complaints about inventory lag dropped to zero. Zero data loss. Total downtime: 6 hours.

The key to success: doing the inventory migration with a proper conversion script rather than wiping inventories. Players kept everything they owned.

Should You Stay on ESX or Migrate?

Stay on ESX if:

Your server is established and running well
You have heavily customized ESX scripts
Your development team knows ESX deeply
Players are happy with the current experience
You've upgraded to ESX Legacy + OX ecosystem

Consider migrating if:

You're starting a new server (choose QBOX or QBCore)
Performance is a persistent issue
You frequently encounter script compatibility problems
You want access to the latest scripts (many now target QBCore/QBOX first)
Your development team is comfortable with the migration effort

Migration Options

ESX to QBCore: Significant effort. Database schema changes, script replacements, player data migration. Allow 2-4 weeks for a full migration.

ESX to QBOX: Same effort as ESX to QBCore, plus QBOX-specific adjustments. Consider going directly to QBOX if you're going to migrate anyway.

For script conversion guidance, see our framework conversion guide.

Optimizing ESX Performance

If you're staying on ESX, these optimizations help significantly:

Use ESX Legacy: Not old ESX. This alone improves performance 20-40%.
Replace the default inventory: ESX's built-in inventory is the single biggest performance bottleneck. Switch to ox_inventory.
Add ox_lib: Replaces legacy ESX UI components with faster, modern alternatives.
Audit your scripts: Use resmon to identify resource hogs. ESX servers often accumulate poorly optimized scripts over time.
Clean your database: ESX databases tend to bloat. Regular cleanup of old player data, stale inventories, and orphaned records helps.
Optimize MySQL: ESX makes heavy database calls. Use oxmysql instead of mysql-async for better performance.

For comprehensive optimization, see our server optimization guide.

FAQ

Is ESX dying?

No. ESX Legacy is actively maintained and thousands of servers use it. However, the momentum in new development is clearly with QBCore and QBOX. ESX isn't going anywhere, but fewer new scripts target it first.

Can I use QBCore scripts on ESX?

Not directly. They use different APIs. Some scripts support both frameworks, and bridge resources exist, but native compatibility is limited. Check script documentation for ESX support.

What's the easiest way to modernize my ESX server?

Three steps: (1) Upgrade to ESX Legacy if you haven't, (2) install ox_lib + ox_inventory + ox_target, (3) replace your weakest scripts with modern alternatives. This gets you 80% of the benefit without a full framework migration.

Is ESX good for beginners?

ESX has the most tutorials and documentation, which helps beginners. However, QBCore is now equally well-documented and has better defaults. For a brand new server in 2026, QBCore or QBOX are better starting points.

How does ESX handle multiple character slots?

ESX Legacy supports multi-character via community resources like esx_multicharacter. Each character has its own job, money, and inventory. The implementation quality varies by the multichar script used -- some are significantly better than others. This is an area where QBCore and QBOX have more polished native solutions.

Explore our complete scripts guide for more ESX-compatible resources, or browse the marketplace.