Blesta 6.0 is here!
This is the biggest release in the history of Blesta — tens of thousands of lines of new code, an entirely new admin interface we call Paradigm with dark mode designed in from the start, Blesta AI woven throughout the platform, near real-time notifications, a brand-new revenue analytics dashboard, and cryptographically signed one-click upgrades. Our team has been heads-down on this release practically around the clock since late last year, and we could not be more excited to put it in your hands. It’s available to download and upgrade right now.
SHA256 Sum
ALWAYS BACKUP YOUR FILES + DATABASE PRIOR TO UPGRADING. This is a major release — backups matter more than ever. Don’t forget to run /admin/upgrade in your browser or via CLI. If you need assistance upgrading, we can perform the upgrade for $45, just open a ticket from your account.
See the documentation for details on how to install or upgrade.
Paradigm: The All-New Admin UI
The admin panel has been rebuilt from the ground up on Bootstrap 5. We call it Paradigm. Dark mode isn’t a retrofit — it’s designed in across every page, every widget, and every plugin, and light and dark are one click apart.
Navigation has moved to the left, giving you more room to work. The new icon bar supports drag-and-drop reordering, any Bootstrap icon, and custom links — set it up the way you work and you may rarely touch the main nav at all. Contextual side panels adapt to what you’re doing, settings are searchable and filter in real time as you type, and the dashboard has been completely redesigned, including a new automation task execution timeline.
The client profile got the same treatment. Press Ctrl+K to jump to any client instantly, use Quick Jump to skip to the section you need, and pin notes right on the profile. Configurable options have been reworked too — drag and drop to reorder, filter by keyword, upload images on option values, and copy and paste options between groups. What used to take minutes now takes seconds.
If you missed our previews along the way, catch up with the Paradigm announcement, the admin preview walkthrough, and the AI features preview.
Blesta AI
Blesta 6 introduces Blesta AI — an optional layer of intelligence across the whole platform, powered by the latest leading models.
Where it really shines is the Support Manager. Blesta AI reads tickets shortly after they arrive and, based on a confidence threshold you control, either drafts a reply for staff to review or sends it automatically. It can adjust priority, assign staff, and even close a ticket when the client confirms the issue is resolved. Start conservative, tune your rules — written in plain English — and loosen the reins when you’re ready. Common questions get answered around the clock while your staff focus on the hard ones.
AI helps with content, too. Generate package descriptions and HTML email templates by describing what you want. And the new admin chatbot, right in the icon bar, has dedicated modes to write SQL for custom reports, ready-to-use API calls in curl or PHP, and module or plugin scaffolding for developers.
Blesta AI is entirely optional, controlled by staff group, and configured with an explicit disclaimer and confirmation when you turn it on. It’s available as a subscription — request an API key directly from your account, with plans starting at just a few dollars a month. (If you had a temporary beta key, it has been retired — grab your new key from your account.)
A Faster Support Workflow
Beyond AI, the Support Manager itself is faster to work in. The ticket listing has a new filter sidebar — department, status, priority, assigned staff. The ticket view puts details in a left sidebar so the reply box sits right at the top: see the conversation, start typing. Long reply? Summarize it in one click. And Ctrl+Shift+R opens your predefined responses without touching the mouse.
Real-Time Notifications
A brand new notification system surfaces orders, support tickets, and other events in near real time — no page refreshes required. Your team stays in sync, and plugin developers can wire their own events into the same system.
Revenue Dashboard
Here’s one that never appeared in a beta announcement — we quietly slipped it in after Beta 4. Blesta 6 adds a revenue analytics dashboard under Billing > Reports. MRR, ARR, ARPU, lifetime value, and churn are computed from nightly snapshots — no more exporting to a spreadsheet. There’s an MRR movements waterfall showing new, expansion, contraction, and churned revenue, a cohort retention grid, and renewal revenue projected twelve months ahead. It’s multi-currency aware, with one click to consolidate everything into your default currency. The classic reports live on under Exports.
Under the Hood
- Signed upgrades — releases are now cryptographically signed and verified with public/private keys during upgrade.
- One-click upgrades — initiate CLI upgrades right inside Blesta under Settings > System > Upgrade Options.
- utf8mb4 is now the default collation, with conversion handled during upgrade.
- Redis caching is available as an option for performance in dedicated environments.
- System integrity check — a new utility verifies your installation, plus a one-shot utility to clear all file caches.
- jQuery removed — the entire admin JavaScript is now vanilla JS. If your custom extensions rely on jQuery, you can turn it back on in the settings.
- File logs are accessible under Tools > Logs, and CKEditor has been upgraded with the HTML source option back.
And More Favorites
- Embeddable domain search — copy domain search markup from your order form settings and drop it into any external website.
- Package search when adding a service, plus service search by ID.
- New PolarisMail module — sell and provision PolarisMail email hosting from Blesta.
- Encrypted client notes and a new “Same Day” suspension option.
- Email template version history with one-click restore — a botched edit is a click away from fixed.
- Step-up authentication refinements, with extendable sessions and a visual timer badge.
- Bulk domain sync queuing, SVG extension logos, dashboard sidebar controls, Billing > Transactions performance improvements, and a long list of fixes and refinements from four rounds of beta feedback.
For Developers
Every official extension has been converted to Paradigm, and plugins can declare their own navigation icons so the icon bar feels native no matter what you have installed. The new Example Objects Library generates realistic sample data for building modules and plugins — no more cobbling together fixtures — with an interface for example data built right in. Composer has moved to v2, and we’ve worked through deprecation remediation for PHP 8.2 through 8.4 in the core.
If you maintain a third-party or custom extension, now is the time to update it for Bootstrap 5 and Paradigm, and to make sure it doesn’t depend on jQuery (or document that the jQuery setting should be enabled). See the release notes for everything.
See our Beta 1 announcement for more background on this release.
Upgrading? Migrating? We Can Help
If you’d like to hire us to upgrade your installation, open a ticket from your account. Planning to migrate to Blesta from another billing platform? We’d love to help. We’re also available to build any integration you need — module, gateway, or plugin.
Is there something you want to see in a future release? Submit a feature request or upvote an existing one!
Sponsored Development
A big shout out to the following company for sponsoring development in this release. Show them some love.
Sponsored development is a good way to support Blesta and get a shout out for your company! Interested? Reach out and say hello.
Stay Connected!
Like our Facebook page, join our Facebook group and Subreddit, follow us on Twitter, and join us in Discord — we hang out and answer questions just about every Friday at 10 AM Pacific. Stop by and say hello.
Thank you to everyone who participated in the beta, reported issues, and helped make this release what it is. Enjoy Blesta 6!