Migrate From Kentico 13 to Xperience By Kentico

Xperience by Kentico isn't just a version upgrade

It's a complete reimagining of what a digital experience platform should be.

Released in 2023, it represents Kentico's modern, cloud-native approach to content management and digital marketing. The platform was built from scratch on .NET 8+, embracing modern development practices and a headless-first architecture.

Modern Technology Stack

The platform runs entirely on .NET 8 and higher. That means better performance, improved security, and access to the latest framework features. Unlike Kentico 13, which supported both .NET Framework 4.8 and .NET Core, Xperience by Kentico commits fully to modern .NET.

Developers can use React for modern frontend experiences. The platform supports GraphQL alongside REST APIs, making content delivery faster and more flexible. This isn't just technical jargon—it means your website loads faster and delivers better user experiences.

Hybrid Headless Architecture

Xperience by Kentico takes a hybrid approach. You can build traditional websites, headless applications, or a mix of both. The Content Hub serves as a centralized location where you create, manage, and distribute content across multiple channels.

Need to push content to a mobile app? Done.
Want to deliver personalized experiences on your website? Easy.

This flexibility matters because digital experiences happen everywhere now, not just on websites.

Built-In Marketing Tools

Marketing automation comes standard. You can create customer journeys, automate email campaigns, and personalize content without juggling multiple tools. The platform includes AI-powered insights that help you understand what's working and what isn't.

For marketers, this means less time wrestling with technology and more time focusing on strategy.

Cloud-Native Design

The platform was designed for the cloud from day one. You can choose fully managed SaaS hosting on Kentico's infrastructure, or deploy it in your own cloud environment. Either way, you get better scalability, improved security, and easier updates.

Cloud-native also means better DevOps integration. Modern CI/CD pipelines work seamlessly with the platform. That translates to faster deployments and fewer errors.

Future-Proof Investment

Technology moves fast.
Xperience by Kentico positions your business to adapt. The composable architecture means you can integrate new tools as your needs evolve. Monthly refresh releases keep you current with the latest features. And the subscription model ensures you're always on a supported version.

This matters more than most people realize. Platforms become obsolete when they can't keep pace with change. Xperience by Kentico was built specifically to avoid that problem.

Understanding what changes helps you plan better

Here's a detailed comparison of the two platforms:

The differences run deep

Kentico 13 follows a traditional, all-in-one approach. Everything runs together in a monolithic system. Xperience by Kentico separates concerns, making each component more flexible and maintainable.

Let's be precise about the timeline. According to Kentico's official support lifecycle policy, here's exactly what happens:

January 1, 2026 through December 31, 2026:

• Technical support continues via remote communication
• Only security hotfixes will be released
• No bug fixes, patches, enhancements, or feature updates
• This is your last year of any official support

January 1, 2027 and beyond:

• All support, maintenance, and updates cease completely
• No security repairs of any kind
• No hotfixes or patches
• You assume full liability for all incidents
• Kentico accepts no responsibility for damages or losses

The company has been direct about this. After December 31, 2026, you're operating unsupported software at your own risk. This includes liability for security incidents, data breaches, compliance violations, and business interruptions.

One year of security-only support might seem like enough cushion.
It's not.

Major migrations typically take 6 to 12 months when done properly. That includes planning, technical preparation, execution, testing, and go-live. If you haven't started planning yet, you're already behind.

Waiting carries real costs

Here's why starting your migration sooner rather than later makes business sense:

Security Vulnerabilities Keep Growing

Software vulnerabilities don't stop appearing just because support ends. They actually become more attractive to attackers. Why? Because hackers know unsupported systems won't get patched. Every month you delay increases your exposure.

Data breaches cost millions. According to industry research, the average cost includes investigation, remediation, legal fees, regulatory fines, and reputation damage. Running known-vulnerable software after support ends makes you liable for all of it.

Migration Takes Longer Than You Think

A proper migration isn't a weekend project. You need to inventory content, assess customizations, test integrations, and train your team. Rushing this process leads to problems: broken features, lost data, poor user experiences.

Companies that start early can migrate methodically. They test thoroughly, iterate on problems, and launch confidently. Those who wait until 2026 will be scrambling, taking shortcuts, and accepting compromises.

Resources Become Scarce

Think about how many Kentico 13 users face the same deadline. As 2026 approaches, demand for migration expertise will spike. Kentico partners, developers with platform experience, and hosting resources will all be in high demand.

Starting now means you get first choice of resources. You can negotiate better terms, secure experienced teams, and avoid the rush.

Business Disruption Increases

Last-minute migrations create chaos. Teams work long hours. Budgets get blown. Things break. Customer experiences suffer. All because there wasn't enough time to do it right.

Early migration lets you schedule the work during slower periods. You can coordinate with other business initiatives. And you have time to solve problems without creating emergencies.

You Might Discover Complications

Many organizations don't realize how customized their Kentico 13 implementation has become. Custom modules, third-party integrations, complex workflows—these all need evaluation during migration. Discovering issues early gives you time to address them properly.

Discovering them a month before the deadline? That's when projects go off the rails.

The Business Case Gets Stronger

Every month you run Kentico 13, you're maintaining legacy infrastructure. You're supporting older code. You're missing out on the performance improvements, marketing tools, and development efficiency that Xperience by Kentico provides.

Early migration means you start realizing benefits sooner. Faster websites. Better conversion rates. More efficient marketing. These improvements compound over time.

The bottom line is simple: the cost of waiting exceeds the cost of acting now.

A successful migration follows a structured approach. Based on Kentico's official upgrade guidance and industry best practices, here's the proven five-phase process:

Phase 1: Planning and Strategy

Start with the big picture. Define exactly why you're migrating and what success looks like. Set clear KPIs so you can measure results. Will you migrate everything at once, or take a phased approach?

Inventory your current website thoroughly. What content needs to move? What can be archived or removed? Which customizations are still necessary?

Review Kentico's upgrade documentation and migration guides. Understand what features work differently in Xperience by Kentico. The Migration Toolkit can automate structured content and data migration, saving significant time.

Get buy-in from stakeholders. IT, marketing, and leadership all need to align on timeline, budget, and goals. Without this alignment, projects stall.

Set realistic timelines with clear milestones. Most migrations take 6 to 12 months depending on complexity.

Consider whether Xperience by Kentico SaaS makes sense for your organization. The fully managed option removes infrastructure headaches.

Phase 2: Technical Preparation

Now get your environment ready. Create a complete copy of your production environment for testing. Never attempt migration directly on live systems. Set up a proper staging environment where you can test, break things, and learn.

Audit all third-party integrations. Which ones still work? Which need updates? Are there APIs that have changed or been deprecated?

Check custom code carefully. Xperience by Kentico uses modern .NET practices, so older code patterns may need refactoring. Identify project customizations that are now handled natively by the new platform—you might not need them anymore.

Document everything. Your future self will thank you.

Phase 3: Upgrade Execution

This is where the actual work happens. Use Kentico's automated upgrade tools and Migration Toolkit. These handle the heavy lifting of content and data migration. Don't try to do this manually—it's error-prone and time-consuming.

Let your application developers test and iterate on the upgrade process. They'll discover issues, work through solutions, and document the approach.

Ensure all workflows, forms, and templates function as expected. What worked in Kentico 13 might need adjustment in Xperience by Kentico because the platforms handle certain features differently.

This phase typically involves multiple iterations. Expect to run the migration several times in your test environment before getting it right.

Phase 4: Testing and Optimization

Quality assurance matters. Conduct thorough testing for broken links, UI issues, and load speed. Check every important user journey. Test forms, search functionality, and personalization features.

Pay special attention to SEO. Ensure all redirects work properly so you don't lose search rankings. This is where many migrations go wrong—they neglect the SEO impact and watch organic traffic drop.

Train your teams on the new interface and workflows. Xperience by Kentico has a modernized administration interface that works differently from Kentico 13. Give people time to learn.

Keep your Xperience by Kentico instance up to date during this process. The platform receives monthly refresh releases with improvements and new features.

Load test your new environment. Make sure it performs well under real-world conditions.

Phase 5: Go-Live and Post-Launch Support

The final phase requires careful coordination. Perform a content freeze during the final migration. This prevents content changes in the old system that won't carry over. Communicate clearly with content editors about the cutover schedule.

Execute your launch plan. Monitor everything closely during the first few days. Have your team ready to respond quickly if issues arise.

Collect feedback from users—both internal teams and external customers. What's working? What's confusing? What needs adjustment?

Analyze performance data. Are load times where you expected? Is the user experience meeting goals?

Implement continuous improvements based on what you learn. Migration doesn't end at launch—it's the start of your journey with the new platform.

Take advantage of Xperience by Kentico's monthly refresh releases to access the latest features. Staying current is much easier than falling behind and having to catch up later.

Zenesys Solutions Inc brings deep expertise in Kentico platforms and enterprise CMS migrations. We've helped organizations successfully transition from legacy systems to modern digital experience platforms.

Our Migration Approach

We start with a thorough assessment of your current environment. What customizations exist? Which integrations need attention? What content governance challenges should we address during migration?

From there, we develop a detailed migration plan tailored to your specific needs. Not every organization should take the same approach. Your timeline, budget, risk tolerance, and business requirements all shape the strategy.

Our team handles the technical execution. We use Kentico's Migration Toolkit and proven processes to move content, migrate custom code, and update integrations. We test thoroughly before anything touches production.

Technical Expertise That Matters

Our developers understand both Kentico 13 and Xperience by Kentico deeply. That knowledge matters when you're dealing with features that work differently between platforms. We know where the common pitfalls are and how to avoid them.

We're proficient in modern .NET development, React, GraphQL, and the hybrid headless architecture that Xperience by Kentico uses. This technical depth ensures we can take full advantage of the platform's capabilities.

Beyond Migration: Optimization

Migration is an opportunity, not just a requirement. We help you rethink your digital presence during the transition. Should certain features work differently? Can we improve user experiences? Are there new marketing capabilities worth implementing?

We provide training for your teams so they can use Xperience by Kentico effectively. The platform has powerful features, but only if people know how to use them.

Post-launch, we offer ongoing support to ensure everything runs smoothly. Questions will come up. Adjustments will be needed. We're there to help.

Why Partner With Us

Kentico migrations done poorly create long-term problems. Rushed implementations miss opportunities. Technical shortcuts create technical debt.

We take the time to do it right. That means proper planning, thorough testing, and attention to details like SEO, performance, and user experience. We've seen what happens when migrations are done hastily—we make sure that doesn't happen to you.

Our goal is simple: get you running on Xperience by Kentico smoothly, efficiently, and positioned to take full advantage of the platform. Ready to start planning your migration? Let's talk.