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Oxrion, ionCube and SourceGuardian
Oxrion protects PHP with a different model: a free app for your whole workflow, an encoder that keeps nothing, and licensing built in. Here is how it compares with the two best-known PHP encoders — and how to tell which fits your situation.
| Oxrion | ionCube | SourceGuardian | |
|---|---|---|---|
| How you pay | Free plan (20 files a month), then from $5/month; extra files with credits | One-time purchase, from $249, with no mandatory renewals | One-time purchase, $249, including a year of support |
| Where code is encoded | Oxrion's encoder service: only the PHP files you select are sent, protected in memory and returned — nothing is stored | On your own machine | On your own machine |
| Encoder runs on | Windows, macOS and Linux | Windows, macOS, Linux and FreeBSD | Windows, macOS and Linux |
| PHP versions | PHP 8.1 through 8.5 | Encodes up to PHP 8.4 syntax; files run up to PHP 8.5 | Up to PHP 8.5 (version 17) |
| Loader platforms | Linux and Windows | A wide range of platforms | Windows, Linux, macOS and FreeBSD |
| Loader preinstalled at hosts | Not yet — a hosting partner program is in development | Yes, with many popular web hosts | — |
| Licensing in the entry option | License option in every paid plan; issuing licenses is free and unlimited | Pro and Cerberus editions (not Basic) | Included |
| What a license can lock to | A host (domain, localhost or IP), with an optional expiry | Domain, IP and time (Pro); MAC address (Cerberus) | Domain, IP, MAC address, machine ID and date |
| Key that must be on the server | Server lock: an external key in the server's environment, part of decryption | External keys offered | — |
| License records & delivery | Built in: License History, emailing licenses through your own SMTP account, webhooks | Online Licensing available as a paid add-on (Pro, Cerberus) | License generator (GUI and command line) |
| Getting your source back | Optional Recovery: restore the original source offline with your own key | — | — |
ionCube and SourceGuardian details are taken from each vendor's own pages, checked October 2026: ionCube PHP Encoder · ionCube editions · SourceGuardian features · SourceGuardian purchasing FAQ . "—" means we couldn't find it on those pages, not that it doesn't exist. ionCube and SourceGuardian are trademarks of their respective owners. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.
Where Oxrion is different
- One file for every PHP version. A protected file runs on PHP 8.1–8.5 — your customers can upgrade PHP without new files from you.
- Licensing is the whole workflow, not a file generator. Sign per-host licenses, keep a searchable record, renew, email them to customers and notify your own system by webhook — in the same free app.
- Start free, pay monthly. No upfront licence: a free plan to try it on real code, then a few dollars a month for the files you protect.
- Your source is never a hostage. With Recovery on, you can restore the original source offline with your own key.
- Nothing to crack on your machine. The encoder isn't installed anywhere you ship; the free Desktop app only sends the files you choose.
Is Oxrion right for you?
- Where your customers host. Protected code needs the Oxrion loader on the server. On a VPS or dedicated server it installs with one command; on shared hosting, the host adds it — check with them first.
- Whether code may leave your machine. Oxrion protects on its encoder service and keeps nothing. If your policy forbids sending code anywhere, choose a tool that encodes locally.
- Which servers and locks you need. The loader runs on Linux and Windows; licenses lock to a host, and Server lock to a key on the server. If you need other platforms or hardware locks such as MAC addresses, check those first.
Questions
- Is Oxrion a drop-in replacement for ionCube or SourceGuardian?
- No. Each product has its own file format and its own loader. To switch, protect your original source with Oxrion and install the free Oxrion loader on the servers that run it. Files you encoded with ionCube or SourceGuardian keep needing their own loader.
- Why does Oxrion encode on a server instead of my machine?
- So that nothing that does the protecting ships to anyone — there's no encoder on your machine to crack or license, and updates reach everyone at once. Only the PHP files you select are sent, over an encrypted connection; they're protected in memory and nothing is stored. If your policy forbids code leaving your machine at all, a local encoder is the better fit.
- Is Oxrion right for my project?
- Oxrion fits when you sell or deliver PHP to customers' servers and want licensing, license records and delivery in one free app, a free plan to start, a low monthly price instead of an upfront licence, one file for every supported PHP version, and a way to recover your own source. Check first if your customers are on shared hosting (the host has to add the loader), if your code may never leave your machine, or if you need servers other than Linux and Windows.
Try Oxrion on the free plan
20 files a month, the same encryption as paid plans. No credit card.