Your FiveM framework is the foundation everything else builds on. Switching frameworks after launch means rewriting or replacing your entire script library. Get this decision right the first time.
ESX: The Incumbent
ESX (EssentialMode Extended) was the dominant FiveM RP framework from roughly 2018 - 2022. It has the largest volume of scripts written for it - thousands of resources exist in the ESX ecosystem. For a long time, choosing ESX meant inheriting years of community work.
2026 Status: ESX Legacy (the maintained fork) is still actively updated, but the community momentum has shifted. Many ESX script authors have migrated to QBCore. New resources are more likely to be QBCore-native.
QBCore: The Modern Standard
QBCore launched around 2020 and has become the dominant framework for new FiveM servers since 2022. Its architecture is cleaner:
- Item-based system natively - every inventory item is data-driven, no item registration headaches
- Better export system - Resources communicate through typed exports rather than shared globals
- Active development - Core team releases updates frequently; framework itself is production-quality code
2026 Status: QBCore is the default choice for new servers and where the active plugin/resource marketplace is growing fastest.
Script Ecosystem Comparison
| Category | ESX Scripts | QBCore Scripts |
|---|---|---|
| Jobs | Extensive (mature ecosystem) | Extensive (newer, often higher quality) |
| Inventory | Multiple options, some outdated | ox_inventory is standard |
| Vehicles | Well-served | Well-served |
| Banking | Mature options | Modern options |
| Housing | Multiple options | Multiple options |
| Total active resources | ~3,000+ | ~2,000+, growing faster |
Migration Considerations
If you are already running ESX with custom scripts, stay on ESX. Migration is not worth the disruption unless you are restarting from scratch.
If you are starting from zero in 2026, start with QBCore. The modern architecture and active ecosystem provide better long-term foundations.
QBox: The Newer Option Built on the ox Stack
A third name is showing up more and more in 2026 framework discussions: QBox. It is built on the ox stack (ox_lib, ox_inventory, oxmysql, and related resources) and is increasingly described as the actively maintained successor to QBCore, with premium script stores building "QBox first" for new releases. It is not a completely separate philosophy from QBCore so much as an evolution of it, aimed at server owners who want QBCore's familiar structure on top of more current underlying resources.
For the full breakdown of how QBox compares against both ESX and QBCore, see our dedicated ESX vs QBCore vs QBox comparison.
Hybrid Approach
Some servers run ox_core (the "Overextended" framework, a third option). It is popular with technical operators who want maximum performance and clean architecture but requires more setup expertise.
For the majority of RP servers in 2026: QBCore or QBox if new, ESX if migrating. This is the pragmatic answer.
Launch your FiveM RP server with QBCore on Space-Node
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