Checking your server has ionCube Loader

Baxelo modules are encoded with ionCube, so your server needs the ionCube Loader to run them. WHMCS itself is encoded the same way, so if WHMCS is running, you already have it — this article is for confirming the version.

The short answer: your WHMCS admin area is loading right now, which means ionCube Loader is installed and working. What is left to check is whether it is new enough.

1. What we require

Loader version	14.0.0 or newer
PHP	8.1, 8.2 or 8.3
Why a minimum	Our builds carry bytecode for several PHP versions in one file. Older loaders cannot read that format

2. Three ways to check

WHMCS tells you. Utilities → System → System Health (or PHP Info) shows the loader and its version. This is the reliable one, because it reflects the PHP your WHMCS actually runs.

A one-line page. Put <?php phpinfo(); in a file inside your WHMCS directory, open it, search for ionCube, and delete the file immediately afterwards.

On the command line, php -v mentions the loader. Careful: the CLI often uses a different PHP than your website, so trust method 1 over this one.

A phpinfo() file left behind is a gift to anyone scanning your site. It lists paths, versions, extensions and configuration. If you use method 2, delete it the moment you have your answer.

3. If it is missing or too old

On cPanel, Plesk or DirectAdmin the loader is usually a checkbox in the PHP extension manager for the version your site uses — enable it there and no upload is needed. On a plain server, your host installs it; ask them for the version rather than guessing.

The single most common trap: enabling it for the wrong PHP version. A server can run several at once, and the loader has to be enabled for the one your WHMCS uses. Method 1 above is the only check that cannot be fooled by this.

4. What a missing loader looks like

A blank white page where the module should be.
An error naming ionCube, or saying a file is corrupt or encoded.
WHMCS itself failing the same way — which means the loader broke for everything, not just for us.

None of those damage anything. The module simply cannot run until the loader is there; install it and the page works with no further steps.