Framework Comparison
QBox (qbx_core) vs QBCore
QBox (`qbx_core`) is the community-maintained fork of QBCore that started life as a lean rewrite around the `ox_*` ecosystem. Two years in, it's mature enough to be a serious QBCore alternative rather than an experiment. If you're choosing between them in 2026, the decision is less about scripts (they overlap almost completely) and more about which set of trade-offs you want. This is a technical comparison based on running both in production.
Verdict
Pick QBox if you're building fresh in 2026 and don't have a QBCore-based codebase to inherit. It's cleaner, faster to boot, and the `ox_*` dependency lock means fewer moving parts. Pick QBCore if you have an existing QBCore server with custom scripts, or if the specific scripts you need only ship for stock QBCore.
Head-to-head breakdown
| Dimension | QBox (qbx_core) | QBCore | A | B |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Origin | Community fork of QBCore, 2023 | Original project, 2020 | – | – |
| Default inventory | `ox_inventory` — required | `qb-inventory`, `ox_inventory` supported | ✓ Better | – |
| Default menu / lib | `ox_lib` — required | `qb-menu` + `ox_lib` optional | ✓ Better | – |
| Default target | `ox_target` — required | `qb-target`, `ox_target` supported | ✓ Better | – |
| Core object export | `exports.qbx_core:GetCoreObject()` | `exports['qb-core']:GetCoreObject()` | – | – |
| QBCore compat alias | Yes — QBCore scripts run with cosmetic changes | N/A | – | – |
| Idle resmon | ~0.01ms base (`qbx_core`) | ~0.02ms base (`qb-core`) | ✓ Better | – |
| Boot time | Faster — fewer resources to load | Slower — legacy compat layers | ✓ Better | – |
| Script availability | Native QBox: growing; QBCore compat: nearly all | Widest QBCore-native selection | – | ✓ Better |
| Governance | Community-maintained, open PRs | Original team + open contributions | – | – |
| FiveM build target | 2802+ (drops older build support) | 1868+ (broader compatibility) | – | ✓ Better |
| Docs | docs.qbox.re — current | docs.qbcore.org — current | – | – |
When to pick QBox (qbx_core)
Fresh server in 2026, no legacy debt
QBox has fewer moving parts. If you're not carrying a QBCore codebase forward, the lean architecture pays off in every future upgrade cycle.
You're all-in on the ox_* stack
QBox treats `ox_inventory`, `ox_lib`, `ox_target` as required. If you were going to use them anyway on QBCore, QBox saves you the fallback config overhead.
You want the smallest resmon footprint
QBox boots faster and idles slightly lower (~0.01ms vs ~0.02ms) because it drops the legacy compat layers. Not massive alone, but compounds across many resources.
You're a script author
Writing new scripts against QBox is cleaner — no fallback branches for old inventory / menu systems. Faster development, fewer bug surfaces.
When to pick QBCore
You have an existing QBCore server
Migrating QBCore → QBox is technically small but socially disruptive if you have live players. Staying on QBCore avoids the friction.
You need a niche script that's QBCore-only
QBox runs most QBCore scripts, but not all. If the one script you need doesn't work under QBox's compat layer, QBCore is the pragmatic call.
You target older FiveM builds
QBox requires FiveM build 2802+. QBCore supports as far back as 1868. If a large chunk of your playerbase runs old builds, QBCore keeps them online.
You want the biggest script catalogue right now
QBCore-native scripts are more numerous by absolute count. QBox coverage keeps growing but isn't at parity yet.
QBox vs QBCore FAQ
Is QBox better than QBCore?+
For new servers in 2026, mildly — leaner architecture, faster boot, `ox_*` first-class. For existing QBCore servers, the migration cost usually outweighs the win. Not a landslide either way.
Can I run QBCore scripts on QBox?+
Yes — QBox ships a QBCore compat alias so most scripts run with cosmetic changes. The exceptions are scripts that touch inventory / menu / target directly (they need to switch to `ox_*`).
How hard is it to migrate from QBCore to QBox?+
Small technically: change the shared-object export, swap inventory / menu / target references. Medium socially: your live server has players who'll notice small UI changes. Budget a weekend on staging first.
Does QBox run on old FiveM builds?+
No — QBox targets FiveM build 2802 and up. If your player base runs older builds, QBox will refuse to load.
Is QBox stable enough for production?+
Yes. Two years of production usage across hundreds of live servers. The core is stable; the ecosystem is still growing but no major stability regressions in 2025-2026.
What's the community around QBox like?+
Active GitHub organisation, Discord for support, monthly-ish releases. Smaller than QBCore's but tightly focused on the framework itself rather than being a general FiveM community.