Overview
Echo is a high-performance, extensible, minimalist web framework for Go from LabStack. It provides an optimised HTTP router that smartly prioritises routes, route groups, and middleware that can be attached at root, group or route level, along with a set of bundled middleware such as request logging and panic recovery.
For request handling it binds JSON, XML and form payloads into structs, offers helpers for many response types, centralises HTTP error handling, and renders templates with any engine. It can obtain TLS certificates automatically from Let's Encrypt and supports HTTP/2.
Echo v5 became the latest major version on 18 January 2026, with an API changes document describing the upgrade from v4. Echo v4 receives security updates and bug fixes until 31 December 2026. The latest version supports the last four Go major releases.
The project is maintained on GitHub under the labstack organisation and funded by sponsors; there is no paid tier.
Pricing and plans
What it does
- Optimised router
- Router that prioritises routes, with parameters and groups.
- Layered middleware
- Middleware at root, group or route level, including logger and recovery.
- Data binding
- Bind JSON, XML and form payloads into Go structs.
- Automatic TLS
- Certificates from Let's Encrypt built in.
- HTTP/2
- HTTP/2 support.
- Templates
- Render HTML with any template engine.
Strengths and limitations
Strengths
- Small API with sensible built-ins
- Automatic TLS removes a reverse proxy for simple deployments
- Clear support policy for the previous major version
- Uses Go's slog logger in its examples
Limitations
- v5 changed the public API; v4 apps need the upgrade guide, and v4 support ends 31 December 2026
- Supports only the last four Go major releases
- No ORM, DI or project structure built in
- Smaller middleware ecosystem than Gin
Who it suits
Good for
- REST APIs and microservices in Go
- Small services that want automatic HTTPS
- Teams that like Echo's middleware model
Look elsewhere if
- Full-stack apps needing ORM, auth and admin
- Teams that want maximum community examples (Gin has more)
Pricing history
-
Echo v5 becomes the latest major version
Echo v5 became the latest major on 18 January 2026 with public API changes documented for upgraders; Echo v4 gets security updates and bug fixes until 31 December 2026. Source ↗
Alternatives to Echo
Questions
Echo or Gin?
Both are minimal Go frameworks; Echo bundles automatic TLS and layered middleware, while Gin has the larger ecosystem.
What is the latest Echo version?
v5 has been the latest major since 18 January 2026; v4 gets fixes until the end of 2026.
Is Echo free?
Yes, it is MIT licensed.
Does Echo support HTTPS automatically?
Yes, through automatic Let's Encrypt TLS.
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