Comparing the Top 5 Web Hosting Control Panels

Featured article by Calvin Paige, Independent Technology Author

If you’ve been comparing web hosting plans lately you’ve probably already examined all of the main factors like bandwidth, disk space, server environment (i.e. shared vs. VPS vs. dedicated), operating system, hardware types, and costs. However, one feature that many people overlook is the control panel that is included with the plan. Ironically, this is actually one of the most important aspects to consider, as it will directly determine the look and functionality of the administrative interface you’ll be using to manage all of your sites and files. With that said, let’s take a look at the top five hosting control panels and what they have to offer:

1. cPanel

This is by far the most popular control panel out there because most hosting providers choose to include it as a standard feature. Many times a hosting provider will offer cPanel alongside one of the other two alternatives mentioned below. For example, one of the most popular hosts in the UK, planethippo.co.uk, offers both Plesk and cPanel. Overall, cPanel provides a balanced interface that includes a variety of tools and features related to file management, security, analytics, website building, content management, email management, and domain management.

2. Plesk

Plesk is an ideal alternative to cPanel as it is compatible with both Linux and Windows web servers. It may even be better than cPanel in some areas like user access management and instance clustering support. While Plesk is not quite as popular as cPanel, it has a quickly growing user base due to the fact that many webmasters are following the trend of switching to Windows servers.

3. Webmin

The main benefit Webmin has over the competition above is that it is completely free and can be easily configured and customised using flexible modules. On the other hand, the design is not as streamlined as cPanel and there is more of a learning curve involved. As such, it is typically used by tech-savvy webmasters or programmers who run their own dedicated server and want a zero-cost solution that can be tweaked to their liking.

4. ISPmanager

ISPmanager is actually a surprising underdog that is becoming very popular in Europe. It is an enterprise level control panel that offers a number of premium features and may even rival cPanel in terms of functionality. With an extensive feature list at an affordable price, this hosting control panel has one notable downside – it doesn’t include support. However, documentation is included and there’s a thriving forum to help with any questions you may have.

5. DirectAdmin

DirectAdmin is gaining popularity due to its reliability, speed, stability, and low price. However, it is quite clearly not as aesthetically pleasing as cPanel or Plesk. For this reason, it is not commonly included with hosting plans by default, although it is usually possible to install it through your current hosting control panel. Still, despite the somewhat basic design, DirectAdmin is worthy of mention as an affordable and simplistic alternative to Plesk and cPanel.

Luckily, most hosting control panels include a demo that will let you see what the interface looks like before making any commitments. We’re willing to bet you’ll be most interested in either cPanel or Plesk, depending on whether you’re a fan of Linux or Windows servers. Still, to increase your overall knowledge as a webmaster and explore new possibilities, it is advisable to at least try the other options on this list.