Reseller Hosting is an excellent business that doesn’t need much investment. It is the easiest way to get into the web hosting business. As a Reseller Hosting provider, you buy server space from a parent hosting company to rebrand and sell it under your brand name. If you choose to resell web hosting, it is a hassle-free business. As a web Hosting Reseller, you need neither in-depth technical knowledge nor a large financial investment.
All Reseller Hosting plans, including the best Linux Reseller Hosting plans include some sort of a control panel. All you need to do is learn to use it effectively, and you can manage your entire hosting business by yourself. Of the ones that are available, cPanel and Plesk are two of the most well-known control panels that are in use today. You may know ‘What is Reseller Hosting?’, but do you know the right choice between cPanel and Plesk for your Reseller Hosting business?
Let’s take a look at both so you can make an informed decision.
What is WHM/cPanel?
WHM/cPanel is a suite of tools that have been built specifically for the Linux operating system. They give you, the server admin, the ability to automate certain tasks to make the task of managing servers and hosted websites easier.
It uses a simple graphical user interface to allow you to execute crucial web hosting tasks such as creating websites and domains, launching and managing email networks, managing and storing web files, and taking backups.
Since it has been created specifically for Linux OS, it does not work with Microsoft Windows. It is easy to learn and easy to use, even for beginners with no prior experience. There are plenty of specific and general tutorials available online. It supports a wide range of web applications and content management systems (CMS).
As a Hosting Reseller, cPanel can be your choice of control panel if you are working on a Linux OS and wish to integrate and work on varied CMS platforms.
What is Plesk?
Plesk is also a control panel system that has been designed to assist server admins in their day-to-day tasks. It supports all types of web hosting and automates many tasks, which helps server admins be more efficient and reduce operating costs.
It will let you upload and manage files, create and manage user accounts and email accounts, add new domains and subdomains, backup and restore websites, and even manage DNS. Being a modular software, you can easily add more functionality to the core utility.
Though Plesk is mostly used with a Windows web hosting server, it also works with Linux. It can automate several server management tasks and uses a simple-to-understand graphical user interface. It is compatible with several content management systems and supports several server applications.
As a web Hosting Reseller, opt for Plesk if you wish to dedicatedly work with Windows OS or need the flexibility to add more functionalities to the base features.
Which one is the right choice for you?
At a broader level, it seems like a simple enough choice. If you have a Windows-based hosting server, then your choice is limited to Plesk. If your website is hosted on a Linux-based server, cPanel is the most popular choice for a powerful control panel. But you can still choose Plesk with a Linux hosting server.
The choice ultimately boils down to the personal preference of the system admin. Though both are almost equally powerful, some functionalities differ and there are obvious differences between their user interfaces.
Assess your specific server settings and your server requirements, and based on that choose the one that best suits your needs.