Any entrepreneur’s decision plays a key role in business success, especially when it’s an ecommerce business. It’s significant that your website should always run well and never face downtime for longer time. This depends upon the hosting company you choose for your server hosting. An operating system plays a small role in making a server suitable for your project. But one shouldn’t forget that control panels are a critical layer on the top of operating system.

 

But similar to other things, it isn’t easy to select a correct control panel for your web hosting account – specifically when there are multiple options to choose from. A few popular control panels that come in top five market list are as below –

 

1)      WHM / CPanel – Linux OS – CentOS supportive only.

2)      Plesk Panel – Linux + Windows Server supportive.

3)      WebsitePanel – Windows Server supportive only.

4)      DirectAdmin – Linux supportive only.

5)      H-Sphere – Linux & Windows Server supportive.

Role of Control Panel –

With a control panel you get a simple, browser-based point and click interface for developing and managing your website and related applications. It covers email and database servers, FTP accounts and directories. Customized software installation and setting up individual accounts for staff is also done in control panel. You don’t need to learn computer programming to manage your website as there is a control panel software available for it.

 

Here is a list of control panels with their features –

 

Currently, one of the biggest trends that is noticeable is that major web hosting companies prefer offering cPanel for hosting website by default or as add on for their servers. Based upon Unix, cPanel comprises of graphical interface that helps in managing your website as well as web hosting account with easy and quick process. It includes most features and options along with most power and flexibility in comparison to all control panels in the market. You can install unlimited number of domains on a single license which proves valuable while reselling web hosting. Fantastico, a script library, in cPanel enables installation of web applications and customized software solutions automatically. Web Host Manager is a second program where administrators can log into management functions.

CPanel is only available for Linux servers.

 

Similar to cPanel, Plesk allows the user to manage hosting through web based interface. This control panel can be utilized with Shared, VPS and Dedicated servers. It helps in reducing the costa and resources by automating many tasks. It also enables to control thousands of virtual host under a single machine. It enables users to create FTP accounts as well as manage and create email account and database like MySQL and PostgreSQL. In addition, you can also add domains and subdomains; restore and take backup of files and manage DNS and other resources.

Plesk is available for Linux as well as Windows.

 

A Linux server management system and web hosting control panel, InterWorx comprises of a set of tolls that allows admin user to manage their own servers and end users can over view the operation of their website. This control panel is basically divided into two operating modes –

NodeWorx – It is an administrator mode that permits server management.

SiteWorx – It is a website owner view that enables end users to manage their hosting account and features.

 

An open source web hosting control panel, DirectAdmin offers graphical admin interface to manage unlimited websites, email accounts, etc. It enable automatic task management which includes setup and management of websites easily and quickly. Other features include creating FTP accounts for users, managing FrontPage extension, DNS and view statistics, managing uploads with built-in File Manager and setting up error pages and directory password protection.

 

In the end, the selection of control panel totally depends on the requirements, because you cannot really say one is better than the other one, as each one has some unique features. So, when it comes to the selection between these 5 best control panels I would suggest first determine your needs, as it all starts from there!

 

In future we will discuss about other control panels available in the hosting market, including open source and commercials.