A hosting panel licence lets you install an administration interface on a server: it manages accounts, websites, databases, mailboxes and SSL certificates. OpenVista distributes four panels — cPanel, Plesk, DirectAdmin and Webuzo — and the right choice depends on the server type, your audience and your experience.
What a licence actually covers
A licence is billed per server, not per website: you can host as many accounts as your machine allows. cPanel and Plesk each come in two editions, one for virtual servers and one for dedicated servers. The licence must match the machine type, otherwise it is rejected at activation. Check the virtualisation before ordering:
systemd-detect-virtAn output of kvm, vmware or xen means a virtual server; no output means a physical machine. cPanel does not install on OpenVZ or LXC containers.
cPanel, the Linux hosting standard
cPanel is the most widely used panel: the cPanel client interface, the WHM administrator interface, automatic updates and the largest extension ecosystem (Softaculous, Imunify360, JetBackup, WHMReseller). Choose the cPanel VPS licence for a virtual server and cPanel Dedicated for physical hardware. It is the default choice if you sell classic shared hosting or want the widest documentation and plugin coverage.
Plesk, versatile and WordPress-friendly
Plesk manages Linux as well as Windows, offers a modern interface, a WordPress toolkit, several PHP versions and a rich extension catalogue. OpenVista provides Plesk VPS and Plesk Dedicated. Prefer it for a Windows server, for a server running several CMS, or for a team that likes a guided interface.
DirectAdmin, light and resource-efficient
DirectAdmin uses fewer resources, installs quickly and offers a clear interface with an extended plugin system. OpenVista offers a single DirectAdmin reference, with no VPS or dedicated distinction. It is the best price-to-performance option on a small server, especially when RAM is limited.
Webuzo, simple for small servers
Built by the Softaculous team, Webuzo is available in single-user or multi-user versions and suits modest servers. It installs the usual scripts and stays easy to learn: a good pick for a single project, a small reseller getting started or a test server.
How to decide
- KVM virtual server and classic shared hosting: cPanel VPS.
- Physical machine: cPanel Dedicated, or Plesk Dedicated depending on your applications.
- Windows or several CMS on the same server: Plesk.
- VPS with 1–2 GB of RAM on a tight budget: DirectAdmin.
- A single website with an immediate learning curve: Webuzo.
- API-driven administration: DirectAdmin or Webuzo.
Whichever panel you pick, the licence does not deploy it for you: plan the installation, a fully qualified hostname and the open administration ports. An installation service can be ordered through support if you prefer to receive a ready-to-use server.
