cPanel/WHM is one of the world’s most popular and best hosting control panels. cPanel makes it easy and secure to provision website hosting on a server.
In this article, we’ll show you how to install cPanel on a Cloud or Dedicated Server with AlmaLinux, CloudLinux, RockyLinux, Ubuntu, CentOS, etc.
What is cPanel?
cPanel is a web hosting control panel which automates the creation and management of web hosting on a server.
Using the Web Host Manager interface, server administrators can create a new hosting account for a domain and the owner of the domain can login to their cPanel account to manage files, databases, email, and more.
cPanel also includes hundreds of server management utilities and addons such as mail queue management, virus scanning, and backups, making it easier for server admins to manage the server without using the command line as frequently. It also integrates easily with billing software like WHMCS, Blesta, Clientexec, WiseCP, etc. to automate hosting industry orders.
Is cPanel free?
cPanel is not free. It is a commercial application which requires a monthly license to operate. You can install cPanel with a trial license, but you will need to purchase a license from an official cPanel distributor or cPanel store in order to use the software.
How much does cPanel cost?
cPanel is licensed based on the number of domains hosted on a server and the server type. Please visit cpanel.net to learn more about the current cPanel prices.
What are alternatives to cPanel?
If you’re looking for alternatives to cPanel including cheaper options, you could check out Plesk, DirectAdmin, ISPconfig, or Webmin. Each of these is a good alternative, but cPanel remains one of the industry’s most popular and trusted panels.
While it may seem like an added expense, most businesses agree that the value provided by cPanel is well worth it, especially with the support you can obtain from cPanel with your license.
Check out our Plesk vs cPanel KB article for a detailed comparison between the two panels.
Can I use cPanel on Windows?
While cPanel can be accessed from any web browser with an internet connection, a server running cPanel can only be set up on a CentOS (no longer suggested), AlmaLinux, RockyLinux, CloudLinux, Ubuntu 20.04 LTS machine. cPanel is not supported on a Windows Server or any other Linux distro.
cPanel Server Requirements
To run or install cPanel, you will need a server with the following requirements:
System Requirements to Install cPanel on AlmaLinux OS
System Requirements to Install cPanel on CentOS
System Requirements to Install cPanel on CloudLinux™
System Requirements to Install cPanel on Rocky Linux™
System Requirements to Install cPanel on Ubuntu®
These are minimum requirements and additional resources to install cPanel and beyond these requirements are always recommended.
How to Install cPanel
- Login to the server via SSH as the root user
- Open a screen session using the screen command (If this doesn’t exist, install it with yum/apt)
- Run the below one-liner script to install cPanel:
cd /home && curl -o latest -L https://securedownloads.cpanel.net/latest && sh latest- Once the installation is completed, go to https://IPADDRESS:2087 or https://HOSTNAME:2087 (If the server hostname already pointed to the server main IP) where make sure to replace IPADDRESS with the actual main IP of the server or HOSTNAME with the correct hostname of the server and proceed with the initial setup.
Now that you have completed the installation of cPanel, you can begin using your server. Check out our tutorial on the top ways to secure your server and optimize your server to keep your server running smoothly and securely. We also recommend adding a remote backup destination to any production server to keep account/website backups outside of the server for better management.
