cPanel vs Plesk vs DirectAdmin: three web hosting panels compared

July 30, 2022 / Published in: Web Hosting from Ivan Messina

Are you looking for a comparison between cPanel vs Plesk vs DirectAdmin? These three solutions are the most widely used hosting control panels, but how do yo know which one to choose?

In this article, cPanel vs Plesk vs DirectAdmin: three web hosting panels compared, we are going to look at what is compatible with the operating system and third-party software and what functions are made available by these three options. We will also see what they look like in terms of their interface and ease of use, and what the licensing prices are.

Before we begin this overview, let's look at the main functions of a Web panel.

What is a hosting control panel?

Control panels allow users to manage the server, access site files, and configure services. The function of a web panel is precisely to provide users with a graphical interface through which they can manage all services.

A variety of functions can be accessed through the control panels, functions such as:

Consult and manage site files;
accessing e-mail;
Create new mail accounts;
access the database;
managing DNS;
Create and manage accounts;
create a backup;
Manage access via FTP protocol;
Consult usage statistics and metrics;
install applications.

These are some of the main functions made available by the web panels, but there are also other services such as the ability to create and manage subdomains or enable hotlink protection.

As mentioned, the convenience of a control panel is precisely that of having available in a single administrative area the tools you need to manage your hosting space and websites.

Having said that about the main features of control panels, let's move on to see the most used ones. As you may know there are several panels, but there are three that are most widely used: cPanel, Plesk and DirectAdmin, so we decided to compare them to help you figure out which one is best suited to your needs.

cPanel vs Plesk vs DirectAdmin: a comparison

For our cPanel vs Plesk vs DirectAdmin comparison we will look at the main features of these control panels.

Specifically, we will compare interface, functionality, operating system compatibility, hardware requirements, and licensing prices.

Let us first start with the interface of these three web panels.

Interface

cPanel

cPanel is divided into two separate panels, the first represented by cPanel and accessible to the end user and WHM which is used by the administrator for server management or by the reseller in the case of reseller plans.

The cPanel interface features a central area that is divided into sections, each of which includes different services. On the right side, however, we find general account information and statistics highlighted.

The order of the sections can be changed as desired by simply dragging the various sections to reorder them.

For example, the "email" section contains tools that allow you to create an email account, set up an email filter and automatic reply and so on.

The "file" section allows us to access the file manager, create the backup and manage the FTP account.

We then find the "databases" section from which we can create and manage databases on the server, but also access to phpMyAdmin.

The divided sections and the possibility to customise are advantages for the user.

You can try a demo of cPanel and WHM for 15 days through the site. You can also try cPanel for free by activating a trial of our free hosting service for 14 days. All you have to do is request a plan activation so you can do as many trials as you want with no strings attached.

Plesk

Plesk is structured to have a side menu enclosing the main categories and a central section in which to display individual functions.

The side menu gives us access to email, databases, application files, accounts, sites and domains, and so on. By selecting one of the menu items we can access individual functions.

In this example, you can see the Websites & Domains section from which you can access other functions such as the file manager, databases, and backup and restore functions.

Below you can see what the Plesk file manager looks like.

In the cPanel vs Plesk vs DirectAdmin comparison, Plesk is the panel that offers the least customization options.

Regarding user friendliness, some prefer the structure of Plesk to that of cPanel, others find cPanel more intuitive, this is a very subjective matter.

You can try a demo of Plesk using one of the methods outlined on the site.

DirectAdmin

Accessing the DirectAdmin panel, we find ourselves in the dashboard that presents us with some main functions such as domains, databases and email accounts.

On the left we find a menu that gives us access to all functions, which are divided into two main categories: administrator and user. We can also use the search bar to find the desired functions, or choose to add the panel to the dashboard.

From the Administrator section we can manage users, and access server configurations such as managing DNS and creating keys for the SSH connection.

From the User section we can manage email accounts, access the file manager and other functions. Below you can see the DirectAdmin file manager.

Reseller plans will also have a Reseller section from which we can manage users and account backups.

In addition to being customizable, the DirectAdmin interface is undoubtedly the most simplified, which makes the panel the easiest to use.

From the site you can try the demo by access: user, administrator or reseller.

Operating system and hardware compatibility

When choosing a hosting panel, operating system compatibility is an essential factor. When comparing cPanel vs Plesk vs DirectAdmin, it’s tricky to decide on which panel to choose based on the server's operating system. Let's see how to decide based on compatibility.