Comparisons of control panels like cPanel and ispmanager often focus on user-facing features and interfaces. However, as a hosting provider, you may also want to evaluate how well a panel suits your business needs, whether for VPS bundling, shared hosting, or reseller infrastructure. This article is another in our series of comparisons between control panels for web hosting, following our deep dive into Plesk. This time we are comparing ispmanager and cPanel.
ispmanager vs cPanel: Feature Overview
Supported OS
- AlmaLinux
- Debian
- Ubuntu
- Rocky Linux
- CloudLinux
- AlmaLinux
- Debian
- Ubuntu
- Rocky Linux
- CloudLinux
Minimum hardware requirements
- 2GB RAM
- 20 GB disk
- 1 GB RAM (2 for AlmaLinux)
- 20 GB disk
Reliability
Security features
- Fail2Ban
- ModSecurity (WAF)
- Firewall
- BitNinja
- Blackwall
- cPHulk Brute Force Protection
- Imunify360
- SiteLock
- Fail2Ban
- ModSecurity (WAF)
- Firewall
- BitNinja
- Blackwall
- cPHulk Brute Force Protection
- Imunify360
- SiteLock
Antivirus
- ClamAV
- ImunifyAV
- ClamAV
- ImunifyAV
Spam protection
- SpamAssassin
- Greylisting
- SpamExperts
- Rspamd
- SpamAssassin
- Greylisting
- SpamExperts
- Rspamd
Backups
- Built-in backup system Acronis Backup
- JetBackup
- Built-in backup system with scheduling and remote storage support
- JetBackup
Resource limits for server environments (RAM, disk, file system isolation)
- CloudLinux LVE Manager
- CloudLinux CageFS
- Disk Quotas
- CloudLinux LVE Manager
- CloudLinux CageFS
- Disk Quotas
Web server
- Nginx + Apache
- Nginx + PHP-FPM
- Apache
- OpenLiteSpeed
- LiteSpeed
- Nginx + Apache
- Nginx + PHP-FPM
- Apache
- OpenLiteSpeed
- LiteSpeed
Programming languages/frameworks
- PHP
- Python
- Node.js
- PHP
- Python
- Node.js
Email management
- Email account management
- Webmail interface
- Email forwarders
- Auto-reply
- Email filters
- Mailbox and mail settings import/export
- Mail log journal
- Email account management
- Webmail interface
- Email forwarders
- Auto-reply
- Email filters
- Mailbox import
- Mail log journal
DBMS
- MySQL
- MariaDB
- Percona
- PostgeSQL
- MySQL
- MariaDB
- Percona
- PostgeSQL
CMS
- One-click installation for popular CMSs (WordPress, Drupal, Joomla, etc.)
- WordPress Toolkit
- One-click installation for popular CMSs (WordPress, Drupal, Joomla, etc.)
- WordPress Toolkit
Website builder
- Site.pro
- Sitejet
- Site.pro
- Sitejet
Automated certificate management for Let's Encrypt SSL certificates
Max recommended accounts per panel
- Unknown
- Some ispmanager setups run with more than 2,000 accounts
Scalability
- By installing a new cPanel panel on a new server
- By installing a new ispmanager on a new server
Billing system integration
- WHMCS
- Blesta
- HostBill
- BILLmanager
- ClientExec
- WHMCS
- Blesta
- HostBill
- BILLmanager
- ClientExec
White label
API
- Limited functions available
- All functions are available via API
Hosting plan setup
- Traffic
- Disk space
- Number of domains, databases, mailboxes, etc.
- Dedicated IP address
- Access to CGI, shell
- Resource limits: number of database queries, CPU load time, memory usage, etc
- Traffic
- Disk space
- Number of domains, databases, mailboxes, etc.
- Dedicated IP address
- Access to PHP, Node.js, Python modes, and shell
- Resource limits: number of database queries, CPU load time, memory usage, etc
Roles and access permissions
- Administrator
- Reseller
- User
- Role-based access control
- Administrator
- Reseller
- User
- Granular access control (fine-tuned per user or task)
Updates
- A stable release once or twice a quarter
- A stable release once a month
Interface
- Familiar to many users, feature-rich, but may feel overloaded or slightly outdated
- Simple, modern, and neat
Language support
- 33 languages
- 15 languages
Support
- Free 24/7 support
- Free 24/7 support
cPanel vs ispmanager: Which Is Better for Shared Hosting and VPS/VDS?
What’s better than cPanel? It’s true that this web hosting control panel has a solid reputation and many devoted fans. But we’re all about the details. Let’s start with what really matters when picking a control panel for shared hosting or bundling it with a VPS/VDS.
Picking a Control Panel for Shared Hosting
For shared hosting, simplicity and scalability are usually the top priorities.
Ease of Use
So, what is cPanel exactly? It’s actually two different control panels: WHM for admins and cPanel for end users.
While powerful, WHM can be overwhelming at first. On the plus side, the panel supports 33 languages out of the box.
And what is ispmanager? It’s a modern, unified interface that works for all roles.
It's clean, minimal, and easy to master. All 17 supported languages are included in every license tier.
Security & Automation
cPanel delivers strong security with built-in tools and stable releases every 3–6 months. Ispmanager offers comparable protection, from antivirus and firewalls to automated backups and monthly updates.
Hosting Stack & CMS Deployment
Both panels support the modern hosting stack: PHP, Python, Node.js, MySQL, SSL, email services, and quick CMS installation. Ispmanager also supports OpenLiteSpeed (which is not available in cPanel).
Ispmanager supports one-click installation for all major CMS platforms, including:
- WordPress;
- Drupal;
- Joomla;
- HostCMS.
You can deploy an unlimited number of CMS-powered sites. For beginner users or anyone looking to launch landing pages fast, ispmanager comes with an integrated Site.Pro module. It's free to use, has no domain or user limits, and offers a drag-and-drop builder (either hosted locally or in the Site.Pro cloud).
cPanel excels with its dedicated WordPress Toolkit, though broader CMS support relies on third-party tools like Softaculous or Installatron. It also has a website builder, Sitejet.
Performance & Scalability
Designed to handle thousands of accounts, both panels support multi-server hosting. Ispmanager has been field-tested with over 2,000 accounts per server without any performance issues.
Billing & API Integration
Both panels integrate with major billing systems like WHMCS, BILLmanager, HostBill, and Blesta. cPanel adds support for ClientExec. Every action available in the UI can be automated through Ispmanager’s open API. In cPanel, API access is more limited.
Custom Plans & Roles
In both cPanel and ispmanager, you can create custom plans, set quotas, and define user roles. Ispmanager offers additional granularity: database query caps, shell access, and per-task permission management, which should be ideal for resellers.
Picking a Control Panel for VPS/VDS Bundles
When it comes to managing VPS/VDS, a few more important factors come into focus besides functionality, ease of use, and customization.
System Requirements & Performance
For low-cost VPS plans, lightweight panels are essential. Ispmanager runs on just 1 GB RAM (2 GB for AlmaLinux). cPanel, in turn, requires a minimum of 2 GB RAM.
OS Support & Stability
Both panels support popular distributions like AlmaLinux, Rocky Linux, and Ubuntu. Ispmanager also supports Debian and is built to remain operational even if key services like web or database servers fail — a bonus for uptime-sensitive environments.
ispmanager vs cPanel: Partner Terms & Perks
When choosing a control panel as a hosting provider, the licensing model matters just as much as the technical capabilities. So, how does cPanel compare to ispmanager when it comes to partner terms and pricing?
How Much Does cPanel Cost vs ispmanager?
cPanel has the reputation of being the most expensive control panel in the hosting market. As you can see in the table below, there’s something to that. cPanel is 3-4 times pricier than ispmanager across all license types.
cPanel
ispmanager
As you can see, ispmanager and cPanel follow different pricing approaches. cPanel offers unlimited websites across all plans, but places limits on the number of user accounts. Ispmanager’s lite and pro plans cap the number of websites, but the number of user accounts isn’t limited. In fact, some real-world deployments of ispmanager handle over 4,500 accounts on one server.
So the main issue with cPanel’s pricing is that shared hosting licenses charge per account after the first 100, which makes scaling less profitable. For VDS/VPS management, the panel is expensive, too — it can cost more than the server itself.
With ispmanager, you get a full-featured shared hosting plan for under €20 with no limits on the number of sites or accounts. The lite and pro plans are also 3–4 times more affordable than their cPanel’s equivalents.
Partner Pricing and Discounts
Ispmanager offers a transparent, partner-focused program, two huge benefits of which are that:
- Discounts start at just €100 in monthly turnover.
- You can get up to 60% off as your volume increases.
Details about cPanel’s partner discounts aren’t publicly disclosed. According to their website, exclusive partner discounts can reach up to 38%.
Marketing Support
cPanel lets you access its marketing resources through its Partner Asset Library. They also organize partner events called WebPros Next.
As an ispmanager partner, you get marketing support such as co-branded announcements, how-to’s, guides, newsletter content, social media posts, and more. Plus, ispmanager provides a pre-built landing page tailored for promoting the panel. You get access to the full source code, which can be used out of the box or customized by the ispmanager team to match your branding and audience. This allows you to start marketing the product right away.
Help Resources
cPanel University is a well-structured ecosystem of learning resources with standalone courses (e.g., on DNS management or the WordPress toolkit) and comprehensive learning paths. Learners can earn the cPanel Certified Partner Accreditation, which unlocks several benefits, such as exclusive discounts and access to new licensing options.
Ispmanager, in turn, focuses on accessible learning and direct support. It offers comprehensive documentation, a knowledge base, a community-driven wiki, and social media engagement. Plus, partners benefit from direct access to technical specialists through a dedicated support line.
Migration to ispmanager vs Migration to cPanel
With cPanel, you can choose between its migration services and self-guided migration. Free migration services are available for customers migrating from Plesk, DirectAdmin, and Ensim.
Ispmanager also offers both self-guided and assisted migration (paid services). The self-guided migration is constantly getting improved with new dedicated tools. For example, there’s already a fast rsync-based migration from cPanel available. An analogous tool is now being developed for migration from Plesk.
For those migrating to ispmanager from other panels, there are two types of incentives available:
- 3 months of ispmanager for free (if migrating from a free panel);
- 1 year of ispmanager for free (if migrating from a paid panel).
Final Verdict: Which Is Best In 2025 — cPanel or ispmanager?
cPanel is a pioneer among hosting panels and remains one of the most feature-rich solutions on the market. It’s a solid choice for enterprise-grade shared hosting and users who value premium features.
However, cPanel’s biggest downside is its cost. Its license pricing scales with the number of accounts, which can seriously impact margins for shared hosting providers. Moreover, the interface is aging, and the system is relatively resource-intensive.
Ispmanager, meanwhile, has emerged as a fast-growing and modern alternative. It focuses on affordability, ease of use, and efficiency with:
- fixed, predictable pricing with no account or domain limits for the host plan
- a clean, unified interface that’s easy to use across all roles
- low system requirements — ideal for lightweight VPS/VDS bundles
It's also backed by a partner-focused program with generous discounts (up to 60% off) and ready-to-use marketing resources — including a customizable landing page and co-branded content.
Ispmanager makes an excellent cPanel alternative for providers targeting small and medium businesses, affordable VPS/VDS plans, or shared hosting targeting users who value friendly, cost-effective solutions.