Cpanel vs. WHM

When you select a Web host and decide on reseller, VPS, or dedicated hosting you may have the option of either using Cpanel or WHM to manage multiple domains and Web sites with. This article will discuss the general debate of Cpanel vs. WHM and the pros and cons of using each to manage sites with.

Web Host Manager (WHM)

Web Host Manager is accessible by the root admin for the server and is the software to help you manage server functions and hosting. WHM is only usually available to users that have purchased reseller hosting, VPS and dedicated hosting packages. WHM is useful to manage multiple Web sites and they can be setup as separate accounts each with their own control panel.

Pros:

• Total control over server functions and software
• Everything is separate which gives you a more granular view of accounts
• Better organization as everything is divided
• Accounts can be customized with different quotas, Cpanel themes etc.
• Most major functions for each Cpanel account can be accessed with the root login for WHM

Cons:

• Not all Cpanel functions for each account can be accessed by the root login (MySQL and PHPAdmin as examples). Logging into each account with different passwords etc can be cumbersome
• Interface can be complex for those who are not familiar with server functionality
• Settings can be changed that may affect server performance and reliability if not careful.
• Each account will need to be backed up separately

CPanel

CPanel is a Linux based graphic control panel for managing the process of hosting Web sites. Cpanel can be setup to run as a virtual private server or dedicated server and is commonly used as the interface in shared hosting environments.

Pros:

• Interface is easy to use and most functionality that is needed is available.
• Can quickly add more domains as ‘add-ons’ and access everything from one interface
• Backup consists of one location rather than multiple accounts on WHM

Cons:

• Some advanced server functions are not available and you may have to contact Web hosting provider to get settings changed
• Add-on domains can get a bit messy when restoring backups

It really comes down to a matter of preference. Consider WHM to be the top level while CPanel is a layer underneath.  Setting up all of your domains with Web Host Manager is a much cleaner approach and everything is in separate accounts. If you ever want to move a domain or sell a site it is a bit easier to do with WHM. Some people prefer the Cpanel interface and everything can be achieved there minus some of the control.