As you begin your search for a hosting provider for your online project, you’ll have to make a decision on the type of control panel you want to use. More likely than not, your options will be either cPanel or Plesk. Aside from the user interface, both have more similarities than differences: both are incredibly popular and easy to use (perhaps the former because of the latter); are highly capable tools for managing your website; and have a nearly identical core suite of features. Given all that similarity, which one is better for you and your website? Let the battle of cPanel vs. Plesk begin!
Benefits of cPanel
Even a cursory search of hosting plans will surely expose you to cPanel. It is far and away the most popular control panel and the industry standard. As such, it is easily compatible with many open-source apps that can be integrated into the control panel or run by it. cPanel is fully customizable, as well. You can add, remove, and edit features and even incorporate your business’s brand into the appearance. One of the main attractions of cPanel is its intuitive organization. Even new users find it easy to navigate. In terms of functionality, you can manage your entire server—both administrator- and client-side—from one location. You also have easy access to email, FTP, and site analytics from the same login, making cPanel a very convenient option.
Benefits of Plesk
The first thing you may be asking yourself is, “What is Plesk?” Just because Plesk is not as widely known as cPanel doesn’t make it any less well-received. While both control panels support the Linux platform, only Plesk can be run on Windows hosting. Additionally, with Plesk, you can automate tasks such as software and component upgrades. If you are hosting multiple sites on one account, these upgrades can be set to occur on all sites, too.
A great benefit of Plesk—especially as it relates to the less tech savvy of us—is the IT support. When you find yourself in the need of assistance, help comes in the way of an answer a novice can easily understand. Plesk offers flexible licensing options, which allow the main administrator to assign permissions to specific users. So, someone can perform their assigned responsibilities without compromising sensitive areas of your site. That speaks to another benefit of Plesk—it’s stability. Plesk is one of the most secure control panels, void of viruses and boasting near-flawless performance.
There may not be a clear-cut winner in Plesk vs. cPanel. You truly can’t go wrong with either. That said, switching from one to the other is more trouble than it’s worth. Once you go with one, keep using it. Both are easy to use; but it would be like a New Yorker learning to drive on the other side of the road in London. You’d just rather not.
If you need to find out more about control panels or other hosting needs, check out our convenient hosting guide.