cPanel vs Plesk: what's the difference?

cPanel and Plesk are both control panels: web pages where you manage your hosting, such as websites, email accounts, databases, files and SSL, without using the command line. The biggest practical difference is that cPanel runs only on Linux servers, while Plesk runs on Linux and on Windows Server. Both are made by the same company, WebPros, and both do the everyday jobs well. For most small businesses, the panel matters less than the hosting company behind it.

Below we compare the two fairly, explain who each one suits, and what the choice means in practice.

What is a control panel?

A web server can be managed entirely by typing commands, but that isn’t practical for most website owners. A control panel puts those jobs behind buttons and forms. You create an email address, upload files or add a database from a browser, and the panel makes the changes on the server.

Both cPanel and Plesk do this. They just organise things differently and suit slightly different setups.

What is cPanel?

cPanel is a very common panel on Linux shared hosting. It comes in two parts:

• cPanel is what a hosting customer sees. It’s the hub of one hosting account, with tools grouped by type and a search box at the top.
• WHM (WebHost Manager) is the server-level side, used by the server’s administrator and by resellers to create and manage cPanel accounts.

cPanel’s documentation lists AlmaLinux, CloudLinux, Rocky Linux and Ubuntu as its supported operating systems. It doesn’t run on Windows.

What is Plesk?

Plesk is a control panel that runs on a range of Linux distributions and on Windows Server. Its layout has a navigation pane down the side, with sections such as Websites & Domains, Mail, Files and Databases.

Plesk offers different views for different users. Its documentation describes a Customer Panel for hosting customers and a Power User view for people who run their own server and manage their own sites, alongside a Service Provider view for hosts selling to customers. Plesk also has a large catalogue of extensions, and its WordPress tools and a Docker manager can be added as extensions.

cPanel vs Plesk at a glance

How do they compare for everyday jobs?

For the things a small business does most, both panels are capable.

• Email. Both let you create mailboxes, forwarders and auto-replies, and both show the settings for your phone or Outlook.
• Files. Both have a browser file manager and support FTP.
• Databases. Both create MySQL or MariaDB databases and include phpMyAdmin.
• SSL. Both can install free certificates and renew them.
• WordPress. Both offer WP Toolkit, for installing WordPress, handling updates, and making staging copies.

The differences show up more in how things are laid out than in what’s possible. People who learned on one often find the other awkward at first, and that’s about it.

Which should you choose?

You’re buying shared hosting for a small business site

Don’t let the panel decide it. Look at the host’s support, backups, security and prices. If you’ve used cPanel before, staying with it saves relearning. Our guide on how to log in to cPanel shows what to expect.

Your website needs Windows

Choose Plesk on a Windows server. If your site is built on ASP.NET or uses Microsoft SQL Server, cPanel isn’t an option.

You’re running your own VPS and managing a few sites

Both work. Plesk’s Power User view is designed for this, with the server settings and your sites in one interface. cPanel with WHM is just as capable but splits server and account management into two places.

You’re a web designer hosting clients

Both suit this. cPanel’s reseller setup through WHM is very common, and many designers know it already. Plesk is popular with agencies that manage their own servers.

You’re moving an existing site to a new host

Moving between two cPanel servers is usually the simplest, because cPanel can package a whole account, including files, databases and email. Moving from Plesk to cPanel, or the other way round, is very doable but takes a bit more care.

Does the panel affect speed or security?

Not much on its own. Speed comes from the server hardware, caching and how the site is built. Security comes from the software around the panel, such as firewalls, malware scanning and account isolation, and from how quickly the host applies updates. Ask your host what they run alongside the panel.

Common questions

Is Plesk easier to use than cPanel?

Some people find Plesk’s side navigation tidier. Others prefer cPanel’s single page of tools with a search box. Neither is hard to learn for routine jobs.

Can I switch from Plesk to cPanel?

Yes. Your files, databases and email can be copied over. It’s a job for the new host’s migration team or someone comfortable with both panels. Our guide on how to move a WordPress site to WebHostGB covers the WordPress side.

Do cPanel and Plesk come from the same company?

Yes. Both are part of WebPros, but they’re developed as separate products.

Can I use WordPress on either?

Yes. Both support WordPress, and both offer WP Toolkit for managing it.

Our setup

We use cPanel on all our Linux hosting, alongside Imunify360 for security, CloudLinux to keep accounts apart, and JetBackup for backups every six hours. If you’re coming from a Plesk host, our free migration copies your files, databases and email for you. See web hosting or WordPress hosting for the plans.

Sources, checked November 2026

• cPanel, system requirements: docs.cpanel.net
• cPanel, the cPanel interface: docs.cpanel.net
• cPanel, the WHM interface: docs.cpanel.net
• Plesk Obsidian, software requirements: docs.plesk.com
• Plesk Obsidian, getting started with Plesk: docs.plesk.com
• Plesk home page: plesk.com
• Plesk support, ASP.NET Core support in Plesk: support.plesk.com
• Plesk support, Microsoft SQL Server support in Plesk: support.plesk.com

WebHostGB isn’t connected with cPanel or Plesk.