Control Panel Comparison Chart

This chart currently features 2 of the most popular third-party Linux Control Panels in cPanel and Plesk. In addition, we included a a lesser known control panel called DirectAdmin to gauge the differences in features available between the "big guys" and the not-so-big control panel providers.

 
cPanel Logo
directadminlogo
Control Panel Name
cPanel
Plesk
DirectAdmin
Latest Version
11
8.6
1.322
Official Datasheet
Control Panel Company Info
Company Name
cPanel, Inc.
Parallels Inc (formerly SWsoft)
JMBC Software
Company Website
Wikipedia Entry
Click HERE
Click HERE
Click HERE
Founded
1997
1999
?
Account Levels
Account Provisioning (Reseller Login)
Yes, with WHM 11
Yes
Yes
Domain Owner Login
Yes
Yes
Yes
Mail User Login
Yes
Yes
?
Web Features
Web Servers
Apache
Apache
Apache
Scripting
Apache, CGI-Perl, PHP, SSI, JSP
Apache ASP, PHP, Python, SSI, CGI, Mod_Perl, Ruby, FastCGI
PHP, CLI
Dev. Tools
FrontPage
ColdFusion
FrontPage
Security
SSL, phpSuExec, SuPHP, mod_security
SSL, Suexec
SuPHP(cgi), SSL
Access
IP Deny Manager, Hotlink Protector, Anti-leech, Passwords
?
?
Errors
Last 300 Errors, Custom Error Pages
?
Custom messages and outputs for 401, 403, 404, and 500 error codes.
Other Features
One-Click Installs of Software, Redirects, Custom MIME Types,
Skeleton directory support
Restart Optimization, Skeleton Directory
Directory Password Protection
Mail Features
Services
Exim, Courier-IMAP, Courier-POP
Qmail
WU-IMAP, vm-pop3d, Exim 4 Mail Manager
Webmail
Horde, Squirrelmail
Horde IMP
SquirrelMail, UebiMiau
Mail List
Mailman
Mailman Aliasing, Auto- responses, Groups, User Access
Majordomo Mailing List Manager
Anti-Spam
SpamAssassin, BoxTrapper, Spam Box
SpamAssassin
Spamassassin
Anti-virus
ClamAV
DrWeb, Kaspersky
?
Other Features
Vacation/Auto-Responders, Web-Based Groups, Additional Accounts,
Forwarding, Custom User and Account Level Filters, SMTP Mail Authentication
?
E-Mail Accounts, Catch-All E-Mail, Forwarders, Autoresponders, Vacation Messages, Setup, Mailing Lists, SPAM Filters
Database Features
Services
MySQL, PostgreSQL
MySQL, PostgreSQL
MySQL
Admin
phpMyAdmin, phpPgAdmin
phpMyAdmin, phpPgMyAdmin, Secure Setup, Multi-user/Multi-DB
PhpMyAdmin
FTP Features
Services
proFTPd, PureFTPd
ProFTPD
ProFTPD
Other Features
Drive Letter Access, Anonymous FTP, Graphical File Manager Anonymous
FTP Uploads, Additional Accounts
Anonymous FTP, Upload Directory, FTP Throttling, File Manager
?
DNS Features
Services
BIND
BIND
?
Other Features
Clustering, Hands-off automatic configuration
Master/Slave Management, Remote DNS, Load Balancing Support, Automated File Matching, DNS Recursion, SOA Settings
DNS Administration
Statistics Features
Services
Analog, AwStats, Webalizer
Webalizer, Plesk Traffic Manager, AWStats
Webalizer
Other Features
Custom Reports, Graphical Analysis, logs, log rotation, raw log access
Real Time Bandwidth, Custom Reports, Graphical User Breakdowns
Complete Usage Statistics
AutoInstaller
Name
Fantastico - Third Party
Application Vault
No
Available Scripts
Click HERE
Click HERE
No
Other Features
Site Builder
?
SiteBuilder
No
Skins
Yes
Yes
Yes
Control Panel Demo
Demo Available
Click HERE
Click HERE
Click HERE