That is no wonder, since not only the selection of potential management tools and the associated application options have increased enormously in recent years. The same also applies to customer claims. Because successful communication work today is not only highly transparent but also increasingly takes place at a professional eye level. In this article, we’ll list the top Plesk alternatives for better and cost-effective management.
Plesk: The current market leader among admin tools
In Germany, many agencies, web service providers, or freelancers mostly know Plesk as a “ubiquitous” tool for server and web space administration. No wonder, because the powerful professional administration tool enjoys a market power similar to that of Google in the field of web searches in this country – at least at first glance.
A glance at Asia and the USA shows that the competition is catching up. Internationally, Plesk also leads the rankings. However, the situation is not nearly as clear as in Germany!
For example, cPanel (also known as “Control Panel”) as a Plesk alternative with an aggregate market share of almost 20 percent of all systems is clearly behind the top dog in second place of the most popular web administration tools. If, on the other hand, you only look at all of the web hosting packages operated worldwide, a completely different picture emerges. This is where the admin tool veteran cPanel, which was developed back in 1996, has a surprising 50 percent market share – and even leads the field.
Expressed in numbers, this means that another domain is added to a web hosting system every six seconds worldwide. Four new web hosting accounts with cPanel are also created every minute. In the booming business hosting market, the balance of power between the admin tools used is not as clear as one might think at first glance. This is especially true when you take off your German glasses.
Because, as is so often the case, the Admintool clocks in Germany are running a little differently – at least so far. Because the international Plesk competitor is relatively unknown to us. In addition to Plesk, German web admins (so far) have tended to rely on solutions such as ISPConfig, Froxlor, or DirectAdmin. But they in turn have hardly any market share internationally and are virtually meaningless.
The question arises: Where do these shifts come from, what are the Plesk alternatives capable of at all – and why, especially in much more digitized markets such as Asia and the USA, do people trust in a proprietary industrial solution that is still almost unknown in Germany?
Comparison of Plesk alternatives: cPanel, Froxlor, DirectAdmin and ISPConfig
It is legitimate that some web service providers are looking for an alternative to Plesk. Because the sheer range of functions of Plesk can overwhelm inexperienced users in particular and is, therefore, more aimed at professional web administrators. Freelancers, agency administrators, or web designers, on the other hand, usually have different, somewhat “weakened” intentions for the implementation of their customer tasks.
Web workers who create individual internet presences for customers and who “necessarily” have to set up individual web hosting and keep it running do not necessarily have in-depth knowledge of the administration and programming of web servers and packages. Neither does he (or she) need it.
Because: Some of the common Plesk alternatives are literally predestined for this task and knowledge situation. With their focused, more rudimentary concentration of functions, they make life and daily work noticeably easier for creative web service providers in agencies or on the free market.
Server environment and operating system
In addition to cPanel, the most suitable Plesk alternatives are ISPConfig, Froxlor, and DirectAdmin. The most important difference to Plesk is basically that the four management solutions can usually only be used on Linux or Unix operating systems such as CentOS or FreeBSD – and not on a Windows system. Especially with cPanel, however, this restriction does not detract from the international popularity, as the current growth figures show.
One-click installation of web applications
The four Plesk competitors are not only following similar paths when it comes to the operating system. What cPanel and ISPConfig have in common with Plesk, for example, is that many applications can be installed with a click of the mouse using a practical auto-installer. The setup of entire content management systems such as WordPress, Typo3, Joomla!, Drupal, or Magento is done in no time at all. With DirectAdmin, on the other hand, this is not possible, with Froxlor it is only script-based. However, as exemplified by Plesk, all four alternative solutions also enable convenient domain management and a comprehensive, secure configuration of desired e-mail accounts.
PHP versions
Even when it comes to integrating different PHP versions, some of the alternatives don’t have to hide behind the “almighty” Plesk: Froxlor and cPanel are basically on par here with the market leader. With DirectAdmin and ISPConfig (in versions older than 3.0.5), however, web admins have to make compromises – there are restrictions on parallel use.
Individual user interface design
With the appropriate themes, you as an admin can also reconfigure the fonts and colors of the basic design on the user interface according to your own ideas with ISPConfig, cPanel, and Froxlor – as well as with Plesk. A nice gadget that is unfortunately only possible to a very limited extent with the Plesk alternative DirectAdmin.
Plugin Offer
However, there are larger differences, and this is one of the most important criteria when choosing the right configuration tool alternative when it comes to the number of available, functional, and secure plugins. Because there are no extensions available for Froxlor – and that can of course severely limit customer-oriented manageability in case of doubt. Even DirectAdmin cannot necessarily score with helpful extensions. Here I would only describe the amount of practical additional programs and functions as a medium, with ISPConfig as small. Only cPanel operates at a similarly high level as Plesk – which knows numerous program extensions that have previously been centrally checked and approved.
cPanel wins the comparison
If you add up the properties related to function and variety of applications, objectively cPanel cuts the best figure next to Plesk. And not just in German or English: The web-based administration interface is extremely multilingual, and “speaks” 20 languages fluently. Twice as many as Plesk, 19 more than DirectAdmin.
Since cPanel is not only easy to use due to its visually and functionally rather reduced interface, but also enables the broadest implementation, I take the liberty of going into more detail about exactly this Plesk alternative. Because of the properties listed, cPanel seems particularly suitable for those administrators who are entrusted with creating, planning, or creating websites – but want to keep the associated server-side administration effort as low (and above all as non-technical) as possible. In concrete terms, this means that professional web space management for projects can be done here with little practice – and almost without having to enter a single line of code yourself.
A simple operating structure ensures clarity
The structure of cPanel can be described as simple, sleek, and functional without understatement or exaggeration. A “restriction” that, curiously enough, is particularly appreciated by many users from creative agencies, freelancers, and the private sector.
It only takes a few clicks to install new customer projects and the CMS required for them. The same applies to setting up FTP access and file management. In addition, the integrated file manager does not even require any additional installation effort and is immediately available, even to inexperienced users.
It is also practical that as an admin you can not only carry out recurring tasks such as backups and updates manually but also automatically with cron jobs. This is an advantage, but one that ISPConfig, Froxlor, and DirectAdmin also offer.
Incidentally, the use of cron jobs is always particularly worthwhile when certain tasks are to be completed on time and without further external action. In addition, for the professional management of one (or several) web presence(s), not a single text command line is required at the system level. This means that programming and administration skills are helpful, but by no means necessary. The administration of own as well as customer projects is not only possible professionally, but also comprehensively and without much effort (or external help).
cPanel and WHM: A little less freedom of design – but much more security!
Adequate internet security is probably one of the biggest pain points for many creative web service providers. From my point of view, however, cPanel can score particularly well here for people from the sphere of administrative laypeople. Because server security is largely the responsibility of the hoster and not of the end customer or the agency as a web service provider. This is part of cPanel’s multi-layer security concept, in which server and web space administration are clearly separated from one another and controlled via different user interfaces. The hosting provider can use the special server admin interface WHM (Web Hosting Manager) to make many fundamental, highly technical, and demanding basic settings in advance for all affected hosting packages. This not only ensures less effort and the necessary expertise on the agency and customer side. Important security settings and security measures can also be optimally configured by the trained and experienced specialist staff of the hosting provider.
So the basic protection comes with “delivery”, anti-virus security is part of the host’s factory settings. Thus, there is no need for the web or agency service provider to do anything. And so fewer individual security settings ensure more server security. In addition, the effort for setup and installation on the agency side is significantly reduced, hosting customers can only make additional settings and create additional (agency customer) user accounts with special rights. Of course, SSL certificates can also be set up and managed relatively easily.
An approach that is in clear contrast to Plesk and other solutions: Here, the server admin (hoster) and the webmaster usually access the same interface as the user of the hosting package. Only the range of functions and access vary. Security settings are more a matter for the user – or even the end customer.
A built-in IP blocker is also available with cPanel. This makes excluding unwanted IP addresses a little more convenient than with Froxlor, ISPConfig, and DirectAdmin. With these, the “classic” way of manually excluding them via .htaccess must be followed instead; Plesk also has security extensions, some of which are subject to a fee.
Not a resource guzzler despite the large scope of services
Although with the help of cPanel, as shown in advance, you have extensive options for configuration and the ease of use can also be rated as high compared to the other Plesk alternatives, the performance values of the management software are also quite impressive. Convenience is not at the expense of performance – since the system is designed to be efficient and only uses minimal resources in all common web browsers.
A clear dashboard ensures clarity
Service providers also value the clarity of the graphical cPanel user interface. Because the modular structure is intuitively understandable. The appealing user interface helps you find your way around the menu effectively and quickly with clear icons.
This is particularly important for administrative laypersons because it gives them a comprehensive overview right from the start. By the way, also about the central performance values of the web space. Because they are in the top right of the cPanel in the field of vision.
Plugins and extensions make (almost) everything possible
Among the available alternatives to Plesk, cPanel stands out above all because of the high expandability of the basic system. No wonder, because cPanel has gathered a large community of motivated, professional web developers and professional administrators in recent decades, who are constantly expanding the already wide range of plugins and add-ons as certified third-party providers.
Conclusion: Plesk Alternatives
If one concludes, it can be seen after considering the most relevant factors: If you want to design web projects in commissioned work with little technical effort and manageable technical expertise, you should at least know about the Plesk alternative cPanel.
If you want to learn more about the admin tool, you are welcome to take a look at my cPanel work paper. Here I explain everything about the most important functions and possible applications – from the installation of new customer projects to user management. In other words, everything that makes day-to-day work easier. I’m happy to provide it for free – you don’t need to provide an email address to download it.