In June of 2019, cPanel introduced their new ‘account-based’ licensing structure. This change impacted every web hosting provider who offered cPanel licenses with their hosting solutions.
Impact on Web Hosting Industry
Throughout the years, website owners have depended on cPanel to manage and maintain their websites. cPanel is the most widely used control panel and has shaped the way website owners manage their web hosting account and email. Its tight integration with third-party plugins such as Softaculous, CloudLinux, Imunify360 and WordPress are some of the many reasons we include cPanel bundled with our hosting services.
When cPanel announced their new pricing structure it completely changed the way hosting providers bundle cPanel with their product lines. The price increase ranged anywhere from 2 times to 10 times the price. A license that cost $45/month for 1000 accounts would now cost $245/month for a single server. One of the main reasons behind the increase in cPanel pricing is that it has been acquired by Oakley Capital.
Incremental price increases are expected with licensed software but a sudden exponential increase has put hosting providers of all sizes in a difficult position. This has resulted in a license increase anywhere from 100% up to nearly 700% for web hosting companies depending on their infrastructure setup and business model.
The Old cPanel License Model
Prior to the changes in June 2019, there were two flat rate cPanel License options. If you had a VPS then you would pay $20/month and if you had a Dedicated Server you would pay $45/month. On both platforms you could host unlimited cPanel accounts.
This allowed web hosting providers to offer VPS and Dedicated Server solutions knowing their fixed monthly cost for cPanel and then could set their product prices accordingly. This also enabled smaller web hosting companies to compete with larger providers on a fair playing ground with the ability to offer the leading control panel software.
The New cPanel License Model
The new cPanel license structure is based on the number of cPanel accounts you have on your server and this includes suspended accounts. Here are the new license options at HostUpon for VPS and Dedicated Servers:
VPS/Cloud/Dedicated cPanel Licenses:
cPanel Solo – 1 Account – Included FREE
cPanel Admin Cloud – up to 5 accounts – $15/month
cPanel Pro Cloud – Up to 30 accounts – $20/month
cPanel Plus Cloud – Up to 50 accounts – $28/month
cPanel Premier Cloud – Up to 100 accounts – $36/month
Physical Server cPanel Licenses:
cPanel Solo – 1 Account – Included FREE
cPanel Premier Fixed 100 Dedicated – up to 100 accounts – $40/month
cPanel Premier Fixed 150 Dedicated – up to 150 accounts – $44/month
cPanel Premier Fixed 200 Dedicated – up to 200 accounts – $49/month
When Does The New Pricing Take Effect?
Although cPanel changed the license structure in June of 2019, we absorbed the cost for all HostUpon customers in 2019 and 2020. Beginning January 1st of 2021 the new cPanel license system will take effect. Your cPanel license will be automatically assigned based on total number of accounts on your VPS or Dedicated Server.
New cPanel License FAQ
Will My VPS or Dedicated Server Price be Increased?
No, we have no plans to increase your hosting plan. The only increase will be the cost of the cPanel license you require based on the number of accounts you have on your server. For customers with only 1 cPanel account there will be no changes since we include the cPanel Solo license for free.
How can I find out how many cPanel accounts I have?
You can login to your WHM control panel on your VPS or Dedicated Server and then click ‘List Accounts’ on the left side menu. You can also open a support ticket and our team can tell you the total number of cPanel accounts on your server.
How do you bill for cPanel licenses?
You will see a line-item on your invoice which shows you which licenses you have. If you have a cPanel Solo licenses then the price will show as $0. All other license tiers will show on your invoice based on their respective prices as listed above. The cPanel license also matches your service billing cycle. For example, if you pay annually for your VPS then you will be billed annually for your cPanel license.
Do I receive a separate invoice for cPanel licenses?
No, your license is bundled with your VPS or Dedicated Server. You will see a line-item on your standard hosting service invoice.
How do I change or upgrade my license?
You can open a Sales ticket to modify your cPanel license. License changes can take up to 24 hours however in most cases they can be completed in 1 hour.
How is a cPanel account defined?
An account often called a “cPanel user” or “cPanel account” is a standalone account created in WHM that is used by an end-user to log into the cPanel interface to manage their website or email.
Do suspended and inactive accounts count against your allocation?
Yes, all accounts no matter the type or status will count against your total. Keep your accounts current by termianting old, unused and dormant cPanel accounts.
If you have any additional questions regarding cPanel & WHM licensing you can open a sales or support ticket from your HostUpon Client Area.
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