text: A web hosting software is a control panel with a graphical interface helping to manage different websites, databases, files, emails, etc., hosted on a server from a centralized location. It is used by organizations and web hosting service providers for managing multiple websites and databases.
  Before we dig in further about web hosting software, which is also known as the website control panel, let’s know the concept of web hosting in detail.
  What is Web Hosting?
  Web hosting is the necessity of the website. Without web hosting services, the website cannot go live on the internet. Web hosting service providers leverage the tools & techniques required by the companies and individuals to make their website accessible through the internet.
  Your website is full of data consisting of images, text, videos, etc., and this data requires space to reside. Web hosting services include managing and maintaining the servers where the data of your website is stored. Also, web hosting services manage the technology required to make your website visible to visitors through internet browsers.
  Types of Web Hosting
  The web hosting service you select is based on the server space and bandwidth you require. Also, there are different ways to distinguish the web hosting services based on the type of server provided, explained in detail below -
  Shared Hosting
  If your website has been stored on the same server as other multiple websites, you are availing shared hosting services. The cost of shared hosting is comparatively low as your website is sharing resources like RAM and CPU with other hosted websites.
  Virtual Private Server (VPS) Hosting
  A virtual private server, also known as a virtual dedicated server, mimics the dedicated server. The virtual private server is installed in the server hosting multiple websites. A single server can have multiple VPS, each one running its own operating system. This gives more control over the hosting to the website owners.
  Dedicated Server Hosting
  If you exclusively rent the server on which only your website has been hosted, it can be termed as dedicated server hosting. The dedicated server hosting provides control over everything from security to the operating system. Availing dedicated server hosting services is expensive and so is preferable for the websites having high traffic and requiring expert-level technical facilities.
  Why is Web Hosting Software Required?
  The best web hosting software enables you to streamline your website hosting, server databases, DNS settings, mailboxes, and more. Also, you can monitor the bandwidth usage of the website using a web hosting control panel and adjust your website bandwidth accordingly so that the visitors don’t face any problems while accessing your website.
  All these tasks can be done by directly logging into the server but requires in-depth technical knowledge, experience, and expertise. A single mistake, and the entire website is down, which is a loss in terms of database, visitors, and conversions. Contrary to that, web hosting management software is easy to use and saves your time when it comes to managing domain names & email accounts, upload files, install applications, etc.
  (tibus.com)
  A web hosting software addresses two major issues - security and web page loading speed. It helps you in monitoring your website performance 24/7 and automates the task of managing your web hosting seamlessly.
  Web Hosting Software is Used by -
  Web hosting software is used for managing several websites, email accounts, databases, etc. Some companies and individuals hire web hosting service providers for this job. Whereas many of them believe in managing on their own with the help of web hosting software.
  By using web hosting management software, you can -
  Features to Look for in a Top Web Hosting Software
  To control the entire website hosting environment, you need to deploy a web hosting software allowing you to manage the below-mentioned tasks -
  Domain & Subdomain Management
  Domains are used to access website resources. Your best domain hosting software should allow you to create new and manage your existing domains and subdomains on your server.
  DNS Management
  The DNS records include nameserver, MX, and TXT records. The web hosting software allows you to fully customize the DNS for each add-on domain you host.
  Managing Files
  The web hosting software provides a GUI through which you can add, remove, upload, and download files on your server.
  Mailbox Management
  You have multiple mailboxes associated with each domain. The tasks of managing these mailboxes become tedious without the right web hosting software.
  Bandwidth Monitoring
  A web hosting software helps you in monitoring which website is utilizing maximum server resources and eliminates problems occurring due to high bandwidth usage.
  Managing TSL/SSL
  Hackers can very easily steal Important information like login passwords, credit/debit card details, etc., through an unsecured wifi connection. A web hosting software can help you managing TSL/SSL encryption features to protect crucial information available on your web server.
  Automating Tasks
  You cannot work around the clock for managing your server issues. A website hosting software performs tasks like checking your website for broken links, taking backups on scheduled time, etc., automatically and frees up your time which you can utilize for your core business.
  Managing Databases
  In the case of large eCommerce websites or new portals, it becomes a tedious job to manage databases directly from the server. A top web hosting software helps you in managing huge databases from a centralized location.
  How to Select a Web Hosting Software?
  Selecting the right web hosting software is very important, as it helps you in managing all aspects of hosting service. In this era, the business depends on the user experience. Any type of negligence or blunder in website hosting can cause you damage. Below-mentioned are some factors you need to consider before selecting a web hosting software -
  User-Friendly Interface
  The web hosting software you select should have a user-friendly interface so that you can manage everything relating to hosting easily, even if you are not aware of its technical intricacies.
  Platform Friendly
  If your website is developed using asp.net, you need to have a web hosting software for windows, and for other coding languages, Linux based server works well. It would always be better to go for a web hosting software compatible to your server.
  Customer Support
  You need to select a web hosting software that provides prompt support through email, phone, questions, and forum. In case you face any problem in using it or have any questions; you can get instant answers.
  Features
  Many times, the software includes the features, which you are not going to use even in the future, and the ones you require, are not included in the software. It is significant to check whether the web hosting software you are selecting offers the features you require.
  Secure and Reliable
  Security and reliability are significant when it comes to web hosting, as your business can get affected if your website is down due to a malware attack. If the web hosting service is not stable, the website will not work properly, causing inconvenience to your visitors.
  Price
  You need to ensure that the web hosting software you have chosen is worth its price. If you are reluctant towards investing in the software, you can go for free web hosting software.
  After in-depth research and analysis, our team has come up with these top 10 free and open source web hosting software, which can help you in selecting the one which best suits your requirements.
  But, before that, you can view the below-mentioned comparison chart to view the features of these free and open source web hosting software at a glance.
  Comparison Chart of the Top 9 Free and Open Source Web Hosting Software
  The Top 9 Free and Open Source Web Hosting Software
  #1 ajenti
  Ajenti is a free and open source web hosting software that is lightweight, well-documented, and easy to install. It requires only 30MB RAM and 75 MB storage space on the server to install. This web hosting software written in Python and powered by GEvent coroutine engine has developed the GEvent framework providing a modular architecture.
  It supports server operating systems like Debian, Ubuntu, RHEL, CentOS, and Gentoo. The front end of Ajenti is developed on JS or CoffeeScript using the AngularJS framework. Also, it comes with some pre-installed tools like a text editor, core manager, terminal, and file manager. Being an out of the box software, It supports HTTP/1.1 web server with SSL.
  (ajenti.org)
  Highlights
  Anything can be replaced or removed due to its modular interface
  Includes unique SSL support
  Database management
  Email management
  File manager
  DNS Management
  Domains management
  Managing multiple servers from a single Cpanel is possible
  Includes versatile built-in plugins
  Reliable firewall
  Mirrors and clusters configuration
  Virtual servers management
  Bottomline
  Ajenti is a perfect tool for developers as it provides versatile options to customize the software as per the business requirement.
  If you have already used Ajenti, please feel free to share your reviews here.
  #2 Sentora
  Sentora is an opensource web hosting tool and the successor of one of the most popular web hosting software Zpanel. It is developed and maintained by the original members of the ZPanel team. It is built to work on various Linux servers specifically. It is released under GPLv3 and is the perfect web hosting software for organizations and web hosting service providers seeking for a reliable web hosting control panel.
  Sentora is developed in PHP and utilizes open source software packages similar to other control panels like Apache HTTPd, PHP, Dovecot, Postfix, ProFTPd, MariaDB, and more.
  (sentora.org)
  Features
  It has the potential to host multiple websites on a single server
  Customized control panel for users
  Allows client login for web hosting
  You can integrate with the API to connect corporate website or billing system directly to Sentora
  Allows quota management for mailboxes and domains
  Has template system enabling custom themes for custom branding
  Includes FTP, domain management, automated backup system, protected directories, and database management system
  Offers reseller accounts allowing clients to resell hosting
  Bottomline
  Sentora helps you in managing your web hosting tasks quickly and easily. It provides community-based support catering to personal and commercial users both.
  If you have already used Sentora, please feel free to share your reviews here.
  #3 ISPConfig
  ISPConfig is one of the most popular open source web hosting software providing versatile functionality to manage hosting servers seamlessly. Available in 22 languages, it has a web interface that can manage multiple servers. It can be installed on secure servers like Ubuntu, Centos, Fedora, Debian, OpenSuSE, and virtual machines.
  It is written using PHP language and supports both Apache and Nginx web servers and MySQL database. Distributed under the BSF license, this web hosting software is preferred by organizations, individuals, and web hosting companies.
  (ispconfig.org)
  Features
  It has the capability of managing single and multiple servers both.
  Allows four access levels for administrators, resellers, clients, and email login
  Can manage websites, email accounts, FTP users, MySQL databases, Cron jobs, Shell users, DNS, IPv4 support, and IPv6 support
  Includes virus filter and firewall
  Supported record types include - A, AAAA, ALIAS, CNAME, DKIM, DMARC, HINFO, MX, NS, PTR, RP, SPF, SRV, TXT
  Facilitates to adjust bandwidth and quota limits
  Allows viewing traffic on multiple domains and statistics relating to visitors, bandwidth, etc.
  Can protect folder access by setting up passwords
  Allows URL Redirection
  Supports SMTP, POP3, IMAP, POP3S, IMAPS, Email accounts, Email aliases, Spamfilter, Postgry greylisting, DKIM Mail signing
  Bottomline
  ISPConfig is a free, open source and transparent web hosting software which is extremely reliable, secure, and quick. Its continuous development ensures scalability, and it doesn’t matter if you have a physical or virtual server; IPSConfig works in both situations.
  If you have already used ISPConfig, please feel free to share your reviews here.
  #4 Vesta
  VestaCP is a free and open source web hosting software having a one-touch app installer known as Softaculous, which enables users to install more than 439 apps like WordPress, Joomla, etc., with a single click. It also includes a firewall like iPTables or fail2ban. It supports NGINX, Apache, PHP-FPM, and PHP as web servers and comes with monitoring tools like Monit, Webalizer, AWStats, and RRDtool.
  You can install VestaCP on Debian, Ubuntu, and Centos/RHEL. VestaCP has a simple and intuitive user interface. It allows quick access to the server. The inbuilt firewall can ban the IP addresses trying to access the server with several wrong login attempts. It is quite simple to install and requires only 512 RAM, 20GB HDD, and 1GHz CPU. (vestacp.com)
  Features
  An extremely fast web interface
  Secure firewall
  Supports 26 different languages and regions
  Built-in analytics providing information about visitors, countries, browsers, operating systems, etc.
  No risk of losing data, as a powerful backup system is integrated
  Allows DNS management
  Includes CLI interface support
  It supports MySQL + phpMyAdmin and PostgreSQL + phpPgAdmin
  Includes Web File Manager that allows browsing, copying, editing, viewing, and retrieving all the web domain files
  Bottomline
  VestaCP is a simple and intelligent web hosting software and has become an essential hosting platform globally. It is incredibly secure, easy to use, and all its core functionality is free, making it a highly preferable web hosting control panel.
  If you have already used Vesta, please feel free to share your reviews here.
  #5 CentOS Web Panel
  CentOS Web Panel, also known as CWP, is an open source web hosting software highly rich in features. It is designed to manage dedicated and virtual servers (VPS). It supports Linux operating systems like CentOS/RHEL 6.x and CloudLinux distribution.
  It is very easy to install, but you need to install it on your fresh server, as you cannot uninstall it once it is installed. In case you need to remove CentOS; you need to reinstall the whole server. This software comes with Softaculous Auto app installer, which allows you to install several applications on the server easily with just one click.
  It has an inbuilt firewall that can lock out the whole filesystem to increase the security level. To install CentOS, you require 32bit Server - 512MB RAM, 64bit Server - 1024MB RAM and HDD - 10GB.
  (centos-webpanel.com)
  Features
  Supports Apache web server, and varnish cache server
  Includes Nginx reverse proxy
  Allows backups and autofixer for server configuration
  Has CSF firewall, SSL generator, SSL Certificate Manager, AutoSSL DoS protection, SFTP Security, etc.
  Can manage DNS including FreeDNS, DNS zone template editor, DNS zone manager, etc.
  It includes auto-update, backup manager, file manager, CPanel account migration, etc.
  Allows CloudLinux + CageFS management
  Bottomline
  CentOS Web Panel having versatile web server features and functionality, making it a trustworthy option when it comes to web hosting software. Because of its flexibility and user-friendliness, it is preferred by the developers and users both.
  If you have already used CentOS, please feel free to share your reviews here.
  #6 Froxlor
  Froxlor is a server management panel, that is developed by highly qualified and experienced server administrators. Froxlor is a lightweight, free, and open source web hosting software that simplifies the job of managing the hosting server.
  Whether it is about managing multiple domains, email accounts, or gaining full control over web hosting, Froxlor can be a trustworthy option with intuitive features and functionality.
  (froxlor.org)
  Features
  Can manage multiple domains with IPv4 and IPv6 addresses
  Supports advanced SSL and allows customers to store certificates for their domains
  Allows you to save several PHP configurations
  Can manage permissions given to resellers and users
  Displays web and mail traffic in the form of interactive graphs
  Provides access to all major functions through API
  Can customize the interface with the themes available
  Allows MySQL management, quota management, directory settings & protection
  Bottomline
  Froxlor is a free web hosting software with versatile features, highly useful in managing the hosting environment. As it is open source and highly customizable software, you can try it and determine whether it suits your business requirements or not.
  If you have already used Froxlor, please feel free to share your reviews here.
  #7 Univention Corporate Server (UCS)
  Univention Corporate Server (UCS) is considered as the modern Open Source web hosting software suiting to the companies and organizations of any size. UCS has versatile directory functions and an app center which allows you to integrate and operate enterprise applications.
  This free and open-source web hosting software is well known for its easy administration of server applications and entire IT infrastructures. UCS is perfectly suitable for the management of distributed heterogeneous and virtualized IT environments. Also, it is compatible with Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux systems.
  (univention.com)
  Features
  Easy to use graphical user interface, which is individually configurable, based on the access permissions allowed to each user
  Regardless of the company size, UCS suits to the administration of all the types of IT infrastructures
  Automatic migration of active directory domains to Univention Corporate Server is possible
  Allows continuous monitoring of servers, domains, and other network components
  Enables cross-platform administration of file sharing and policy-based permission administration
  Includes login and authentication system for servers, domains, applications, and email accounts
  It has significant functions required to operate and administrate networks
  Allows automatic software distribution, and installation
  Bottomline
  UCS is a sophisticated web hosting software that is multiple systems, location, and platform friendly. It enables efficient operations of your IT infrastructure consistently. It also allows simple integration of other infrastructure or software components, making it highly scalable and modern software for companies and individuals both.
  If you have already used Univention Corporate Server (UCS), please feel free to share your reviews here.
  #8 Webmin
  Webmin is a web-based software used for system administration for Unix platforms. You can set up user accounts, enable file sharing, configure Apache, and DNS settings, and perform many more tasks relating to web hosting. It allows you to manage the entire web hosting server remotely and eliminates the hassle of editing Unix configuration files like /etc/passwd manually.
  (webmin.com)
  Features
  Allows you to create and edit domains, DNS records, BIND options, and views.
  Helps in configuring a BSD firewall by creating and editing rules using IPFW.
  Lets you to set up scripts to be run at boot time from /etc/init.d or /etc/rc.local
  You can schedule the file transfer from the server to multiple servers
  Allows you to install RPMs, Debian, and Solaris packages across multiple servers from one source
  It provides access to reports like bandwidth usage, uploads, downloads, visitors, etc.
  You can create scheduled Cron jobs that run on multiple servers simultaneously
  Lets you run commands on multiple servers at once
  Allows you to set up and edit user or group disk quotas for local filesystems
  Includes backup and restore filesystems using the dump and restore the family of commands
  Using file manager similar to Windows, you can view, edit and change permissions on files and directories on your server
  You can configure the service location protocol server
  View, edit, and change permissions on files and directories on your system with a Windows-like file manager
  It helps in setting up SSL tunnels to encrypt services like POP3 and IMAP, using stunnel run from inetd.
  Bottomline
  With free help-guides and on-site training available, Webmin can ease out your job of managing your websites hosted on the server. It has become a preferred choice for organizations and web hosting companies because of its versatile modules and enhanced features.
  If you have already used Webmin, please feel free to share your reviews here.
  #9 TinyCP
  TinyCP is free and open source web hosting software which manages Linux like systems. It is a lightweight software (only 1.6 GB), and so is easy to install and maintain. It supports domains, mailboxes, databases, FTP, Samba, firewall, OpenVPN, PPTP, GIT, SVN, PHP, etc.
  (tinycp.com)
  Features
  Allows drag & drop in file transfer
  Includes FTP access
  Unlimited web hosting is possible
  Provides unlimited disk storage
  Includes hotlink protection
  Has easy to use web file manager
  Provides secure email support
  Bottomline
  This software is extremely lightweight for hardware, provides unlimited web hosting, and above all it is free. These reasons encourage companies to execute TinyCP for their web hosting requirements.
  If you have already used TinyCP, please feel free to share your reviews here.
  So, these were the top 9 free and open source web hosting software. But, if you are still looking for software with advanced functionality, we would recommend you consider WHMCS, which can automate your web hosting business easily. Let’s have brief information about this popular web hosting software -
  WHMCS
  WHMCS is a popular web hosting software that can simplify and automate daily tasks and operations relating to your web hosting business. It can integrate with all the leading control panels and service providers like Cpanel, Plesk, etc. It is an intuitive software, built keeping web hosts in mind. Easy to set up within a few days, and you can get it started today.
  (whmcs.com)
  Key Features
  Allows fully automated hosting account set up with domain management
  Can create professional invoices and collect payments from the customers
  Includes support ticket system to assist the customers promptly
  Integrated support tool to provide high-end functionality
  Easy to develop and customize as per the business requirements
  Secure and scalable solution perfect for a growing business
  If you have already used WHMCS, please feel free to share your reviews here.
  Conclusion
  Selecting the best web hosting software requires considering four main factors - speed, security, support, and scalability. Web hosting software is available in a wide range of prices. If you own a small business, and the budget is a constraint, the free and open-source web hosting software mentioned here can be considered.
  But, if you require web hosting software with advanced features, you can consider investing in one of these paid web hosting software -
  Bravenet
  Atomia
  Join Law
  DreamHost
  cPanel
  WHMCS
  Plesk
  Here, you can view the thorough list of web hosting software, which might help you in selecting the best suiting to your business requirements.
  If you have used any of the web hosting software mentioned above, please don’t forget to leave your valuable feedback here.
  Just in case, if you are looking for the software used in other business sectors, browse all software categories and stay tuned for updates.
  Jemimah Rodriguez
  Jemimah Rodriguez is a content marketing specialist having 8+ years of experience in content writing, SEO, and social media optimization. At present, she is working with GoodFirms – a reliable platform helping businesses in selecting right Software Companies & Products. For further information, you can get in touch with her on [email protected]
  Responses (4)
  Write Comment
  Affordable Web Solutions
  May 24, 2019 09:04
  Awesome points define! Thanks for the share
  ReplyReply
  Rosalina
  October 3, 2019 03:53
  What's up to all, how is the whole thing, I think every one is getting more from this web page, and your views are pleasant in favor of new users.
  ReplyReply
  Claude
  March 16, 2020 22:46
  Awesome information that has given me plenty to think about before I commit to choosing one program over another. Thank you for taking your valuable time in researching and sharing all of this with us. Putting this all into words in writing this article is well appreciated by yours truly. Once again thank you
  ReplyReply
  Deepa Perumal
  July 28, 2020 07:03
  such an amazing article about web hosting .
  ReplyReply
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