Both CWP (CentOS Web Panel now rebranded to Control Web Panel) and cPanel are popular web hosting control panels, but it is subjective to say that one is definitively better than the other. The choice between CWP and cPanel depends on your specific needs and preferences. Here are some factors to consider:
- Cost: CWP is an open-source control panel and is available for free, while cPanel is a commercial product that requires a paid license. If cost is a significant factor for you, CWP may be a better choice. cPanel costs $59.99 per month and CWP costs $1.49 per month without support and $12.99 with support. Just here you save from $47-$58.5 monthly. This applies to servers with more than 30 accounts
- User Interface: The user interface (UI) of a control panel plays a crucial role in user experience. Some users find the CWP UI more intuitive and easy to navigate, while others prefer the cPanel UI. It ultimately comes down to personal preference. The WHM panel is very good and has a lot of options, many not used. CWP is a bit simpler but will do the same job as the WHM.
- Features and Functionality: Both CWP and cPanel offer a range of features to manage web hosting accounts. cPanel has been in the market for a longer time and is known for its extensive feature set, including email management, file management, database administration, and more. CWP also provides essential functionalities, but it may not have the same level of features as cPanel.
- Support and Community: cPanel has a long-standing reputation in the web hosting industry and has a large user base. This means there is a vast amount of documentation, tutorials, and community support available. CWP, being relatively newer, may have a smaller community, and finding extensive support or resources could be more challenging. CWP has a licence that includes support and they have a forum as well.
- Server Compatibility: cPanel is primarily designed to work with CentOS or CloudLinux operating systems, while CWP is specifically built for CentOS. If you are using a different operating system or plan to use one in the future, you may need to consider compatibility issues.
- Both control panels has reseller functionality, and it is easy to set up a reseller account.
- WHM comes with apache2, and CWP comes with the same as default. It’s much easier to change to apache+php-fp or apache+php-fpm+nginx and several other on CWP. It has its own web server settings page.
It’s essential to evaluate your specific requirements, consider your comfort level with the interface, and assess the available features and support when choosing between CWP and cPanel. Ultimately, the «better» option depends on your individual needs and preferences.
I made the change because i didnt use many of the functions of cPanel and the cost has doubled the last few year. Using a little simpler control panel that was cheaper made me use the money i saved on the cPanel license into the hardware. I went from a 6 core / 12 thread system to a 24 core / 32 thread system. I also have nvme disks with 2TB of storage and 64GB RAM.
CWP: https://control-webpanel.com
cPanel: https://cpanel.net