As with the launch of any great software platform, there have to be some competitive choices available to have the best and most viable solution for your business and in the case of control panels – software that connects you to the back end of the website you run to make changes – there are quite a few new innovations since the launch of cPanel in ’96.

Comparing The Top of The Class

Without further ado, we put the two largest control panel options under a microscope and determine which is good for your needs.  Although many others exist for webmasters to choose from, these two are top of the class in terms of usability.

Let’s Start With Plesk

First, we’ll look at Parallel Plesk, or just Plesk to the native user, which was an innovation of SW Soft and then sold to the company called Parallels.  It was developed in 2003, nonetheless, and offers a huge assortment of options for the webmaster, including the install of programs very quickly, transferring of domains, moving files around with an on-platform file manager and so much more.

Content Manager

I use this content manager with several hosting companies and find the overall navigation around the program to be quick, simplistic, and secure.  For those that do not have a load of control panel experience, this is the road I would choose to learn more about control panel access to websites.

cPanel – Since 1996

On the other hand, you have cPanel, which came onto the content controller scene back in 1996 and simply offers an easy to use interface that lets the novice and expert webmaster make quick changes to their websites while their site continues to run.

Rich in Features

Users can expect to be able to change their domain and file structure, add and use programs such as PHPMyAdmin and MySQL, and have the opportunity to control email addresses that belong to their accounts.

Works on Many Operating Systems

This user-friendly atmosphere also works well on Red Hat Linux, FreeBSD, and CentOS, giving the flexibility to many users who run those kinds of operating systems.  Overall, this old-school control panel is still the preferred choice of many consumers across the board.

Plesk Freezes

Each one has its downfalls, too: as a personal user of Plesk, I notice that a lot of freezing occurs during intermittent times while navigating and making changes.  At times it won’t let me into the file management system, forcing me to use FTP, which can be slow at times, too.

cPanel Issues

Also, depending on the hosting company, finding your way around can be difficult at times, too.  CPanel, too, has some of the same issues, except not so bad when it comes to file navigation.  Most of the problems seem to occur during log-ins and adding subdomains through the panel, and the look and feel of the system seems a bit prehistoric.

Bluehost Uses cPanel

Bluehost uses cPanel as their choice of control panel. It’s a good and quick setup, and with Bluehost’s server background, it’s really the perfect solution if you would like to take care of everyday maintenance.

Both Are Solid Solutions

Overall, however, both solutions offer a solid foundation for behind the scenes entry into your website, and the best solution to use really depends on your level of expertise in designing and maintaining your sites.  Different hosting companies will offer different solutions, and it is just a matter of whether you get Plesk or cPanel.