When you’re setting up a web server, picking the right control panel can make or break your hosting experience. HestiaCP and CloudPanel both promise to make server management simple, but they’re designed with different priorities in mind.

HestiaCP is like your all-in-one hosting toolkit — perfect if you want websites, emails, and DNS under one roof. On the flip side, CloudPanel feels like a sleek, turbocharged cockpit for developers who care about performance and want to run lightning-fast PHP apps on cloud infrastructure — no bloat, just pure speed.

So, which one suits your project best? Let’s break it down in plain English and help you choose the smart match for your needs.

What is HestiaCP?

HestiaCP is an open-source web hosting control panel, forked from VestaCP, designed to help you manage websites, email accounts, DNS, databases, and users through a clean web interface. It turns a plain Linux server into a full-featured shared hosting environment — no command line needed for daily tasks.

Pros of HestiaCP

1. All-in-One Hosting — Manages websites, email, FTP, DNS, and databases in one panel.
2. Multi-User Support — Create admin, reseller, and user accounts — handy for agencies and shared hosting.
3. Built-In Mail Server — Includes Exim, Dovecot, and Roundcube for running your own mail.
4. Free SSL — Let’s Encrypt integration makes HTTPS easy.
5. Firewall & Security — Fail2Ban, firewall rules, and SSH hardening help keep your server safer.
6. Lightweight — Runs well on small VPS servers.
7. Active Community — Open-source and actively maintained by volunteers.

Cons of HestiaCP

1. Classic Design — The UI is practical but feels outdated compared to newer panels.
2. Mail Server Complexity — Running your own mail can mean more spam management and deliverability headaches.
3. Limited Modern Features — Doesn’t include advanced app deployment tools like Git integration or container support out-of-the-box.
4. Manual Tuning — Advanced configs (custom NGINX templates, multi-PHP versions) sometimes need manual tweaks.

What is CloudPanel?

CloudPanel is a free, modern server control panel designed for running high-performance PHP applications on cloud servers. It focuses on speed, simplicity, and developer-friendly features — think Laravel, WordPress, or any PHP stack on NGINX, with no unnecessary extras weighing things down.

Pros of CloudPanel

1. Ultra-Lightweight — Strips out bloat like local mail servers — more server resources stay focused on your web apps.
2. Modern NGINX Stack — Optimized for NGINX + PHP-FPM — fast and secure by default.
3. Cloud Ready — Built with cloud VPS providers in mind — quick to deploy on AWS, GCP, DigitalOcean, Hetzner, etc.
4. Clean Interface — Sleek, modern dashboard with real-time stats and easy SSL setup.
5. Fast PHP Version Switching — Run different PHP versions side-by-side with just a few clicks.
6. Good Security Defaults — Automatic Let’s Encrypt SSL, strong file permissions, and easy user isolation.

Cons of CloudPanel

1. No Built-In Mail Server — You’ll need external mail services for transactional or hosted email.
2. Single Admin by Default — No classic multi-user or reseller model — not built for shared hosting.
3. Limited App Stack — Focused on PHP only — no built-in support for Node.js, Python, or custom stacks (without manual setup).
4. Smaller Community — Compared to older panels like HestiaCP, it’s newer with a smaller ecosystem.

 #1 key similarities between HestiaCP and CloudPanel

✔ Free & Open Source — Both panels are free to use and community-driven, no license fees.

✔ Linux-Based — Designed for modern Debian or Ubuntu servers, easy to install with a single script.

✔ NGINX Support — Both rely on NGINX as the core web server (HestiaCP can use Apache too, but NGINX is a main option).

✔ SSL Automation — Automatic Let’s Encrypt SSL integration for one-click HTTPS.

✔ User-Friendly Interface — Clean web dashboards that reduce the need for command line work.

✔ Database Management — Built-in tools to create and manage MySQL/MariaDB databases easily.

✔ Basic Security Features — Firewalls, fail2ban or similar protections, and options for user isolation.

Both make server management simpler for non-sysadmins — the difference is mostly breadth (HestiaCP does more) vs focus (CloudPanel does PHP really well).

#2 Key Differences between HestiaCP and CloudPanel

2.1 Target Audience:

HestiaCP: Great if you need a complete hosting toolbox — manage websites, emails, DNS, and resellers all in one place. Perfect for freelancers, small hosting businesses, or anyone wanting to run classic shared hosting on their own server.

CloudPanel: Best suited for developers who want a clean, fast launchpad for PHP projects — think Laravel, WordPress, or custom apps — running on a cloud VPS without the clutter of extra services you don’t need.

If you want an all-rounder, pick HestiaCP — if you want pure PHP speed, CloudPanel is the smart match.

2.2 Web Server Stack

HestiaCP: Gives you the flexibility to run Apache with NGINX as a reverse proxy, or go pure NGINX if you prefer — perfect if you host a mix of dynamic and static sites, or need .htaccess support for legacy apps.

CloudPanel: Runs purely on NGINX — no Apache under the hood. It’s built for speed and modern PHP handling, with optimized NGINX configs out-of-the-box.

Need Apache’s .htaccess or mixed setups? HestiaCP has you covered — want a clean, fast NGINX stack? CloudPanel nails it.

2.3 Interface Style

HestiaCP: Keeps things simple with a no-frills, classic dashboard — everything you need is there, but don’t expect fancy visuals. It’s straightforward and gets the job done for everyday admin tasks.

CloudPanel: Offers a sleek, modern, and cloud-ready interface — polished dashboards, clean charts, and an intuitive layout that feels right at home on a modern cloud server.

Prefer an old-school, functional look? HestiaCP does the trick — want a crisp, stylish panel? CloudPanel feels fresh and developer-friendly.

2.4 Multi-User Structure

HestiaCP: Gives you a full multi-user system — you can create admin, reseller, and user accounts, making it handy for hosting multiple clients, selling shared hosting, or managing separate projects under different users.

CloudPanel: Keeps it simple with a single admin role — no built-in reseller levels or separate user accounts for clients. It’s meant for developers or teams who run their own sites on one server, not for classic shared hosting.

Need to manage multiple clients or resell? HestiaCP fits perfectly — running your own projects only? CloudPanel keeps it clean and simple.

2.5 Mail Hosting

HestiaCP: Comes with a full-featured mail setup — Exim for sending, Dovecot for IMAP/POP, SpamAssassin for spam filtering, plus webmail through Roundcube. Perfect if you want to host your own email accounts alongside your websites.

CloudPanel: Skips the local mail server completely — you’ll need to connect to an external mail provider for sending and receiving emails. This keeps the server lighter and more secure but adds a bit of extra setup.

Want built-in email hosting? HestiaCP has it ready to go — prefer to offload mail for a leaner setup? CloudPanel keeps things focused.

#3 Advanced Differences between HestiaCP and CloudPanel

3.1 App Deployment:

HestiaCP: Works well for classic hosting, but doesn’t come with advanced deployment tools — if you want Git integration or CI/CD, you’ll handle it manually through SSH or custom scripts.

CloudPanel: Feels tailor-made for developers — switching PHP versions per site, fine-tuning NGINX, and setting up new domains is fast and smooth. It’s built to speed up common tasks in modern PHP workflows.

Need a simple, traditional hosting style? HestiaCP works fine — want quicker, developer-friendly app deployment? CloudPanel makes it easy.

3.2 Resource Footprint

HestiaCP: Runs a full stack — mail server, FTP, DNS, and web services — so it naturally uses more RAM and CPU, especially if you host multiple domains and emails on a small VPS.

CloudPanel: Keeps things light and efficient — no mail server, no extras — so more of your server’s power stays focused on serving PHP apps fast.

If you’re fine with a bigger footprint for all-in-one features, HestiaCP works well — if you want maximum resources for your apps, CloudPanel stays lean.

3.3 Custom Templates

HestiaCP: Lets you customize web server configs using templates — you can tweak or create new ones for Apache or NGINX, but you’ll do it manually by editing config files on the server.

CloudPanel: Comes with ready-made, optimized configs for different PHP versions and domain setups — less manual tweaking for standard use cases, so you spend more time deploying and less time fiddling with files.

Want full control and custom tweaks? HestiaCP gives you that freedom — want it fast and pre-tuned? CloudPanel handles it for you.

3.4 Ecosystem Size

HestiaCP: Has been around longer — forked from VestaCP — so it benefits from a larger community, more user-contributed templates, scripts, and plenty of tutorials and forum help for common setups.

CloudPanel: A newer project with a growing but smaller community — fewer third-party guides but active development focused on keeping PHP stacks up-to-date and adding modern features fast.

If you value a mature community and more how-to resources, HestiaCP is well covered — if you prefer fresh development and modern tweaks, CloudPanel stays sharp and current.

3.5 Backup & Restore

HestiaCP: Comes with a built-in backup system — you can back up and restore entire user accounts, websites, mailboxes, databases, and DNS zones with a few clicks or cron jobs. Handy for shared hosting where clients expect easy site and mail recovery.

CloudPanel: Focuses on site and database backups only — since it doesn’t run a mail server, there’s no built-in mail data to manage. Backups are fast, lean, and designed to keep your web apps safe with minimal fuss.

Need full backups covering everything, including mail? HestiaCP delivers — running only web apps? CloudPanel keeps backups simple and efficient.

3.6 Monitoring & Metrics

HestiaCP: Provides basic usage stats — you’ll see disk space, bandwidth usage, and account-level traffic per domain or user, which is enough for general hosting management but doesn’t dig deep into real-time server performance.

CloudPanel: Comes with a modern, detailed dashboard — live graphs for CPU, RAM, disk, NGINX, and PHP-FPM performance help developers monitor load, catch bottlenecks, and tune their apps easily.

For simple hosting stats, HestiaCP covers the basics — if you want clear, real-time server health insights, CloudPanel gives you more out of the box.

3.7 Software Install Flexibility

HestiaCP: Works as a versatile all-rounder — since it supports Apache (with or without NGINX as a proxy), you can run static sites, classic PHP apps, legacy CGI scripts, .htaccess rules, and custom Apache modules. It’s flexible for hosting a wide mix of old and new projects.

CloudPanel: Purpose-built for modern PHP stacks — PHP-FPM + NGINX is its core. If you want to deploy Node.js, Python, or Ruby, there’s no native module or one-click option — you’ll handle it manually through SSH and custom NGINX configs.

If you need to host mixed tech stacks or older setups, HestiaCP handles it — if you focus purely on PHP apps, CloudPanel keeps it simple and lean.

3.8 OS Compatibility

HestiaCP: Officially supports Debian and Ubuntu LTS versions — generally works well on a range of stable releases (Debian 10/11/12, Ubuntu 18.04/20.04/22.04). It’s quite forgiving if your base system has other packages installed, though a fresh minimal image is still recommended.

CloudPanel: Also supports Debian and Ubuntu, but the team specifically tests on newer LTS versions like Debian 11/12 and Ubuntu 22.04. CloudPanel strongly expects a clean, minimal server install — no pre-installed Apache, NGINX, or MySQL — because its installer configures and optimizes everything from scratch.

 
HestiaCP is more flexible if your OS is older or slightly modified — CloudPanel wants a fresh slate on a modern LTS for best results.

#4 Use Case Summary – Which One to Choose?

If you want a full traditional hosting panel that handles websites, emails, DNS, and multi-user accounts all in one place, HestiaCP is your go-to. It’s great for freelancers, agencies, small hosting businesses, or anyone who wants a classic cPanel-like experience without the license fee.

If you want a lean, modern, developer-focused panel to run high-performance PHP apps on a clean cloud VPS — with no local mail clutter and built-in real-time monitoring — CloudPanel is the smart match. It’s a breeze for Laravel, WordPress, or any PHP stack where speed and simplicity matter most.

Summary: Pick HestiaCP for all-in-one shared hosting flexibility. Pick CloudPanel for clean, optimized cloud deployments focused purely on PHP.