Editor: Michael LevanduskiNetwork Technical Engineer
Editor: Michael LevanduskiNetwork Technical Engineer
| Hosting service | Best for | Starting price | Best features |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bluehost
| Best overall ISPConfig hosting Why it’s best: Excellent overall user ratings, competitive pricing, great features, and an overall focus on quality make Bluehost the best overall choice for ISPConfig hosting | $2.95 per month |
|
| A2 Hosting
| Best host for preinstalled ISPConfig Why it’s best: A2 Hosting is one of only a few hosting providers where ISPConfig comes preinstalled, which can remove a big barrier of entry | $2.99 per month |
|
| Liquid Web
| Best ISPConfig hosting 24/7 support Why it’s best: Quick, responsive, people-powered support sets Liquid Web apart from its competitors | $25 per month |
|
We’ve examined over 1,500 hosting plans and selected the ones which meet all the technical requirements for running an ISPConfig site. We then picked the hosts which offer ISPConfig as an alternative to other control panels, plus great technical support in case you run into trouble.
ISPConfig is a free, open-source, and highly reliable control panel tool suite for Linux hosting. Web hosting control panels are online interfaces that simplify the management of server activity.
Hosts often include a control panel within a hosting plan or offer one for a small additional cost. Control panels are designed to let the server and site owners control their hosted services without needing to be tech-savvy.
While just a few control panels are the most widely used among hosts, many others, such as ISPConfig, are available for download and easy use.
Users can use the web-based interface to manage:
You can manage just one server with ISPConfig, or use it to maintain multiple servers.
These servers may be physical or virtual and used for a personal site or at the enterprise level. Depending on your needs and authorization, you will log in at the email, client, reseller, or administrator level.
In addition, you can use ISPConfig in one of 20 translated languages. At a high level, ISPConfig is a Linux-based server control platform with many tools.
Here’s a high-level list of all available ISPConfig features:
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Server management | Contains features and functionality for both single- and multi-server management |
| Tiered access levels | Control access levels for administrations, resellers, and clients |
| Web server support | Supports Apache and NGINX for site routing and content hosting |
| Email support | SMTP Postfix, POP/IMAP – Email hosting servers – for all hosted domains |
| FTP support | PureFTPd – allows file transfer protocol for each hosted site |
| DNS support | Bind and MyDNS – this server can run a domain name service |
| Databases | MySQL – using the Oracle MySQL database – for each user |
| Virtualization | OpenVZ – allows virtual machines for client sites |
When choosing an ISPConfig host, consider the following factors:
Bluehost provides Linux hosting exclusively and favors open-source technology. Customers on dedicated and virtual private server (VPS) hosting can get Secure Shell (SSH) access with a root account, allowing them to install ISPConfig and any other required software.
There’s only one data center and no uptime guarantee. On the bright side, phone, email, and chat support are always available. Phone support is toll-free in the U.S.
A2 Hosting is one of the few host providers that offer ISPConfig pre-installed. Its VPS plans let the customer choose ISPConfig on the SwiftServer platform.
Root access and solid-state drive (SSD) storage are standard, and the prices are reasonable. You can get more speed with the Turbo Boost VPS. Phone support (including Skype), email, and chat are available 24/7.
Liquid Web offers a choice of Linux distributions on its VPS and dedicated web hosting servers. This gives you everything necessary to install and use ISPConfig.
It operates data centers in the U.S. and Europe and guarantees 100% uptime. Support by phone, chat, and email is available 24 hours a day and has a guaranteed initial response time.
