A Plesk control panel can work on either a Linux or a Windows web server. Find out which additional features you may want and our top picks for Plesk web hosting.
We selected hosts that offer Plesk along with top features such as free one-year domain registration and advanced security. Then, we cross-checked the best hosts against our massive database of thousands of genuine customer reviews to narrow our list down to the best Plesk hosts.
What Is Plesk?
Hosting companies sell their packages based on performance and resources. But for many customers, the control panel offered is a critical factor.
Plesk is one of the most common branded control panels you’ll come across when shopping for a new web host.
“Plesk” is the shortened name for the Parallels Plesk Panel, a control panel used in web hosting. It offers host customers a user-friendly graphical interface that makes website management easier for novices.
How To Choose a Plesk Web Host
Some hosting providers only offer Plesk on Windows servers, but you can ask if it’s available to install on Linux servers since that is often an option. When choosing a Plesk hosting company, confirm that it has extras like Power Pack and Kaspersky Anti-Virus to maximize its potential.
It’s important to remember the following factors when choosing your host:
Updates: It’s best to know how often Plesk updates its existing versions. Moreover, paying attention to how often entirely new versions are released for public use is useful. Be cautious of beta versions.
Management and support: Ask yourself about your team’s capability to manage your website or project. How much do you rely on your host’s support with Plesk? Some hosts provide significantly more support with control panels than others.
Extensions: You can never have enough extensions with a control panel. Does your selected host provide Plesk extensions and tools? Some use cases could be encryption, DDoS protection, or website builders.
Type of hosting: Opting for a package and then realizing its inability to upgrade is terrifying. Ensure your host supports Plesk throughout every hosting plan you may rely on.
Type of server: Will you be running on a Linux or Windows host? Windows servers exist, but Linux support is more widespread in the industry.
Pre-installed Plesk: Almost all hosting packages will come with a control panel pre-installed (possible exceptions to this are unmanaged hosting accounts). The most common option is cPanel, but Plesk can also be found on many hosts. While it is possible to purchase a Plesk license on your own and have it installed, it is much faster and easier to choose a hosting company that has it pre-installed and ready to go.
Get premium support and top speeds with a 30-day money back guarantee.
A2 Hosting has a high-performance SwiftServer platform that boasts page load speeds up to 20 times faster than standard drives. You can install popular extensions through Plesk, including WordPress and My Structured Query Language (MySQL).
Pros and cons of A2 Hosting
Pros
Provides 24/7/year-round high-quality, with English-speaking, expert support staff available via phone, email, and live chat
Offers unmanaged and managed plans with plenty of options
Free solid-state drives (SSDs) are included
Cons
Mod_perl, Plexum, HTMLDoc, PDFLib, MS SQL (Microsoft structured query language), and ColdFusion are not supported
Only four data center locations available (two in the U.S., one in Europe, and one in Asia).
What customers are saying about A2 Hosting:
A2 is a reliable, affordable hosting company that has fast speeds. The customer service is generally responsive but could use more updated tutorials and documentation.
Excellent value for the money and highly efficient hosting services
Kamatera web hosting lets you set up your preferred web hosting panel in minutes. The options available are cPanel web host manager (cPanel/WHM, Linux only), WebsitePanel (Windows only), and Parallels Plesk (Linux or Windows). All of these products are top-of-the-line solutions for hosting websites used by the admins of millions of websites around the globe.
Pros and cons of Kamatera
Pros
Free site migrations
Top-notch customer service
Global data centers
Cons
No shared hosting plans
No free backups
What customers are saying about Kamatera:
Customers say that Kamatera is easy to use, offers quick setup, has great uptime, and offers standout technical support. However, some users have had problems with minor issues, such as creating invoices through their website.
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Liquid Web
Best managed dedicated hosting for Plesk
Dedicated servers for the most secure and most performant hosting options
Single- and dual-processor dedicated servers for excellent reliability and speed
Liquid Web is a host geared toward dedicated servers that offer either cPanel or Plesk across its managed hosting plans. This is a good provider if you want the control a dedicated server can offer you. You can also choose cloud virtual private server (VPS) hosting.
Pros and cons of Liquid Web
Pros
GlobalSign Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) certificates are included in all plans
SSDs are installed on all servers
Site migration service is available at no extra cost
Cons
High entry-level price
No free ad credits are offered
What customers are saying about Liquid Web:
Liquid Web is a reputable provider offering dedicated and VPS hosting. The company — geared toward entrepreneurs and small online startups — is easy to use, affordable, and has a great uptime. Billing might be confusing, but it has solid customer service for any issues.
Get your choice of control panels with dedicated servers
HostGator offers a choice of control panels for its dedicated servers. People have given HostGator high marks for its support, uptime, features, and value, so we rate it as another good choice for a dedicated server with Plesk.
Pros and cons of Hostgator
Pros
24/7 support
Website builder
Dedicated servers
Cons
Poor uptime
Higher renewal rates
What customers are saying about HostGator:
HostGator is a good fit for beginners seeking a web host with various features. The customer service and prices are favorable but avoid paying for unnecessary extras. Note there are limitations to the search engine optimizations (SEO) capabilities.
Plesk control panel is 100% automated and includes features that make it easy for you to manage your server and domains. Unique features include migration manager, key auto-update mechanism, auto-component updater, and web-based installation assistance with managing your server and domains. Plesk is a highly stable control panel and is capable of supporting many domains on a single server.
What are the alternatives to Plesk?
The most direct alternative to Plesk is cPanel. Some people claim that getting used to cPanel is easier, as most web hosting service providers install cPanel for their clients. cPanel has powerful tools that perform essential tasks easily and quickly. However, it is not available on Windows. Other Plesk alternatives include open-source control panels like ZPanel, Zentyal, and Vesta.
Can I use Plesk in the cloud?
Plesk is compatible with the cloud as long as it is supported by the operating operating system.
Can I monitor my servers using Plesk?
Yes, Plesk offers mobile monitoring to let you watch your servers 24/7 to fix issues as soon as they arise. Browse the Plesk Server Mobile Monitor page on your Plesk control panel to get your custom link to begin monitoring immediately.
Can I upload data without file transfer protocol (FTP) clients?
Yes. Plesk provides a built-in file manager to manage, upload, move, copy, download, and modify all the files on your hosting package. You can also package several files into a .zip archive.
Can I customize Plesk?
Yes. Plesk can be customized with Virtuozzo software to create a variety of templates. Professional web hosting providers and webmasters can customize the Plesk user interface to make it consistent with their brand’s look.