What Is Plesk? Features, Editions and Differences from cPanel

What is Plesk? Plesk is a server and hosting control panel that lets you manage websites, e-mail, databases, DNS records and SSL certificates from a single interface in your browser. What sets Plesk apart is that it runs on both Linux and Windows Server, so PHP and ASP.NET sites can be managed in the same way.

This guide explains what the Plesk panel does, its main features and editions, how it differs from cPanel, how Plesk is installed and how licensing works.

What is Plesk used for?

Publishing websites on a server requires installing and configuring many components: a web server, PHP, a database, a mail server, DNS and SSL. Plesk installs these components, connects them and lets you do day-to-day tasks without the command line:

• Site and domain management: Adding domains, subdomains and aliases, choosing the PHP version, file manager and FTP accounts.
• E-mail: Mailboxes on your domain, forwarding, auto-replies, spam filtering and webmail.
• Databases: Creating MySQL/MariaDB databases (and MSSQL on Windows) and users; management with phpMyAdmin.
• DNS: Editing A, CNAME, MX, TXT and other DNS records from the panel.
• SSL: Free SSL certificates with automatic renewal through the Let’s Encrypt extension.
• WordPress Toolkit: WordPress installation, bulk updates, cloning, staging and security hardening.
• Developer tools: Git integration, Node.js and Composer support, the Docker extension and scheduled tasks (cron).
• Security and backups: Firewall, Fail2Ban, ModSecurity (WAF) and the backup manager.

How does Plesk work?

Plesk is a management layer installed on top of the server’s operating system. On Linux servers it manages the Apache and Nginx web servers, on Windows servers the IIS web server. The panel is reached in a browser at https://server-ip-address:8443. There are two kinds of users: the administrator, who manages the whole server, and customers, who see only their own subscription. This structure lets hosting companies open separate accounts for many customers on one server; on Plesk-based Windows hosting, each customer sees only their own sites.

Plesk is developed by Switzerland-based Plesk International GmbH and belongs to the same group of companies (WebPros) as cPanel.

Plesk editions

Plesk licences come in editions based on the number of domains you can manage and the target user:

Edition	Domain limit	Best for
Web Admin Edition	10 domains	People managing their own sites and small businesses
Web Pro Edition	30 domains	Agencies, developers, people managing many sites
Web Host Edition	Unlimited domains	Hosting providers and anyone opening customer accounts

Editions also differ in extensions and features; check the current edition contents before buying a licence. Plesk licences are per server and may be priced differently for VPS/VDS and dedicated servers.

Plesk vs cPanel

	Plesk	cPanel
Operating system	Linux and Windows Server	Linux only
Interface	Administrator and customers use different views of the same panel	Server management in WHM, account management in cPanel
Windows technologies	ASP.NET, .NET Core, MSSQL (on Windows)	Not supported
WordPress management	WordPress Toolkit included	With WP Toolkit and plugins
Popularity	Standard on Windows hosting, also common on Linux	The most common panel on Linux shared hosting

In short: choose Plesk if you will use a Windows server or want to manage Linux and Windows sites the same way; cPanel is the more common choice for Linux shared hosting and reseller setups. For a broader comparison of panels, see best control panels for web hosting.

How to install Plesk

Plesk should be installed on a clean server (with no other panel or web server installed). On Linux servers, Plesk’s official one-command installer is used:

sh <(curl https://autoinstall.plesk.com/one-click-installer || wget -O - https://autoinstall.plesk.com/one-click-installer)

When installation finishes, the panel’s login address is shown on screen; on first login you set the administrator e-mail and password, then enter the licence key. On Windows Server, Plesk’s Windows installation tool (Plesk Installer) is downloaded and run. Because supported operating system versions change with each Plesk release, check Plesk’s system requirements page before installing. For step-by-step installation and initial settings, follow our Plesk panel installation and initial configuration guide.

First things to do after installing Plesk

1. Updates: Turn on automatic Plesk and system updates under Tools & Settings.
2. Panel SSL: Assign an SSL certificate to the panel’s own address so the login page on port 8443 is secure.
3. Security: Enable Fail2Ban and the firewall, restrict administrator login to specific IP addresses if possible and turn on two-factor authentication.
4. PHP versions: Remove old PHP versions you will not use and run your sites on supported versions.
5. Backups: Set up scheduled backups in the backup manager and keep a copy outside the server.

How to get a Plesk licence

Plesk is commercial software and requires a licence. The licence is assigned to your server and includes updates for its term; when you change servers, the licence must be moved to the new server. If you use a shared Windows hosting plan, the panel licence is included in the plan price and you do not need a separate licence. If you will run Plesk on your own VDS, cloud or dedicated server, you can get the licence from your server provider or from Plesk.

Plesk at Sunucun

Sunucun Windows hosting plans come with the Plesk panel and support ASP.NET, .NET Core, Classic ASP, MSSQL and MySQL. If you need a Plesk licence for your own server, you can request one on the license services page; Plesk licences are provided on request and installation of licences bought from Sunucun is free. If you are looking for a server to install Plesk on, see our VDS server plans.

Frequently asked questions

Is Plesk free?

No, Plesk is licensed software. On hosting plans the licence fee is included in the plan price; to use it on your own server you need a licence. Plesk also offers temporary trial licences.

Does Plesk run on Linux or Windows?

Both. The Linux version works with Apache and Nginx, the Windows version with IIS; the panel interface is largely the same on both.

How do I log in to the Plesk panel?

Open https://server-ip-address:8443 or the panel address your provider gives you in a browser and log in with your username and password. Hosting customers can usually also log in with one click from the provider’s client area.

Can I migrate from cPanel to Plesk?

Yes. The Plesk Migrator extension helps move sites, databases and e-mail to Plesk from many panels, including cPanel. Take a full backup before migrating.

Is Plesk good for WordPress?

Yes. With WordPress Toolkit you can manage installation, updates, cloning, staging and security settings from one screen.

For Plesk-based hosting or a Plesk licence, see our Windows hosting plans and license services.

Related: What are the differences between cPanel and WHM?