The CloudPanel Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about CloudPanel in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.
CloudPanel
The Insider’s Guide
Free server control panel for PHP, Node.js and Python sites
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among web hosts, read from CloudPanel’s own pages.
Made by MGT-COMMERCE · checked Nov 13, 2026 · toolgpa.com
Contents
- 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
- 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
- 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
- 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
- 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
- 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
- 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
ToolGPA put this guide together from CloudPanel’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on CloudPanel’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Nov 13, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
2.4
GPA, above 99 of the 122 other web hosts we grade
CloudPanel is a free control panel for configuring and managing a Linux server, aimed at PHP, Node.js, Python and static sites. It has a site wizard with a WordPress quick install, and the vendor lists launch options on AWS, DigitalOcean, Hetzner, Google Cloud, Azure and Vultr.
To get you started, here are 8 things to know about CloudPanel, taken from its own pages and our grades.
It lists no mail or DNS management, paid editions show no prices, and a managed support offer is only announced.
- 1
Best for a free panel for PHP, Node.js, Python
CloudPanel is a free control panel for Linux servers aimed at PHP, Node.js, Python and static sites.
- 2
It is free
CloudPanel has no paid plan at all. The Community Edition is free for commercial and hobby sites, with documentation and Discord for support.
- 3
It runs on Web
Web.
- 4
Site wizard
Create a WordPress site, PHP application, Node.js app, Python app or static site from templates, including a free Let's Encrypt certificate.
- 5
Isolated sites
Each site is isolated at the system level, so a vulnerability in one site does not reach the others on the server.
- 6
Several PHP versions
The panel ships with multiple PHP versions, and changing the version for an app is a single selection.
- 7
A 2.4 GPA, above 99 of 122
That is against the other web hosts we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 8
Keep it
CloudPanel is free, so making your own would save you nothing.
CloudPanel at a glance
- Pricing
- Free
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- None stated
- Runs on
- Web
- Made by
- MGT-COMMERCE
- Category
- Web Hosting
- Our grade
- 2.4 GPA, fair
The report card
Best for a free panel for PHP, Node.js, Python
CloudPanel is a free control panel for Linux servers aimed at PHP, Node.js, Python and static sites. It lists no mail or DNS management, paid editions show no prices, and a managed support offer is only announced.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | C | The Community Edition is free for commercial and hobby use, but only if you host it yourself on a server you pay for, so it counts as C. |
| Free plan and trial | A | Free outright for commercial and hobby sites, with no site or user cap listed. Support is the docs and Discord. |
| Features | C | A site wizard, isolated sites, several PHP versions, firewall rules, a CLI and WordPress quick install. The listing shows no mail or DNS management. |
| Ease of use | D | No store rating on record. You provide a Debian or Ubuntu server and install it yourself. |
| Platforms and integrations | B | Web only, but it launches on AWS, DigitalOcean, Hetzner, Google Cloud, Azure and Vultr, and uses Let's Encrypt. |
An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.
Who CloudPanel is for
- Fits if you host PHP, Node.js or Python sites on a Debian or Ubuntu VPS
- Works for people who want a panel without licence fees
Who it is not for
- Skip it if you need paid support, as the ticket system and managed offer are listed as coming soon
- Not for you if you want mail or DNS handled in the panel, since the listing doesn't show either
- Watch out: the Premium and Enterprise columns show no prices
- Watch out: only Debian 11 and 12 and Ubuntu 22.04 and 24.04 are listed, and you maintain the server
Good to know
Good for
- Developers hosting PHP, Node.js or Python apps on their own cloud server
- Agencies running several WordPress sites on a single VPS
Worth knowing
- The vendor lists Debian 12 or 11 and Ubuntu 24.04 or 22.04 as the choices for the operating system.
- The Premium and Enterprise columns on the pricing page show no prices, and their ticket system is listed as coming soon.
- A managed offer for support is announced as coming soon, so there is no paid support plan today.
- You supply and maintain the server; CloudPanel is the panel, not the hosting.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
Free
No paid plan at all
CloudPanel is free to use.
The Community Edition is free for commercial and hobby use, but only if you host it yourself on a server you pay for, so it counts as C.
Community Edition
$0
Free for commercial and hobby sites; support through the documentation and Discord.
The free plan
The Community Edition is free for commercial and hobby sites, with documentation and Discord for support.
Read from cloudpanel.io on Nov 13, 2026.
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
1
Place it runs: Web
Free server control panel for PHP, Node.js and Python sites. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: self-hostable, managed WordPress.
A site wizard, isolated sites, several PHP versions, firewall rules, a CLI and WordPress quick install.
- Site wizard
- Create a WordPress site, PHP application, Node.js app, Python app or static site from templates, including a free Let's Encrypt certificate.
- Isolated sites
- Each site is isolated at the system level, so a vulnerability in one site does not reach the others on the server.
- Several PHP versions
- The panel ships with multiple PHP versions, and changing the version for an app is a single selection.
- Firewall and access rules
- A UFW-based firewall interface, IP restrictions for panel access, an IP blocker and a bot blocker.
- Cloud launch options
- Launch images on AWS, DigitalOcean, Hetzner Cloud, Google Compute Engine, Azure or Vultr, with automated backups on those providers.
- CLI
- Sites can also be set up from the command line with their application-specific configuration.
Where it runs
- Web
What it works with
- Amazon Web Services
- DigitalOcean
- Hetzner Cloud
- Google Compute Engine
- Microsoft Azure
- Vultr
- Let's Encrypt
CloudPanel is made by MGT-COMMERCE.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
99/122
Other web hosts it is graded above
CloudPanel's GPA of 2.4 is higher than 99 of the 122 other web hosts we grade, and level with 14.
It stands best on free plan and trial (A, above 121 of 122) and worst on ease of use (D, above 0).
CloudPanel has no paid plan.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.0 out of 4. Nothing scores higher for less, though at least one tool matches that score at a lower price.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 123 web hosts we grade, cut by the letter each got. CloudPanel’s own letter is outlined.
- CValue for moneyAbove 13 of 122
- AFree plan and trialAbove 121 of 122
- CFeaturesAbove 0 of 122
- DEase of useAbove 0 of 122
- BPlatforms and integrationsAbove 57 of 122
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 111 web hosts. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. CloudPanel is the marked dot.
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
Keep it, or make your own?
Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.
Keep it
CloudPanel is free, so making your own would save you nothing.
And it is not the kind of software a weekend replaces. It is one of the better ones too: its GPA of 2.4 is higher than 99 of the 122 other web hosts we grade.
What you could not
- Servers kept running, patched and backed up for you.
- It plugs into other products, Amazon Web Services, DigitalOcean and Hetzner Cloud among them.
What this rests on. CloudPanel’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
Part 05 · Alternatives
The alternatives
The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
HestiaCP, CyberPanel, RunCloud, Virtualmin and Plesk
The 5 tools CloudPanel is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 2.6GPA
HestiaCP
Free
Free open-source web server control panel.
- HestiaCP is open source, according to its own site.
- CloudPanel also covers managed WordPress.
- 2.2GPA
CyberPanel
Free plan · from $7.99/mo
Free OpenLiteSpeed control panel with paid add-ons.
- CyberPanel is open source, according to its own site.
- CloudPanel also covers managed WordPress.
- CyberPanel also covers file management.
- 2.0GPA
RunCloud
Free trial · from $9/mo
Web server control panel for PHP sites on your own cloud servers.
- CloudPanel has a free plan. RunCloud does not, though it has a free trial.
- CloudPanel is self-hostable, according to its own site.
- CloudPanel also covers managed WordPress.
- 2.2GPA
Virtualmin
Free plan · from $7.50/mo
Open-source hosting control panel with a paid Pro edition.
- Virtualmin is open source, according to its own site.
- CloudPanel also covers managed WordPress.
- Virtualmin also covers file management.
- 2.2GPA
Plesk
Free trial · from $15.57/mo
Web hosting and server control panel licensed per server.
- CloudPanel has a free plan. Plesk does not, though it has a free trial.
- CloudPanel is self-hostable, according to its own site.
- Plesk also covers dMARC.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
13
Questions, each answered in a line or two
The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.
Is CloudPanel free?
Yes. CloudPanel is free to use.
How much does CloudPanel cost?
CloudPanel lists one plan. Community Edition: $0.
What platforms does CloudPanel work on?
CloudPanel is available on Web.
Does CloudPanel have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 13, 2026. CloudPanel is listed for Web.
Does CloudPanel have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 13, 2026. CloudPanel is listed for Web.
Is CloudPanel open source?
CloudPanel is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Nov 13, 2026.
Can CloudPanel be self-hosted?
Yes. CloudPanel's own site says it can be run on a server of your own.
What does CloudPanel integrate with?
CloudPanel's listing names Amazon Web Services, DigitalOcean, Hetzner Cloud, Google Compute Engine, Microsoft Azure, Vultr and Let's Encrypt.
Who makes CloudPanel?
CloudPanel is made by MGT-COMMERCE.
What are the alternatives to CloudPanel?
The closest alternatives to CloudPanel in our directory are HestiaCP, CyberPanel, RunCloud, Virtualmin and Plesk.
How does CloudPanel compare with other web hosts?
CloudPanel's GPA of 2.4 is higher than 99 of the 122 other web hosts we grade, and level with 14.
Is CloudPanel good value for money?
ToolGPA grades CloudPanel C for value for money. CloudPanel has no paid plan.
Could I make my own version of CloudPanel?
CloudPanel is free, so making your own would save you nothing. And it is not the kind of software a weekend replaces.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from CloudPanel’s own pages on Nov 13, 2026, and the grades were given on Nov 13, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from CloudPanel's own pages on 13 November 2026. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews.
Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by MGT-COMMERCE. Prices change, so check cloudpanel.io before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
7,721
Tools graded, in 95 categories
ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.
Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.
7,721
tools graded
95
categories
739
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- CloudPanel, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/cloudpanel
- How grades are givenThe rules behind every letter and every GPAtoolgpa.com/grades
- Value chartsWhat each tool costs against what it scores, for every categorytoolgpa.com/charts
- CompareAny two tools side by side, plan by plantoolgpa.com/compare
- Price changesEvery price rise and cut on record, each with its sourcetoolgpa.com/price-changes
- Prices by countryWhat apps cost on the App Store in 12 countriestoolgpa.com/prices-by-country
- Pay lessEvery public discount: yearly billing, students, nonprofitstoolgpa.com/save
- Keep or makeWhich tools are worth paying for, and which you could build yourselftoolgpa.com/keep-or-make
Scan for the live page
Prices and grades as they are today
Quoting this guide?
Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:
ToolGPA, "CloudPanel: The Insider's Guide", checked Nov 13, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/cloudpanel
Know someone choosing between web hosts?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/cloudpanel/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded web hosts after CloudPanel, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- Web Hosting Insider's GuideEvery one of the 123 web hosts we grade, compared
- Cloudflare Pages Insider's GuideGit-based hosting for static sites and full-stack apps2.8 GPA
- GitHub Pages Insider's GuideStatic site hosting built into GitHub repositories2.8 GPA
- Netlify Insider's GuideGit-based hosting for sites and web apps, priced by monthly credits2.8 GPA
Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.
Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what CloudPanel’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. CloudPanel is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by MGT-COMMERCE. Prices and plans change: check cloudpanel.io before you buy.