The ServerPilot Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about ServerPilot 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.
ServerPilot
The Insider’s Guide
Control panel for PHP and WordPress servers at any cloud provider
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among web hosts, read from ServerPilot’s own pages.
Made by ServerPilot · 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 ServerPilot’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on ServerPilot’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
2.0
GPA, above 49 of the 122 other web hosts we grade
ServerPilot is a server management service for PHP and WordPress apps. You connect a server from any provider where you have root access, and it configures Nginx and Apache, SSL, a firewall and automatic updates. Billing is hourly, per server plus per app, with no subscription.
To get you started, here are 9 things to know about ServerPilot, taken from its own pages and our grades.
It is limited to PHP apps and static sites, and the log viewer and metrics only come with the dearer plans.
- 1
Best for a hosted panel for PHP and WordPress servers
ServerPilot sets up Nginx, Apache, SSL and a firewall on a server you rent elsewhere, billed hourly with no subscription.
- 2
Paid plans start at $0.50 a month
As its pricing page puts it: $5 per server + $0.50 per app per month, billed hourly.
- 3
You can try it first
14-day free trial, no credit card required; it covers basic functionality until a card or PayPal is added.
- 4
It runs on Web
Web.
- 5
Any server provider
Servers from any provider can be managed as long as you have root access, and the vendor says you keep ownership of them.
- 6
Apps and WordPress
Apps are PHP applications such as WordPress and Laravel, or static sites, isolated from one another, with a one-click WordPress installer and multiple PHP versions.
- 7
Server stack
Nginx fronts Apache, with HTTP/3, a default firewall, automated updates and Let's Encrypt SSL certificates.
- 8
A 2.0 GPA, above 49 of 122
That is against the other web hosts we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 9
Keep it
Nothing ServerPilot does is plain enough to make in a weekend. The 3 things listed below take a company.
ServerPilot at a glance
- Pricing
- Free trial, from $5 per server + $0.50 per app per month, billed hourly
- Free plan
- No
- Free trial
- 14-day free trial, no credit card required; it covers basic functionality until a card or PayPal is added.
- Runs on
- Web
- Made by
- ServerPilot
- Category
- Web Hosting
- Our grade
- 2.0 GPA, fair
The report card
Best for a hosted panel for PHP and WordPress servers
ServerPilot sets up Nginx, Apache, SSL and a firewall on a server you rent elsewhere, billed hourly with no subscription. It is limited to PHP apps and static sites, and the log viewer and metrics only come with the dearer plans.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | C | $5 a server plus $0.50 an app each month, so one server with one app is $5.50, level with the $5.00 cheaper-quarter line. The cloud server is billed separately. |
| Free plan and trial | C | A 14-day trial with no card, covering basic functionality only. After that a card or PayPal is needed. |
| Features | C | Server setup, free SSL, a firewall and one-click WordPress. Apps are PHP or static sites only, and the log viewer and metrics start at Business, with MySQL metrics at First Class. |
| Ease of use | C | No store rating on record. You connect your own server with root access and add apps to it. |
| Platforms and integrations | C | Web only, with a short list of integrations: WordPress, Laravel, Nginx, Apache and Let's Encrypt. It works with servers from any provider. |
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 ServerPilot is for
- Fits if you run PHP or WordPress sites on a VPS and want hourly billing with no contract
- Works for people who want the panel price to stay flat when they upsize the server
Who it is not for
- Skip it if your apps run Node.js, Python or anything outside PHP and static sites
- Tight if you want monitoring, as the log viewer and resource metrics start at $10 a server
- Watch out: MySQL and app request metrics need First Class at $20 a server
- Watch out: the 14-day trial covers basic functionality only, and servers are billed by your provider
Good to know
Good for
- Developers and agencies hosting several WordPress or Laravel sites on one VPS
- Anyone who wants server management without a monthly subscription
- Teams that want to choose their own cloud provider
Worth knowing
- Servers are not included; the cloud provider bills them separately.
- Apps are PHP applications or static sites, so other runtimes are outside what the pricing page defines as an app.
- Log viewer and resource metrics need Business at $10 a server, and MySQL metrics need First Class.
- The 14-day trial covers basic functionality; paid features start once a card or PayPal is added.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
$0.50
A month to start
ServerPilot is a paid product with a free trial, starting at $5 per server + $0.50 per app per month, billed hourly.
Economy
$5
per server / month, plus $0.50 per app, billed hourly
Server management, free SSL, firewall, one-click WordPress and email support, without monitoring or priority support.
Business
$10
per server / month, plus $1 per app, billed hourly
Adds a log viewer, server resource metrics and priority support.
First Class
$20
per server / month, plus $2 per app, billed hourly
Adds app request metrics and MySQL metrics, with high priority support.
Trying it first
14-day free trial, no credit card required; it covers basic functionality until a card or PayPal is added.
Read from serverpilot.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
Control panel for PHP and WordPress servers at any cloud provider. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: dashboards, page speed.
Server setup, free SSL, a firewall and one-click WordPress.
- Any server provider
- Servers from any provider can be managed as long as you have root access, and the vendor says you keep ownership of them.
- Apps and WordPress
- Apps are PHP applications such as WordPress and Laravel, or static sites, isolated from one another, with a one-click WordPress installer and multiple PHP versions.
- Server stack
- Nginx fronts Apache, with HTTP/3, a default firewall, automated updates and Let's Encrypt SSL certificates.
- Monitoring
- Business adds a log viewer and server resource metrics; First Class adds app request and MySQL health metrics.
- Migrations
- Sites and databases can be transferred between servers.
- Hourly billing
- Server and app charges accrue by the hour and are billed after each month ends, and a server's plan can be changed at any time.
Where it runs
- Web
What it works with
- WordPress
- Laravel
- Nginx
- Apache
- Let's Encrypt
ServerPilot is made by ServerPilot.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
49/122
Other web hosts it is graded above
ServerPilot's GPA of 2.0 is higher than 49 of the 122 other web hosts we grade, and level with 24.
Its paid plans start at $0.50 a month, against a middle price of $9.69 for the category: 0 of the 107 others that charge start lower.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.0 out of 4. 1 tool scores higher and costs less.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 123 web hosts we grade, cut by the letter each got. ServerPilot’s own letter is outlined.
- CValue for moneyAbove 13 of 122
- CFree plan and trialAbove 74 of 122
- CFeaturesAbove 0 of 122
- CEase of useAbove 40 of 122
- CPlatforms and integrationsAbove 1 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. ServerPilot 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
Nothing ServerPilot does is plain enough to make in a weekend. The 3 things listed below take a company.
It costs $6 a year.
What you could not
- Speed tests run from real browsers on a schedule.
- Connections that pull numbers from dozens of other services.
- It plugs into other products, WordPress, Laravel and Nginx among them.
What this rests on. ServerPilot’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
RunCloud, Cleavr, Ploi, SpinupWP and Laravel Forge
The 5 tools ServerPilot is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 2.0GPA
RunCloud
Free trial · from $9/mo
Web server control panel for PHP sites on your own cloud servers.
- ServerPilot also covers dashboards.
- 2.2GPA
Cleavr
Free trial · from $5.5/mo
Server and deployment manager for PHP and Node.js apps on your own VPS.
- ServerPilot also covers dashboards and page speed.
- Cleavr also covers databases and workflow automation.
- 2.2GPA
Ploi
Free plan · from $10/mo
Server and site management panel for PHP and Laravel apps.
- Ploi has a free plan. ServerPilot does not, though it has a free trial.
- ServerPilot also covers dashboards and page speed.
- 2.2GPA
SpinupWP
Free trial · from $12/mo
WordPress server management for servers you rent yourself.
- ServerPilot also covers dashboards.
- 1.8GPA
Laravel Forge
From $12/mo
Server management and deploys for Laravel, PHP and Node apps.
- ServerPilot also covers dashboards and page speed.
- Laravel Forge also covers workflow automation.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
12
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 ServerPilot free?
No, ServerPilot is a paid product, but you can try it first. 14-day free trial, no credit card required; it covers basic functionality until a card or PayPal is added.
How much does ServerPilot cost?
ServerPilot lists 3 plans. Economy: $5 per server / month, plus $0.50 per app, billed hourly.
What platforms does ServerPilot work on?
ServerPilot is available on Web.
Does ServerPilot have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 13, 2026. ServerPilot is listed for Web.
Does ServerPilot have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 13, 2026. ServerPilot is listed for Web.
Is ServerPilot open source?
ServerPilot is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Nov 13, 2026.
What does ServerPilot integrate with?
ServerPilot's listing names WordPress, Laravel, Nginx, Apache and Let's Encrypt.
Who makes ServerPilot?
ServerPilot is made by a company of the same name.
What are the alternatives to ServerPilot?
The closest alternatives to ServerPilot in our directory are RunCloud, Cleavr, Ploi, SpinupWP and Laravel Forge.
How does ServerPilot compare with other web hosts?
ServerPilot's GPA of 2.0 is higher than 49 of the 122 other web hosts we grade, and level with 24.
Is ServerPilot good value for money?
ToolGPA grades ServerPilot C for value for money. On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.0 out of 4.
Could I make my own version of ServerPilot?
Nothing ServerPilot does is plain enough to make in a weekend. The 3 things listed below take a company.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from ServerPilot’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 ServerPilot'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 ServerPilot. Prices change, so check serverpilot.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
- ServerPilot, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/serverpilot
- 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, "ServerPilot: The Insider's Guide", checked Nov 13, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/serverpilot
Know someone choosing between web hosts?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/serverpilot/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded web hosts after ServerPilot, 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 ServerPilot’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. ServerPilot is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by ServerPilot. Prices and plans change: check serverpilot.io before you buy.