Control panels come in all shapes and sizes in the world of web hosting, and while their tools are often similar, each has its own following for a variety of reasons.
In this article we will compare two control panels offered by InMotion Hosting for managing WordPress installations: cPanel and our latest product InMotion Central.
Quick Comparison Guide to cPanel vs. InMotionCentral
Both products will be broken down in more detail below, but for users primarily interested in the difference between the tools, this chart provides an overview of cPanel vs. InMotion Central.
What are Control Panels in Web Hosting?
In simple terms, control panels are graphical user interfaces (GUIs) that help users manage their website and server settings.
Aspects controlled by the control panel include:
Domain managementFile managementDatabase administrationEmail configurationSecurity configurationEtc.
Web hosting companies offer control panels to help customers who lack technical experience or are uncomfortable connecting to a command terminal. These panels provide an easier way to manage various tools. Additionally, many hosting plans still provide SSH or Root access for users who prefer a more advanced approach.
What is cPanel?
While only holding about 7% of the control panel market share, cPanel is the second most used control panel in the world. cPanel offers a wide range of tools and functionality, and has a fairly intuitive user interface that helps people new to web hosting.
Note: Although Managed VPS and Managed Dedicated Server customers have access to WebHost Manager (WHM) to create and manage multiple cPanel accounts on one server, this article will focus specifically on cPanel features for managing WordPress websites. .
With its extensive documentation and community support, cPanel has become a popular choice for web hosts and users alike, streamlining website management and improving the overall hosting experience.
cPanel Features
Due to its extensive documentation and interface, cPanel is a favorite among users. Some of its features include:
One-Click WordPress Installation: cPanel provides a one-click WordPress installation process via Softaculous or the WP Toolkit, making it quick and easy to set up a WordPress website without any technical knowledge. File and Database Management – The cPanel File Manager allows users to manage WordPress files, including uploading, editing, and organizing them. It also provides access to PHPMyAdmin to manage WordPress databases. Email Management – With cPanel, users can create and manage email accounts associated with their website. This includes setting up email forwarding, automatic responses, and spam filters. Security Settings – cPanel offers several security features, including SSL/TLS management, password protection, IP blocking, and firewall settings, providing robust security measures for WordPress websites. Note: Some security settings may only be available through WHM. Backup Management – cPanel allows users to manually backup their WordPress website files, databases, and settings, ensuring data protection. Note: InMotion Hosting offers Backup Manager at a premium price to allow cPanel users to create automatic backups for their website files and database. These backups are kept on a separate server, eliminating data loss in the event something happens to your website’s server. General cPanel manual backups are still available to users. Website Statistics – cPanel provides detailed website statistics and analytics via AWStats, such as visitor logs, bandwidth usage, and resource statistics, giving users insight into their site’s performance and traffic WordPress website. CMS Support: In addition to WordPress, cPanel supports the installation and administration of other content management systems (CMS), such as Drupal or Joomla, which allow users to access multiple websites under a single account.
These features make cPanel a reliable and efficient tool for managing WordPress websites, offering convenience, security, and performance optimization.
What are all-in-one panels?
As explained above, control panels focus on the technical aspects of hosting and provide tools specifically designed for server and website management.
An all-in-one dashboard, on the other hand, is a broader concept that encompasses not only hosting-related tasks, but other website management functionalities as well.
All-in-one dashboards typically include features like account management, SEO optimization, analytics, billing and support, and more. This type of dashboard aims to provide a comprehensive solution to manage all aspects of a website in a single interface.
What is InMotionCentral?
InMotion Central is the newest product from InMotion Hosting. It is a powerful all-in-one dashboard with multiple site and account management features to create the best possible user experience on a completely isolated VPS server.
Currently, InMotion Central only serves WordPress websites. Its goal is to provide users with a highly optimized server environment for WordPress, ensuring fast performance.
Users with an InMotion Central plan can also invite others to collaborate on projects at no charge through Teams. This makes it a perfect choice for agencies running a corporate website or designers looking to get feedback from their clients on a current project.
InMotion Central is easy to use, powerful, and fast, making it a great choice for users looking for a premium managed WordPress hosting experience.
InMotion Core Features
As an all-in-one dashboard with a WordPress focus, some of InMotion Central’s features include:
WordPress Pre-Installed – InMotion Central starts with a server environment that has the latest version of WordPress pre-installed. However, you can easily create more WordPress installations with the click of a button in your Projects area. File and Database Management – With InMotion Central, you have easy access to the File and Database Manager. This feature is currently only available on Playgrounds, but will be available for VPS environments soon. You can also access these through SSH access. Note: A Premium key is required to access the GUI version of File and Database Management. WordPress Administration – Activate, deactivate or update plugins and themes, check the status of your site and create backups without logging into your WordPress dashboard. Playgrounds (exclusive to InMotion Central): Playgrounds allows you to securely host, test, and redesign websites. Fix problems, fix bugs, and add new features in a Playground without breaking your live site. Snapshots (InMotion Central exclusive) – Snapshots facilitate the ability to build a WordPress site by blueprinting themes and plugins. This feature is great for agencies building sites using a common set of plugins and eliminates the need to install each plugin individually. All Snap sites start in a Playground environment and will soon be available for deployment to the production VPS environment. Email Management – Email management is currently facilitated through cPanel and includes the ability to manage email inboxes and spam filters. Users can easily access their inboxes through the InMotion Central interface. Teams (exclusive to InMotion Central): Invite other users to view, manage and work together on a project with you at no additional cost. Security setup – Each production server operates as a completely isolated container, eliminating any chance of cross-infection from other clients. In addition, InMotion Central plans come with a Modsec web application firewall (WAF) and protection against brute force and DDoS attacks. Backup Management: InMotion Central allows you to easily create website or server backups, all within your Control Panel. Use the Backups section in Maintenance to create website backups and easily restore them; or create a server snapshot to capture all your server settings at a specific time and return to them when needed. Website Stats: Easily check your project’s website stats in the Site Stats section. Get an overview of visitors, site health recommendations, and view general WordPress settings. CMS Support – Currently, InMotion Central only supports WordPress websites, but this may change in the future. Billing and Account Management – InMotion Central allows you to assign resource ownership for project assets, view subscriptions and receipts, and customize billing information for each team.
InMotion Central is an ideal solution for agencies, marketing teams, and web designers looking for a way to easily manage WordPress sites that are fast. Users can harness the power of a fully isolated VPS with blazing-fast performance, Playground environments for testing, and WordPress management tools, all from a single dashboard.
final thoughts
In conclusion, both cPanel and InMotion Central offer their own unique set of features and benefits for WordPress site owners.
cPanel provides a proven solution that has been widely used and trusted by the web hosting industry for years. It offers a wide range of tools and functionalities, making it suitable for users who prefer a traditional and feature-rich control panel.
InMotion Central takes a simplified and consolidated approach, bringing multiple functionalities together on a single dashboard. This option may appeal to users who are looking for simplicity and ease of use while taking advantage of its powerful infrastructure.
Ultimately, the decision between cPanel and InMotion Central should be based on your specific needs, preferences, and website requirements.