cPanel is a web-hosting control panel that uses GUI controls to host websites cost effectively. This popular tool allows simplified server administration for all kinds of users from bloggers to corporations. Though not free, it has some great quality features and advantages. The easy-to-use software comes with a reliable support-team thus is highly dependable. It allows free migration, an easy upgrade from other control panels. There are some free cPanel alternatives that are widely used:
VestaCP
VestaCP is a simple web-hosting panel that has a clean multilingual GUI with high performance, also has organized File manager and powerful CLI. It can handle very high traffic for Debain, Ubuntu and Centos Servers. It allows setting-up different modes of webpages, it automatically updates and comes with Antivirus/ AntiSpam/ Billing Support. Vesta, with lots of features and flexibility also offers commercial plug-ins.
Froxlor
Froxlor, a lightweight server management software, is an open-source Panel that simplifies web hosting and management. This free cPanel alternatives has features like Multi-stack, Advanced SSL, PHP-configuration, Traffic Calculation, Support Tickets, Themed Interface, Free Encryption and much more. The Froxlor allows administrators, customers and re-sellers.
ISPConfig
ISPConfig, an open-source Linux hosting Panel manages single or multi-servers from one control panel. The multilingual software allows four access levels; Administrators, Resellers, Client and E-mail Login. This cPanel alternatives manages websites, E-mail accounts, FTP users, MySQL databases, Cron jobs, Shell users and DNS. It supports Linux distributions such as; Debian 5-8, Ubuntu 8.10 – 15.10, CentOS 5.2 – 7, Fedora 10 and OpenSuSE 11.1 – 12.3
ZPanel
ZPanel is a free web hosting control panel that works easily with Microsoft Windows and POSIX (Linux, UNIX and MacOSX) based computers/ Servers. This full-fledged cost effective web-hosting system, powers web hosting companies, organizations and home users. The control panel runs on Apache, PHP and MySQL while integrating on various open source cross-platform applications. It secures your hosting server and comes with a core set of modules that are essential for web hosting. There is international community support as well, which is user-based. There are large collections of modules, themes and language packages for download, making it optimum cPanel alternatives.
Webmin
Webmin, a web-based system configuration tool, is great for Unix but there are latest versions that are available for Windows. One of the best cPanel alternatives, the software lets you configure operating system internals like disk quotas, services or configuration files. It also allows modification of open-source applications (Apache HTTP Server/PHP/MySQL). The web-based interface system administration, supports any modern browser and the user can set-up accounts and file sharing. The tools simplify the tedious manual editing process and encourages remote system management.
These are undoubtedly some of the best open-source cPanel alternatives, where people who are passionate (Developers and Users) come together as a live online community. Most of these options listed out are easy to download/ install and use. Analyze and choose something that is both reliable and secure and that caters to your needs.