VPS Control Panels
CyberPanel vs CloudPanel: Picking a Free Panel for Your VPS
Two free, self-managed control panels built on opposite stacks - OpenLiteSpeed versus NGINX - compared on features, footprint, and who they actually suit.
OpenLiteSpeed
CyberPanel's default web server stack
NGINX
CloudPanel's web server and reverse proxy stack
Free
Both panels are free and open-source to install
$9.99/mo
VPS starting price with root access for either panel
In short
CyberPanel vs CloudPanel is really a LiteSpeed-versus-NGINX decision: CyberPanel is built on OpenLiteSpeed (or licensed LiteSpeed Enterprise) with built-in email, DNS, and WordPress-specific caching, while CloudPanel runs a lighter NGINX and PHP-FPM stack aimed at cloud VPS instances with a more minimal feature set. Both are free to install on a VPS you manage yourself.
Choosing between them comes down to whether you want CyberPanel's all-in-one feature set or CloudPanel's leaner NGINX footprint - either way, a self-managed VPS from Hosting Cheap starting at $9.99/mo gives root access to install whichever panel fits your stack.
CyberPanel and CloudPanel are both free, open-source control panels aimed at the same audience - developers and small hosts who want a graphical layer over a VPS without paying a per-account cPanel-style license. Where they diverge is the web server underneath: CyberPanel is built around OpenLiteSpeed (with an optional paid LiteSpeed Enterprise license for more concurrent connections), while CloudPanel runs on NGINX with PHP-FPM and MariaDB or MySQL. That single difference shapes almost everything else about how each panel behaves.
Neither panel comes bundled with managed support - both are software you install on root access and are responsible for patching, securing, and configuring yourself. A Hosting Cheap VPS (from $9.99/mo) gives that root access on NVMe SSD storage, with free managed migration if you're moving an existing panel setup over, daily backups, 24/7 human support for server-level issues, and a 30-day money-back guarantee to test the stack before committing.
CyberPanel vs CloudPanel: The Stack Underneath Each Panel
CyberPanel is built on OpenLiteSpeed by default, with the option to license LiteSpeed Enterprise for higher concurrent connection limits, which gives it LiteSpeed's LSCache layer paired directly with the LiteSpeed Cache plugin for WordPress. CloudPanel instead runs on NGINX with PHP-FPM and MariaDB or MySQL, a combination widely used across cloud VPS providers for its low memory footprint.
That underlying difference explains most of what each panel does well. CyberPanel's LiteSpeed roots make it a natural fit for WordPress sites already built around LiteSpeed caching, while CloudPanel's NGINX base suits developers who prefer NGINX's reverse-proxy configuration style and want to run several app types - PHP, Node.js, Python, static sites - side by side on one server.
Built-In Features: Mail and DNS vs a Leaner Toolset
CyberPanel ships with more built in out of the box - its own email server, a DNS server, and free Let's Encrypt SSL integration all sit inside the same panel, so a single VPS can handle web, mail, and DNS without adding separate software on top.
CloudPanel keeps its feature list intentionally leaner, focusing on site and database management with free Let's Encrypt SSL, but leaving email hosting to a dedicated provider rather than building a mail server into the panel itself. For teams that already run business email separately, that's rarely a downside - CloudPanel is simply doing fewer jobs, on purpose.
WordPress and Caching Performance on Each Panel
CyberPanel's tight integration with LiteSpeed's own caching plugin gives WordPress sites a caching layer that's aware of the web server underneath it, which can simplify getting server-side page caching configured correctly compared to setting up NGINX FastCGI caching separately.
CloudPanel relies on standard NGINX and PHP-FPM tuning for performance, which is a well-documented, widely used combination but requires more manual configuration to get caching right than CyberPanel's LiteSpeed-aware defaults. Either stack can run fast on a VPS with enough RAM and CPU allocated - the difference is how much manual tuning it takes to get there.
Which Panel Suits a Self-Managed VPS Best
Neither panel comes with managed support attached - both are self-managed software you install, patch, and secure yourself with root access, so the real deciding factor is which built-in features (a mail server, DNS) you actually need versus how lean you want the base install to stay.
A Hosting Cheap VPS plan (from $9.99/mo) gives full root access to install either CyberPanel or CloudPanel, on NVMe SSD storage underneath whichever stack you choose, plus 24/7 human support for the server itself, daily backups, and a 30-day money-back guarantee if the self-managed route turns out to be more than you want to take on.
Root Access to Run Either Panel Your Way
CyberPanel and CloudPanel both need a real server with root access underneath them - the panel is only as good as the VPS it's installed on, and a slow or oversold instance drags down either stack equally.
Hosting Cheap's VPS plans give full root access on NVMe SSD from $9.99/mo, so you install and configure CyberPanel or CloudPanel exactly as intended, with the underlying infrastructure staying out of the way.
- Full root access to install CyberPanel or CloudPanel from scratch
- NVMe SSD storage under either the OpenLiteSpeed or NGINX stack
- 24/7 human support for server-level issues while the panel stays yours to manage
- 30-day money-back guarantee to test your self-managed VPS setup
Why Hosting Cheap
What you get
Root access included
Full root access on every VPS plan to install CyberPanel, CloudPanel, or any other control panel.
NVMe SSD storage
Fast storage under either the OpenLiteSpeed or NGINX stack, regardless of which panel you choose.
Free migration
Move an existing CyberPanel or CloudPanel setup over without manually rebuilding sites and databases.
Daily backups
A restore point independent of whichever panel is running, protecting against a bad config change.
24/7 human support
Real people for server-level questions, while panel administration itself stays in your hands.
Risk-free testing
A 30-day money-back guarantee to trial your chosen panel and stack before committing long term.
How It Works
Get set up in a few steps
Decide which stack you want
Choose CyberPanel's OpenLiteSpeed and built-in mail/DNS, or CloudPanel's leaner NGINX footprint.
Spin up a VPS with root access
Provision a VPS plan with enough RAM and NVMe storage for your chosen panel and workload.
Install and secure your chosen panel
Set up CyberPanel or CloudPanel, configure SSL, and apply your own patching and hardening routine.
Included
Everything you need, on every plan
- Decide whether you need a built-in mail server and DNS (CyberPanel) or prefer a leaner base (CloudPanel)
- Confirm root access is included on the VPS plan you're considering
- Check that NVMe SSD storage is available under either stack
- Verify free Let's Encrypt SSL integration works the way you expect on your chosen panel
- Ask whether migration of an existing panel setup is handled for you
- Confirm daily backups run independently of the panel software itself
- Look for 24/7 human support for the underlying server, since panel support is self-managed
- Use a 30-day money-back guarantee to test your setup before committing
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Which is better for WordPress, CyberPanel or CloudPanel?
CyberPanel's LiteSpeed roots pair directly with the LiteSpeed Cache plugin, giving WordPress sites a caching layer built around the same web server. CloudPanel can run WordPress well too, but caching relies on standard NGINX and PHP-FPM configuration instead.
Does CyberPanel or CloudPanel include email hosting?
CyberPanel includes a built-in email server as part of the panel. CloudPanel does not - it focuses on site and database management and expects email to run through a separate provider.
Are CyberPanel and CloudPanel both free?
Yes, both are free and open-source to install on your own VPS. CyberPanel offers an optional paid LiteSpeed Enterprise license for higher concurrent connection limits.
Do I need a specific VPS provider to run these panels?
No, both panels install on any VPS with root access. A Hosting Cheap VPS from $9.99/mo with NVMe SSD storage works for either stack.
Is support included if I install CyberPanel or CloudPanel myself?
Panel configuration is self-managed with either option, but 24/7 human support covers server-level issues on the underlying VPS itself.
Can I move an existing CyberPanel or CloudPanel server to a new VPS?
Yes, free managed migration can move an existing self-managed server setup across without you manually rebuilding every site and database.
Related hosting
VPS Hosting
Root-access VPS plans from $9.99/mo ready for CyberPanel, CloudPanel, or any control panel.
Dedicated Servers
Full dedicated hardware for a self-managed panel setup that's outgrown a VPS.
Web Hosting
Managed cPanel-style hosting with 1-click installers, if self-managing a panel isn't the goal.
Get Root Access to Run Your Panel of Choice
Spin up an NVMe VPS from $9.99/mo and install CyberPanel or CloudPanel exactly the way you want.
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