WHM (WebHost Manager) is the administration panel above cPanel, used to create and manage many cPanel accounts.
WHM, short for WebHost Manager, is the control panel that sits one level above cPanel. Where cPanel manages a single hosting account, WHM manages the whole server or a group of accounts: creating new cPanel accounts, setting their limits, installing software and configuring server-wide settings.
Both are made by the same company and are designed to work together. A hosting provider uses WHM to run its servers, and each customer logs in to their own cPanel to manage their site, email and files.
Who uses WHM
- Hosting providers, with full root access, to manage entire servers
- Resellers, with restricted access, to create and manage cPanel accounts for their own clients under reseller hosting
- Server owners, who run cPanel on their own VPS or dedicated server and use WHM as the admin layer
If you have a standard shared hosting account, you won't see WHM at all. You'll only use cPanel.
What you can do in WHM
- Create, suspend, upgrade and remove cPanel accounts
- Build hosting packages with limits on storage, bandwidth, email accounts and databases
- Manage DNS zones for the domains on the server
- Choose PHP versions and modules, and configure the web and mail servers
- Install SSL certificates and manage security settings
- Transfer accounts in from other servers
- Monitor server load and running services
Resellers see a cut-down version, limited to their own accounts and packages.
WHM vs cPanel
- What it manages: WHM manages a server or many accounts; cPanel manages one hosting account.
- Who uses it: WHM is for hosts, resellers and server owners; cPanel is for website owners.
- Typical tasks: in WHM you create accounts, set limits and change server settings; in cPanel you handle files, email, databases and domains.
WHM and reseller hosting
Reseller hosting lets you sell hosting under your own brand without running a server yourself. The provider gives you a WHM login with limited privileges, and you create cPanel accounts for your clients, each with its own limits. You look after your clients, while the provider looks after the hardware and the operating system.
Common WHM mistakes
- Overselling resources, so one client's busy site slows everyone else down
- Not setting account limits, leaving room for one account to use most of the server
- Forgetting to check that backups are running for every account
- Leaving unneeded services running, which gives attackers more to aim at
If you run a single website, the tasks you need are almost always in cPanel. WHM only comes into play when you're managing hosting for others or running your own server.