An addon domain lets one hosting account run a second, separate website on its own domain, with its own folder, email addresses and free SSL. In current cPanel there is no separate Addon Domains icon any more: you add it from the Domains page with Create A New Domain, and leave Share document root unticked. The domain then works as soon as its DNS points to your hosting server.
This page is the quick how-to. For the difference between addon domains, aliases (parked domains) and subdomains, the DNS each one needs, DirectAdmin and Webuzo, and how many websites each plan allows, see What is the difference between parked, addon and subdomains.
Open cPanel from the client area, go to Domains › Domains › Create A New Domain, type the new domain (for example secondbusiness.com), untick Share document root, accept or edit the suggested folder and click Submit. Then point the domain to your hosting with the nameservers or server IP from the Point a domain to this hosting card in the client area. Each addon domain counts towards your plan's website limit.
1. Before you start
- The domain must be registered. At Domain India or anywhere else; it only needs to be yours.
- Your plan must allow another website. On cPanel and DirectAdmin, Starter plans host one website, Growth plans five and Business plans 25 (Domain India catalogue, 19 September 2026). On a one-website plan an addon domain needs an upgrade.
- The domain must not exist in another hosting account. If it does, remove it there first.
2. Add the addon domain in cPanel
- Open cPanel.In the client area go to Hosting › My hosting and click the cPanel button on your domain's row. Other routes are in How to log in to cPanel.
- Open Domains.In the Domains section, click Domains, then Create A New Domain.
- Type the domain.Enter the full name without
www, such assecondbusiness.com. - Untick Share document root.This is what makes it an addon domain, a separate website. Left ticked, the domain would only show your main site (an alias).
- Check the folder.cPanel suggests a folder named after the domain. Accepting it is fine; just don't put it inside another site's folder, or one site's files become reachable through the other.
- Click Submit.cPanel creates the domain and its DNS zone on the server.
The new domain now appears in the list on the Domains page, where you can change its folder or remove it later.
3. Point the domain at your hosting
Adding the domain only prepares the server. Visitors reach the new site only once the domain's DNS points to your hosting server. Open your hosting service in the client area and use the Point a domain to this hosting card:
- Option 1: hosting nameservers. Set the domain's nameservers to the ones on the card. Best when the website and email both live on this hosting.
- Option 2: A records. Keep your current DNS and add A records for
@andwwwwith the server IP on the card. Best when your email is somewhere else.
Copy the values from your own card, never from an old article. Step-by-step: How do I change my nameservers. A nameserver change usually takes effect within a few hours and can take up to 24-48 hours to reach every network.
AutoSSL issues a free Let's Encrypt certificate for the new domain once it points to the server. A certificate warning in the first hours usually means DNS has not updated yet.
4. Put a website on it
- WordPress: install it into the new domain's folder with Softaculous or WP Toolkit. See Install WordPress on cPanel.
- Your own files: upload them into the new folder with the File Manager or FTP.
- Email: create addresses such as
[email protected]in the Email section. They share your plan's mailbox limit.
5. Common problems
| Problem | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| cPanel refuses the domain | Typo, plan limit reached, or the domain exists in another account | Check the name and your plan; ask support if it is in another account |
| "A DNS entry for the domain already exists" | A leftover zone from an earlier attempt | See fixing the DNS entry already exists error |
| The site shows a cPanel "Sorry!" default page | The domain points to a server where it is not set up | See the cgi-sys/defaultwebpage.cgi guide |
| The site opens your old host | DNS still points elsewhere | Update nameservers or A records (section 3) |
On DirectAdmin, the same job is done by adding another domain to the account; see adding an addon domain in DirectAdmin.
Frequently asked questions
Where is Addon Domains in the new cPanel?
Current cPanel has no separate Addon Domains icon. Open Domains, click Create A New Domain, enter the domain and untick Share document root. That creates an addon domain with its own folder.
Does an addon domain count against my plan?
Yes. Each addon domain is a separate website and counts towards your plan's website limit. In Domain India's catalogue of 19 September 2026, cPanel and DirectAdmin Starter plans host 1 website, Growth plans 5 and Business plans 25.
Why does my new addon domain not open?
Usually because the domain does not point to your hosting server yet. Set its nameservers, or A records for @ and www, using the values on the Point a domain to this hosting card in the client area, then allow a few hours for DNS to update.
Can an addon domain have its own email addresses?
Yes. Create mailboxes such as [email protected] in the Email section of cPanel. They count towards your plan's email account limit.
What is the difference between an addon domain and an alias?
An addon domain is a separate website with its own folder. An alias, formerly called a parked domain, shows exactly the same website as your main domain.
Ready to add your second website? Open your hosting list and click the cPanel button. Still need the domain? Register it here. Need room for more sites? Compare cPanel hosting plans.
Growth and Business plans host several websites in one account, each with its own folder, email and free SSL.
See cPanel hosting plans