Installing cPanel on VPS

cPanel & WHM is a popular control panel for hosting websites, email and databases on a Linux server. Domain India does not offer cPanel on its VPS plans, so this guide explains your options: install cPanel yourself with a licence you buy from cPanel or a licence reseller, choose one of the panels we do offer on a VPS, or use our shared cPanel hosting instead.

1. cPanel on a Domain India VPS: what we offer

Our VPS page states that cPanel is not offered on VPS because of its licensing cost. These are the control panel choices at checkout, as the VPS page lists them on 23 September 2026 (monthly, excluding 18% GST):

If you need cPanel specifically, you have two routes: install it yourself on a VPS with a licence you buy elsewhere (sections 2 to 6), or use Domain India's shared cPanel hosting, where we run the server and cPanel for you.

2. Before you install cPanel yourself

cPanel is strict about the server it installs on. Check each point first:

• A cPanel licence for the server's IP address, bought from cPanel or an authorised licence reseller. cPanel licences are priced by the number of hosting accounts.
• A fresh operating system with nothing else installed: no other control panel, web server, mail server or database. Order the VPS with no control panel, or open a ticket and ask support to reinstall the operating system first (see reinstalling your VPS operating system).
• A supported operating system. cPanel supports selected releases of AlmaLinux, Rocky Linux, CloudLinux and Ubuntu LTS. The list changes between cPanel versions, so check cPanel's current system requirements before you pick the OS.
• Enough resources. Check cPanel's current minimums; for a server that hosts real sites with email, plan for at least 2 GB of RAM and 40 GB of disk, and more for many accounts.
• A hostname that is a fully qualified domain name, such as server.yourdomain.com, which is not the same as a domain you plan to host. Create an A record for it pointing to the VPS IP.
• Reverse DNS (PTR) for the IP set to that hostname, which matters for sending email. There is no self-service PTR setting in the client area; open a ticket and ask support whether a PTR record can be set for your VPS IP.

3. Install cPanel & WHM

Connect as root (see how to access your VPS after purchase), then work through these steps.

The installer commands from cPanel's documentation:

cd /home
curl -o latest -L https://securedownloads.cpanel.net/latest
sh latest

The installer writes its progress to the terminal and to a log file under /var/log, named cpanel-install.log on most versions:

tail -f /var/log/cpanel-install.log

4. First steps in WHM

The setup wizard asks you to accept the licence agreement, enter a contact email address, and confirm networking and nameserver settings. After that:

• Licence: if the IP is licensed, cPanel activates automatically. Run /usr/local/cpanel/cpkeyclt to force a check.
• SSL: enable AutoSSL so the hostname and every hosted domain get free certificates.
• PHP: use EasyApache 4 and MultiPHP Manager to install currently supported PHP versions, and set a sensible default.
• Security: enable cPHulk brute-force protection, configure a firewall that allows only the ports you use (see VPS firewall setup), and harden SSH with the SSH security hardening checklist.
• Backups: configure WHM's backup system and store copies off the server. The VPS is self-managed, so don't rely on any server-level copy; ask support what, if anything, is kept for your VPS.
• Email: make sure SPF and DKIM are enabled for hosted domains, and check that the hostname has a valid certificate. For matching reverse DNS, and whether outbound port 25 is open, ask support.

5. Licence management

• A cPanel licence is tied to the server's IP address and checked regularly against cPanel's licensing servers.
• If the IP changes, ask your licence provider to move the licence before you reinstall.
• A new server often gets a short trial licence automatically; check cPanel's current terms before you rely on it.
• If the licence lapses, WHM and cPanel stop opening, although websites usually keep serving. Renew before the end date.

6. Troubleshooting the install

The installer refuses to start. It usually names the problem: an unsupported OS version, an existing web or mail server, or a hostname that is not a fully qualified name. Fix it, or ask support to reinstall the OS and start again.

WHM does not open on port 2087. Check that the port is allowed in your firewall, that the install finished, and that systemctl status cpanel shows the service running. Use the IP address if DNS for the hostname has not propagated yet.

Licence not activating. Confirm the licensed IP matches the VPS IP exactly, run /usr/local/cpanel/cpkeyclt, and contact your licence provider if it still fails.

7. If you don't need cPanel itself

Most people who ask for cPanel on a VPS want a web panel for sites, email and databases. The panels we offer on a VPS cover that:

For a side-by-side comparison, read choosing the best control panel for your VPS.

8. Where Domain India fits

For cPanel without managing a server, choose shared cPanel hosting: we run the server, cPanel, security and weekly backups, and you manage your sites in cPanel. For full control, choose a VPS and one of the panel options above, or bring your own cPanel licence. Compare current prices, excluding 18% GST, on cPanel hosting and VPS plans.

Ready to choose? Compare VPS plans and their panel options, look at cPanel shared hosting if you want cPanel without running a server, or open a ticket if you are not sure which fits.