WHMCS is third-party billing and automation software that many hosting resellers use to run the business side of their company. Connected to your Domain India reseller account, it can create your customers' hosting accounts when they pay, suspend them when invoices go unpaid, and terminate them when they leave. This guide covers what you need, where to install WHMCS, how to connect it to WHM or DirectAdmin, and what to test before your first customer orders.
Buy a WHMCS licence from WHMCS (it is not included with any Domain India plan), and install it on a server you control, ideally a VPS. For a cPanel reseller account, create an API token in WHM and add a cPanel server in WHMCS with your WHM username and that token. For a DirectAdmin reseller account, use WHMCS's DirectAdmin module. Create WHMCS products that match your panel packages, turn on automatic setup, configure the cron job, taxes and payment gateways, then place a test order.
1. What WHMCS does, and what we do
A reseller business has two billing relationships: Domain India bills you for the reseller plan, and you bill your customers at your own prices, under your own brand. WHMCS handles the second one: order forms, automatic account creation on payment, invoices and reminders, suspension and unsuspension, and a client area and support desk for your own customers.
Domain India does not bill or support your customers directly. We support you, the reseller, with the server and control panel; your customers contact you.
2. What you need before you start
- A WHMCS licence.WHMCS is commercial software sold by WHMCS itself. No Domain India plan includes a WHMCS licence; our reseller plans are WHMCS-compatible, which means WHMCS can connect to them. Check whmcs.com for current licence types and prices.
- A server that meets WHMCS's requirements.A PHP version supported by your WHMCS release, MySQL or MariaDB, the ionCube Loader, and the PHP extensions WHMCS lists. Always check WHMCS's current system requirements before you install.
- Your reseller login.Open your reseller service under My Hosting and click Manage; the Access tab shows your username, the server IP and the panel URL.
- A billing domain with SSL,such as billing.yourbrand.com.
- Your hosting packages,created first in WHM or DirectAdmin, so WHMCS has something to link to.
3. Where to install WHMCS
WHMCS is encoded with ionCube, so PHP must load the ionCube Loader. On our cPanel shared servers it is not available for current PHP versions, and several PHP functions are disabled on shared hosting, so a reseller or shared account is not a dependable home for WHMCS. Ask support before you buy a licence if you want to check your account.
The dependable home for WHMCS is a VPS, which also keeps your billing records safe if you ever move hosting servers. A Domain India VPS is self-managed: you install the web server, PHP with the ionCube Loader, MySQL or MariaDB and SSL yourself, and you look after its updates, security and backups.
After installation, add WHMCS's cron job exactly as its admin area shows it. WHMCS expects it to run every 5 minutes, and nothing automatic (invoices, reminders, suspensions, provisioning retries) happens without it.
4. Connect WHMCS to a cPanel reseller account (WHM)
Create an API token in WHM. Log in to your reseller WHM, open Development › Manage API Tokens, generate a token with a clear name such as "WHMCS", and copy it at once, because it is shown only once. If you cannot see the token page, ask support.
Add the server in WHMCS. In the WHMCS admin area, open System Settings › Servers and add a new server:
| Field | What to enter |
|---|---|
| Name | Any label, such as "Domain India reseller" |
| Hostname | The server hostname or IP from the Access tab in your client area |
| Module | cPanel |
| Username | Your WHM reseller username |
| API token | The token you just created |
| Secure | On, so WHMCS talks to WHM over SSL on port 2087 |
| Nameservers | The nameservers your customers should use |
Click Test Connection, then save. Next, create a server group, add this server to it, and use the group in your products.
Anyone with your WHM token can create, change and delete your customers' accounts. Store it only in WHMCS, never in email or chat, and revoke it in WHM straight away if it leaks.
5. Connect WHMCS to a DirectAdmin reseller account
WHMCS includes a DirectAdmin module. Add a server as above, choose the DirectAdmin module, enter the hostname from your Access tab and your DirectAdmin reseller username, and use port 2222 with SSL on.
For the password field, prefer a DirectAdmin login key over your main password: it can be limited to the commands WHMCS needs and revoked on its own. Login keys are under Advanced Features › Login Keys. Then click Test Connection and add the server to a server group.
6. Create products that match your packages
For each WHM or DirectAdmin package, create a WHMCS product under System Settings › Products/Services:
- Type: Shared Hosting, in a product group such as "Web hosting".
- Pricing: your monthly and yearly prices.
- Module Settings: choose the cPanel or DirectAdmin module, your server group, and the exact package name. Package names must match exactly, including capital letters.
- Automatic setup: choose to set up the product automatically when the first payment is received.
7. Automation, payments and GST
- Automation Settings: choose after how many overdue days to suspend and terminate, whether to unsuspend on payment, and when reminders go out. State the same terms in your own terms of service.
- Payment gateways: for UPI, cards and net banking, check whether your payment provider offers a WHMCS module; add PayPal or bank transfer if you need them.
- GST: set up tax rules so invoices show GST correctly, and confirm the setup with your accountant.
- Email delivery: set up SPF, DKIM and DMARC for the domain WHMCS sends from, or invoices land in spam.
8. Test before you go live
- Create a test productat a low price, linked to a real package.
- Place an orderas a test client and pay it, or mark the invoice paid.
- Check WHM or DirectAdmin:the account should exist with the right package, and the WHMCS service should show Active.
- Test suspension:suspend the service from WHMCS and check the site shows as suspended; then unsuspend it.
- Terminate and clean upthe test account and test data.
9. Troubleshooting
| Problem | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Test Connection fails | Wrong hostname, username or token, or SSL off | Recheck the Access tab details; recreate the token; turn Secure on |
| Account not created after payment | Cron not running, or automatic setup is off | Check WHMCS's automation status and module log |
| Wrong package applied | Package name does not match exactly | Copy the name from WHM or DirectAdmin, including capitals |
| Accounts limit reached | The reseller plan's account or disk allocation is used up | Check usage in your panel, or upgrade the plan |
WHMCS's Module Log records every call it makes to the panel and is the fastest way to see the exact error. For server-level problems with your reseller account, open a ticket.
10. Where Domain India fits
Domain India reseller hosting gives you a white-label panel and weekly backups, and DirectAdmin reseller plans include private nameservers under your own brand, so your customers see only your business. There is no WHMCS licence, no hourly backup and no wildcard SSL on any reseller plan, and reseller support is the same 24/7 live chat and ticket support every customer gets.
Prices are Domain India list prices on 19 September 2026 and exclude 18% GST. For the WHMCS server itself, a VPS is the right fit.
- 1 vCPU
- 2 GB DDR4 RAM
- 64 GB NVMe SSD Storage
- 2 TB Monthly Bandwidth
Frequently asked questions
Is a WHMCS licence included with Domain India reseller hosting?
No. No Domain India plan includes a WHMCS licence. Our reseller plans are WHMCS-compatible, so you can buy a licence from WHMCS and connect it to your reseller account.
Can I install WHMCS on my Domain India reseller hosting account?
As a rule, no. WHMCS needs the ionCube Loader, which is not available for current PHP versions on Domain India's cPanel shared servers, and some PHP functions are disabled on shared hosting. Install WHMCS on a VPS, and ask support first if you want to check your account.
How does WHMCS connect to my cPanel reseller account?
Create an API token in WHM under Development, Manage API Tokens. In WHMCS, add a server with the cPanel module, your server hostname, WHM username and that token, with Secure switched on so it uses port 2087.
Does WHMCS work with DirectAdmin reseller hosting?
Yes. WHMCS includes a DirectAdmin module. Add a server with your hostname and DirectAdmin reseller username on port 2222 with SSL, preferably using a DirectAdmin login key instead of your main password.
Who supports my customers?
You do. Domain India supports you as the reseller with server and control panel issues through 24/7 live chat and tickets, and your customers contact you through your own support desk.
Are there free alternatives to WHMCS?
Other billing platforms exist, such as Blesta, but it is also commercial software with a paid licence. Compare features, licence costs and panel modules before you choose.
Ready to automate your hosting business? Compare reseller hosting plans, read the Blesta guide if you are weighing alternatives, or choose a VPS for your billing system.
White-label reseller hosting on DirectAdmin or cPanel, with private nameservers and your own branding.
See reseller plans