Have you heard of Runcloud, Serverpilot, Cyberpanel, Cloudron, Gridpane, SpinupWP, Moss.sh, Forge and others panels or platforms? Which one to choose? In this article we will see some comparisons of these panels and server managers in PHP and other web languages.
Runcloud - The best in my opinion
Currently, I use Runcloud, and I really like it for its simplicity and being very straightforward and objective. It is easy to manage, super secure, and fully optimized for good performance of your site.
It runs Nginx natively or Nginx + Apache, provides full support for Redis, Memcached, PHP-FPM, uses Maria DB, supports GIT, and has a backup system. Its price is quite affordable, costing 8$ for the PRO version for limited applications on a server.
I personally see no disadvantages in using Runcloud. There is a free version, but it does not natively support HTTPS. We have already written a complete article talking about Runcloud, you can read it by clicking here.
Serverpilot - The old fad
Serverpilot was one of the most famous systems used to install PHP in one click on VPS or cloud servers. This is all because it was completely free, but currently it only offers paid plans and at a slightly steep price compared to Runcloud.
Like Runcloud, Serverpilot offers PHP-FPM and Nginx with Apache. Unfortunately it does not offer native Nginx and its database system is the traditional MySQL. Its price also ends up being higher if you want several apps and servers.
I used Serverpilot, but I currently don't see any advantage in using that system to manage your server or cloud. Maybe in the future they may not offer better options and plans? It is still a good choice.
cloudron - no more codes and complications
Cloudron it is a system that you install directly on your cloud or VPS, equivalent to a CPANEL. The main difference is that Cloudron is totally user friendly and works by installing things in one click without relying on codes.
The big problem is that cloudron takes this so seriously that it doesn't even allow a remote connection to your database. Managing your website files is only possible with the terminal that is also available in the admin panel.
Despite this limitation, cloudron is completely free and supports several applications in addition to PHP. With cloudron you can install Ghost CMS and applications in node.js, email and other languages other than PHP.
Cloudron isolates the installed applications within the server so that they do not affect each other. This isolation is so strong that it keeps your server very secure and free from any complications. It can be installed with one click on Digital Ocean.
The system also makes external backups of your applications and offers installations in one click of applications such as Lamp, Rocket.chat, rainloop, openvpn, sufer, gitlab, meemo, mailtrain, roundcube, nobebb, minio, discourse, minecraft server and many others.
Cyberpanel - Alternative to cpanel
Cyberpanel is a free alternative to Cpanel that you install on your cloud or VPS, much more beautiful, lightweight, and offers more options than other Managers. The great advantage of Cyberpanel is that it uses OpenLiteSpeed instead of Nginx and Apache.
OpenLiteSpeed is a different PHP server, relatively new, and has many advantages over Nginx, allowing it to handle more requests, making it much faster. Another advantage is the LS Cache, perfect for your WordPress site.
Cyberpanel also offers an email server, automatic installers, GIT Deployment, automatic SSL, security and even support for Docker and Node.js. Cyberpanel also uses MariaDB and Pure-FTPD and can be installed in one click on Digital Ocean.
Gridpane and SpinupWP - Wordpress Managers
Gridpane is an online panel like serverpilot and runcloud. It was built entirely for professional wordpress. It offers almost the same things as a Runcloud like nginx, mysql, redis and others. It is possible to create websites in a few steps.
It is said to be superior to other alternatives, promises to be exclusive to WordPress, offers cloning between servers, WP-CLI and even offers ElasticSearch and Elasticpress. I did not get to test to know its real advantage over the others.
The major disadvantage of the GridPane is its price. The smallest plan costs an absurd $ 30 a month. There are $ 100 plans and others that cost up to $ 300. If the person has several sites, it may be advantageous to pay the $ 30 as it allows unlimited servers and sites.
Just like the previous alternative, SpinupWP is optimized for running WordPress sites. It natively offers Nginx, PHP, MySQL/MariaDB, and Redis. Its price is also close to Runcloud with plans starting at 9 dollars.
It also offers WP-CLI, website isolation, SFTP, automatic SSL, Git Deploy and promises the best cache system ever. I have not tested this option either, but I believe it is not different from the other alternatives mentioned in the article.
moss.sh, lavandel Forge and others
Moss.sh is another perfect alternative for those who want to work with wordpress, php, laravel, github, gitlab, bitcuket and others. Their plans start at $ 15 and offer unlimited servers and websites.
For those who want to use an application with the Lavarel framework, we recommend forge.laravel.com; It offers Nginx, Postgres, Redis, and a bunch of other features like Github, Bitbucket, and others already mentioned. The cheapest plan costs 12 dollars.
I believe that all other server management services offer similar functions. So instead of delving into each one, we’ll list below other alternatives for you to take a look at.
- Cloudways;
- Ploio.io;
- LAMP;
- Plesk;
- Cpanel;
- ISPmanager Vepp;
- Ajenti;
- ZesleCP;
- CentminMod;
- EasyEngine;
- ClusterCS;
- Cleaver;
- Cipi;
- SlickStack;
- Amezmo;
- OVIPanel;
- Webnoly;
- AgiusCloud;
- VPSSIM;
- LaunchPal;
What is the best service to manage your server or cloud?
Undecided on which of the services mentioned above to choose? Many sites directly recommend Cloudways as the best option, but in reality they just want to earn the good commission that that expensive service offers.
If you want to save money, it's better to install cyberpanel or cloudron on your cloud at Digital Ocean, Linode, Vultr, or any other Ubuntu server. Both are free and comprehensive, each with its advantages and disadvantages.
If you really want to pay for an external manager, I strongly recommend Runcloud, which I have been using for years without any issues. This is truly the cheapest and most complete option among paid managers.
Why use a paid manager instead of a free one? If you choose a paid external manager, you will have a better performance, leaving your server lighter with only the necessary files.
Options like Cyberpanel and Cloudron end up weighing your server more, but in return it allows you to install things in node.js and other languages more easily. No matter which option you choose, they all allow you to install anything via root and SSH.
You are not limited to choosing any of the alternatives in this article. Just be aware that some options are more user friendly and natively offer functions that others don't.
For me the best option is Runcloud which natively offers Nginx + Redis, making my WordPress faster without many headaches. If you want a cheaper and unlimited option, use cyberpanel, if you want something more friendly, use cloudron.
I hope the tips in this article will help you choose the best option for your server or cloud. If you liked the article, share and leave your comments. Thank you and see you next time! Do you know any other alternative?