example.net, and submit. Point the domain’s DNS to your hosting first.Addon domain, alias or subdomain?
| Type | What visitors see | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| Addon domain | A separate website at its own domain | A second business, a client site, a side project |
| Alias (parked domain) | The same site as the main domain | Spelling variants and other extensions |
| Subdomain | A separate site at blog.example.com | A section of your main site |
For aliases, see our parked domains guide.
Before you add a domain
- ✓ The domain is registered and its nameservers point to your hosting (or its A record does, if DNS is elsewhere).
- ✓ Your plan has a free addon domain slot. cPanel shows how many you use on the home page under Statistics.
- ✓ You know which folder will hold the site. Keep each site in its own folder.
Step 1: create the domain
- Log in to cPanel and open Domains > Domains.
- Click Create A New Domain.
- Enter the domain name, for example
example.net. - Untick Share document root. This is what makes it a separate website.
- Check the Document Root. cPanel suggests a folder named after the domain, such as
/home/user/example.net. - Click Submit.
Older cPanel themes had a separate Addon Domains page with the same fields. Both create the same kind of domain.
Step 2: upload or install the site
Put the website’s files in the document root you chose, with File Manager or FTP, or install an application such as WordPress with Softaculous or WordPress Toolkit and choose the new domain. Each addon domain needs its own database if it runs a CMS.
Step 3: SSL and email
- SSL: AutoSSL issues a free certificate once the domain points to the server. Check Security > SSL/TLS Status.
- Email: create addresses for the new domain in Email > Email Accounts, choosing the domain from the list.
- DNS: if the domain uses your hosting’s nameservers, cPanel creates its DNS zone automatically. Edit it in Zone Editor.
Things to know about addon domains
- Shared resources: all sites on the account share its disk space, memory and CPU limits. One busy site can slow the others.
- Shared security: the sites run as the same user. If one is hacked, the others can be affected. Keep every site updated.
- Subdomain address: cPanel also creates a subdomain of your main domain for each addon domain. Redirect it, or ignore it, so it is not indexed as a duplicate.
- Backups: the account backup includes every addon domain.
For many unrelated sites, or sites for different clients, a reseller account or a Cloud VPS keeps each site in its own account, with separate limits and better isolation.
Remove an addon domain
- Back up the site’s files and database if you might need them.
- In Domains > Domains, find the domain and choose Manage, then Remove Domain.
- Removing the domain does not always delete its folder. Delete the folder in File Manager if you no longer need the files.
- Delete the email accounts and databases that belonged to the site.
Troubleshooting
| Problem | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| cPanel will not add the domain | DNS does not point to the server, or the domain is on another account | Check the nameservers or A record, and remove the domain from the other account. |
| The addon domain shows the main site | Share document root was left ticked | Remove and add the domain again with its own folder. |
| No free addon domain slots | The plan limit is reached | Upgrade the plan, or remove domains you no longer use. |
| Certificate warning | AutoSSL has not run since DNS changed | Run AutoSSL in SSL/TLS Status. |
Need help with this?
Running several sites? Choose a hosting plan with room for them, or a reseller or Cloud VPS plan for full separation.
Frequently asked questions
What is an addon domain in cPanel?
A separate website with its own domain, folder and email, hosted on the same cPanel account as your main site.
Where are addon domains in the new cPanel?
In Domains > Domains. Create a new domain and untick Share document root.
How many addon domains can I add?
It depends on your hosting plan. cPanel shows the limit and current use under Statistics.
Do addon domains share resources?
Yes. All domains on the account share its disk space and resource limits.
Can each addon domain have its own email?
Yes. Create email accounts for each domain in Email Accounts.
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