Free control panels split into two groups in 2026. Classic hosting panels such as HestiaCP, ISPConfig and CloudPanel manage websites, databases and often email on one server. Docker panels such as Coolify, Dokploy and 1Panel deploy applications in containers, and they are where most of the growth has been. This guide covers both, with what each panel does, what it needs, how to install it, and what to watch out for.

Every version number, star count and requirement below was checked against the project’s own GitHub repository or documentation at the end of October 2026. Panels update often, so confirm the details in the project’s documentation before you install.

What Changed in 2026

• Docker panels went mainstream. Coolify passed 65,000 GitHub stars. Dokploy, which only started in April 2024, reached about 38,000, and 1Panel about 37,000.
• Panels started adding AI features. 1Panel now manages local language models and includes an MCP server, so AI assistants can run server operations. aaPanel offers a free edition bundled with OpenClaw.
• Security became the main question. Coolify disclosed 11 critical flaws in January 2026, and CyberPanel patched several serious issues this year. See Security in 2026.
• New operating systems arrived. CloudPanel and HestiaCP now support Ubuntu 26.04 and Debian 13, and Webinoly requires Ubuntu 24.04 or 26.04.
• CloudPanel is no longer Debian-only. It now runs on Ubuntu and on ARM64 as well.

Which Type of Panel Do You Need?

Complete 2026 Comparison

Latest versions and GitHub stars as of October 31, 2026. Stars show interest, not quality, and “free” does not always mean open source.

Classic Hosting Panels

HestiaCP ⭐ Stability Focused

Description: HestiaCP is a long-running open source panel for websites, email, databases and DNS on one server. It remains one of the most practical free replacements for a traditional hosting panel, with regular releases and a clear interface.

Technical Specifications

• Version: 1.10.5, September 2026
• Web Server: Nginx, optionally in front of Apache
• Includes: Web, email, DNS and databases
• Supported Systems: Debian 13, 12, 11 and Ubuntu 26.04, 24.04, 22.04
• Best For: Websites with email on one server

Installation

wget https://raw.githubusercontent.com/hestiacp/hestiacp/release/install/hst-install.sh
sudo bash hst-install.sh

Install it on a fresh operating system. The script accepts options to choose components; see the Hestia documentation.

aaPanel ⭐ Feature Leader

Description: aaPanel is a graphical all-rounder with a large app store and a choice of web servers. It suits people who want to do everything from the browser, and UnderHost can deliver it pre-installed on a Cloud VPS.

Technical Specifications

• Version: 7.65.0
• Web Server: Nginx, Apache or OpenLiteSpeed
• Database: MySQL, MariaDB, PostgreSQL
• Licence: Custom aaPanel licence; free and Pro editions
• Best For: Graphical management and one-click apps

Installation

URL=https://www.aapanel.com/script/install_panel_en.sh
curl -ksSO "$URL" || wget --no-check-certificate -O install_panel_en.sh "$URL"
bash install_panel_en.sh

See our aaPanel VPS page if you prefer it set up for you.

CloudPanel ⭐ Nginx-First PHP Stack

Description: CloudPanel is a focused panel for PHP applications such as WordPress and Laravel. It is small, fast to learn and built around Nginx. It does not provide mailboxes, so pair it with a separate email service.

Technical Specifications

• Version: v2.5.4, July 2026
• Web Server: Nginx
• Supported Systems: Ubuntu 26.04, 24.04, 22.04 and Debian 13, 12, on x86 and ARM64
• Minimum: 1 core, 2 GB RAM, 10 GB disk
• Best For: WordPress, Laravel and other PHP sites

Installation

curl -sS https://installer.cloudpanel.io/ce/v2/install.sh -o install.sh
sudo bash install.sh

The CloudPanel documentation lists the current checksum and the option for choosing your database. See our CloudPanel page.

CyberPanel ⭐ LiteSpeed Specialist

Description: CyberPanel is built on OpenLiteSpeed and is popular for WordPress because of LiteSpeed Cache. It is actively developed, but it has had serious security issues, so keep it updated and do not leave the panel open to the internet.

Technical Specifications

• Version: 2.4.4 or newer; earlier versions have known flaws
• Web Server: OpenLiteSpeed
• Includes: Websites, email, DNS and databases
• Best For: WordPress on LiteSpeed
• Watch Out: Limit panel access to your own IP. See Security in 2026

Installation

sh <(curl https://cyberpanel.net/install.sh || wget -O - https://cyberpanel.net/install.sh)

ISPConfig ⭐ Multi-Server Management

Description: ISPConfig manages web, email, DNS and database services, including across several servers from one interface. It takes more effort to learn, but it remains a strong free choice for hosting companies and agencies.

Technical Specifications

• Version: 3.3.2, September 2026
• Web Server: Apache or Nginx
• Supported Systems: Debian 11 to 13 and Ubuntu 24.04, 22.04 through the Autoinstaller
• Best For: Multi-server hosting and reseller setups

Installation

# see every option first
wget -O - https://get.ispconfig.org | sh -s -- --help

# then run the Autoinstaller with the options you want
wget -O - https://get.ispconfig.org | sh -s --

Froxlor ⭐ Lightweight Choice

Description: Froxlor is a small PHP-based panel for shared hosting on modest servers. It is not as polished as newer panels, but it is light, simple and still actively maintained.

Technical Specifications

• Version: 2.3.16, October 2026
• Web Server: Apache or Nginx
• PHP: 7.4 up to 8.5
• Supported Systems: Debian and Ubuntu
• Best For: Small servers and simple shared hosting

Installation

# add the Froxlor apt repository from the official guide first, then:
sudo apt update
sudo apt install froxlor

Finish the setup in your browser after the package is installed.

Webmin/Virtualmin ⭐ Power User’s Choice

Description: Webmin is a veteran web interface for Linux administration, and Virtualmin adds website hosting on top. Few panels expose as much of the system, which makes the pair powerful but less friendly for beginners.

Technical Specifications

• Version: Webmin 2.670 and Virtualmin 8.3.0, September 2026
• Web Server: Apache or Nginx
• Licence: Webmin BSD-3-Clause, Virtualmin GPL-3.0
• Best For: Administrators who want full control

Installation

wget https://software.virtualmin.com/gpl/scripts/install.sh
sudo sh install.sh

OpenPanel ⭐ Isolated Hosting Accounts

Description: OpenPanel takes a new approach to shared hosting. Instead of sharing one web server and database, each user gets a private set of containers, with their own web server, database, PHP and network. It comes as a free community edition and a commercial version.

Technical Specifications

• Version: 2.0.19, October 2026
• Isolation: Separate Podman containers per user
• Includes: User panel, admin panel, Caddy reverse proxy, BIND DNS
• Best For: Hosting providers who want stronger separation between users
• Watch Out: Compare the community and commercial editions before you plan around a feature

Installation

bash <(curl -sSL https://openpanel.org)

Docker Panels and Self-Hosted Platforms

These panels deploy applications in containers. They suit APIs, Node.js and Python apps, databases and self-hosted tools. Most need more memory than a classic panel, and most do not include email hosting.

Coolify ⭐ Modern Application Platform

Description: Coolify is the most popular self-hosted app platform, with a large catalogue of one-click services and deployment from Git. It is a strong, mature project, but its 2026 security record means you need to keep it updated.

Technical Specifications

• Version: v4.5.3, October 2026
• Stars: About 65,300
• Supported Systems: Debian and Red Hat family, including Ubuntu LTS
• Minimum: 2 cores, 2 GB RAM, 10 GB disk, plus room for your apps
• Best For: Replacing a hosted app platform on your own server
• Watch Out: Update promptly, and put the dashboard behind a firewall

Installation

curl -fsSL https://cdn.coollabs.io/coolify/install.sh -o install.sh
sudo bash install.sh

Dokploy ⭐ Fastest Riser

Description: Dokploy is the breakout project of the last two years. It started in April 2024 and is now one of the most starred self-hosted platforms. It deploys apps and Docker Compose stacks through a clean interface, and it uses Traefik for routing and SSL.

Technical Specifications

• Version: v0.30.10, October 2026
• Stars: About 38,100
• Minimum: 2 GB RAM and 30 GB disk
• Ports: 80, 443 and 3000 must be free before you install
• Licence: Apache-2.0, with some proprietary directories
• Best For: Teams who want simple deployments without much setup

Installation

curl -sSL https://dokploy.com/install.sh -o install.sh
sudo bash install.sh

1Panel ⭐ Modern All-in-One

Description: 1Panel sits between a classic panel and a Docker platform. It manages websites, files, databases and containers from a modern interface, with an app store and one-click WordPress. It is also one of the first panels built for AI work, with language model management and an MCP server.

Technical Specifications

• Version: v2.4.2, October 2026
• Stars: About 37,300
• Licence: GPL-3.0, with an optional Pro plan
• Supported Systems: Mainstream Debian-based and Red Hat-based Linux
• Best For: One modern panel for sites, containers and apps

Installation

curl -sSL https://resource.1panel.pro/quick_start.sh -o quick_start.sh
sudo bash quick_start.sh

CapRover ⭐ Self-Hosted PaaS

Description: CapRover is a mature, lightweight platform that deploys apps with a simple command-line tool and a web dashboard. It uses Docker Swarm and Nginx, and is a good fit for small servers and side projects.

Technical Specifications

• Version: v1.15.5, October 2026
• Tested On: Ubuntu 24.04 with Docker 25 or newer
• Memory: 1 GB or more; builds can need more than 512 MB
• Best For: Simple app deployment on a small server

Installation

docker run -p 80:80 -p 443:443 -p 3000:3000 -e ACCEPTED_TERMS=true \
  -v /var/run/docker.sock:/var/run/docker.sock -v /captain:/captain caprover/caprover

EasyPanel ⭐ Docker Simplicity

Description: EasyPanel gives you a tidy Docker interface with templates for common apps. It is free for up to 3 projects, with paid plans above that. It is closed source and licensed per server.

Technical Specifications

• Free Plan: Up to 3 projects
• Minimum: 2 GB RAM; ports 80 and 443 available
• Licence: Proprietary
• Best For: A few Docker apps with very little setup

Installation

curl -sSL https://get.easypanel.io | sh

Komodo ⭐ Multi-Server Docker Control

Description: Komodo builds and deploys software across many servers. It is not a hosting panel: it manages Docker containers and Compose stacks, builds images from Git, and sets no limit on the number of servers you can connect.

Technical Specifications

• Version: v2.3.4, October 2026
• Stars: About 12,800
• Database: MongoDB, or FerretDB on systems that cannot run it
• Licence: GPL-3.0
• Best For: Teams running Docker on several servers

Installation

wget -P komodo https://raw.githubusercontent.com/moghtech/komodo/main/compose/mongo.compose.yaml
wget -P komodo https://raw.githubusercontent.com/moghtech/komodo/main/compose/compose.env

# edit komodo/compose.env, then:
docker compose -p komodo -f komodo/mongo.compose.yaml --env-file komodo/compose.env up -d

Minimal and Command-Line Tools

Ajenti ⭐ Minimalist GUI

Description: Ajenti is a small, Python-based admin dashboard with a terminal, file manager and service controls. It suits people who want a light web interface for a server rather than a full hosting panel.

Technical Specifications

• Version: v2.2.15, March 2026
• Licence: MIT
• Best For: Basic server administration

Installation

curl -sSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ajenti/ajenti/master/scripts/install-venv.sh -o install-venv.sh
sudo bash install-venv.sh

Webinoly ⭐ CLI LEMP Optimizer

Description: Webinoly has no web interface. It builds a tuned Nginx, MariaDB and PHP server from the command line, with FastCGI and Redis caching. It is a good fit if you are comfortable in SSH and want a light WordPress server.

Technical Specifications

• Version: v1.21.3, September 2026
• Supported Systems: Ubuntu 26.04 or 24.04, x86_64 and arm64
• Minimum: 512 MB RAM
• Best For: WordPress over SSH on small servers

Installation

wget -qO weby qrok.es/wy
sudo bash weby

Security in 2026: What to Know

A control panel has full power over your server, which makes it a valuable target. Several popular panels had serious flaws disclosed this year, and each one shows why updates matter.

• Coolify: 11 critical flaws were disclosed in January 2026, some allowing authenticated users to run commands as root. More issues followed during the year. Run a current release.
• CyberPanel: CVE-2026-41472 and CVE-2026-41473, in the AI Scanner feature, were fixed in version 2.4.4. CVE-2026-71965 affected the remote backup feature in 2.4.3. Update, and check /root/.ssh/authorized_keys for keys you do not recognise.

This list is not complete, and other panels have had flaws too. Follow the security advisories of the panel you choose.

Protect any panel

• Limit the panel’s port to your own IP address with a firewall.
• Turn on two-factor authentication where the panel offers it.
• Turn on automatic updates, or check for updates every week.
• Use SSH keys, and turn off password login for SSH. See our guide to SSH key authentication.
• Keep backups away from the server.

UnderHost Recommendations by Use Case

Need a paid panel instead? UnderHost also offers cPanel, DirectAdmin and Plesk. See all control panels.

Emerging Panels to Watch in 2026

These projects are interesting, but they are newer, smaller or more specialised. Test them on a spare server before you trust them with production sites.

Running a Free Panel on UnderHost

Free panels need a server with root access. Any panel in this guide runs on an UnderHost Cloud VPS or dedicated server. Here is how to size it:

• Pre-installed aaPanel: we can deliver your VPS with aaPanel ready to use, at no extra cost.
• Help with other panels: we can install and configure the control panel you need, including custom setups.
• Free migration: moving from another host or panel? Our team can help. See migration.
• Managed option: prefer not to handle updates and security? See server management.

Sources

• Coolify
• Dokploy
• 1Panel
• CapRover
• EasyPanel
• Komodo
• HestiaCP
• CloudPanel requirements
• aaPanel
• CyberPanel
• ISPConfig
• Froxlor
• Webmin
• Virtualmin
• OpenPanel
• Ajenti
• Webinoly
• The Hacker News: Coolify flaws, January 2026
• OSV: CVE-2026-71965
• CVE-2026-41472