What aaPanel does
| Area | What you can do in aaPanel |
|---|---|
| Web server stack | Install Nginx, Apache or OpenLiteSpeed, several PHP versions, and MySQL or MariaDB, from the App Store. |
| Websites | Add domains, set the PHP version per site, and configure redirects and rewrite rules. |
| Databases | Create databases and users, and open phpMyAdmin. |
| SSL | Request free Let’s Encrypt certificates and force HTTPS. |
| Files | Upload, edit, compress and set permissions in a browser file manager. |
| Scheduled tasks | Create cron jobs, including site and database backups. |
| Security | Manage the system firewall, change the panel port, and add login protection. |
| Monitoring | See CPU, memory, disk and load on the dashboard. |
Who aaPanel is for
- Developers who want a quick way to host several sites on one VPS without learning every config file.
- Small businesses running a few websites, where a paid control panel is hard to justify.
- People moving from shared hosting to their first VPS, who want a familiar point-and-click interface.
aaPanel is less suited to hosting companies or resellers who need to give many separate customers their own logins, billing and resource limits. cPanel and WHM, or DirectAdmin, are built for that kind of multi-tenant hosting.
aaPanel compared with cPanel
| aaPanel | cPanel and WHM | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | Free | Paid licence, priced by number of accounts |
| Best for | One owner managing their own sites | Hosting many separate customer accounts |
| Web servers | Nginx, Apache or OpenLiteSpeed | Apache, with Nginx or LiteSpeed options |
| Email hosting | Available through plugins, with more manual setup | Built in, with full mail management |
| Customer accounts and resellers | Limited | Full reseller and account isolation features |
| Support and documentation | Community forum and docs | Commercial support and extensive documentation |
If you are weighing cost, see our cPanel pricing for 2027 and the comparison in our free control panels guide.
What you need before installing
- ✓ A clean VPS or dedicated server. Install aaPanel on a fresh operating system, not on a server that already runs another control panel or web server.
- ✓ Root access over SSH.
- ✓ A supported Linux release. Check aaPanel’s current requirements before you start.
- ✓ Enough memory for your stack. Plan for at least 1 GB of RAM for a basic web server and database, and more for busy sites.
- ✓ A domain name pointed at the server, if you want SSL straight away.
Our step-by-step aaPanel installation guide walks through the install and the first login.
Secure aaPanel after you install it
A control panel is a tempting target, so lock it down on day one:
- Keep the security entrance. aaPanel gives the login page a random path. Keep it, and do not share the full URL.
- Change the panel port from the default, and allow it in the firewall only from your own IP address if you can.
- Use a strong, unique password and turn on two-factor authentication in the panel settings.
- Install only the apps you use. Every extra service is something else to patch.
- Update aaPanel and the operating system regularly, and update PHP when security releases come out.
- Back up off the server. Use the backup tasks, and send copies to remote storage, not only to the same disk.
Our PHP security update guide shows how to update PHP on aaPanel when a critical PHP release comes out.
Common first tasks
| Task | Where in aaPanel |
|---|---|
| Install a web stack | App Store: choose LNMP (Nginx) or LAMP (Apache), with PHP and MySQL |
| Add a website | Website: Add site, then enter the domain and choose the PHP version |
| Get an SSL certificate | Website: open the site, then SSL: choose Let’s Encrypt |
| Create a database | Database: Add database |
| Schedule a backup | Cron: add a backup task for the site and its database |
Back up sites on aaPanel
aaPanel can back up each website and database on a schedule. Open Cron, choose the backup task type for a site or a database, pick how often it runs and how many copies to keep, then save. By default, backups are stored on the same server, which does not help if the disk fails or the server is lost. Install one of the remote storage plugins from the App Store, such as FTP or S3-compatible storage, and send copies there as well. Restore a backup to a test site from time to time, so you know the copies work before you need them.
Move an existing site to aaPanel
- Create the site in aaPanel with the same domain and the PHP version the site needs.
- Upload the site files to the new site folder with the file manager or SFTP.
- Create a database and user, then import your database dump through phpMyAdmin.
- Update the site’s configuration file with the new database name, user and password.
- Test the site before you change DNS by pointing the domain at the new server in your computer’s hosts file.
- Change the DNS records, wait for them to update, then request the Let’s Encrypt certificate.
Our guide to testing a site with the hosts file explains step 5. Keep the old server running until the new one has worked for a few days.
Troubleshooting
| Problem | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| The panel will not load | The panel port is blocked, or the security entrance path is wrong | Check the firewall allows the panel port from your IP address. In SSH, run bt to see the panel options. |
| Let’s Encrypt fails | The domain does not point at the server yet | Check the A record, wait for DNS to update, then try again. |
| The site shows a 502 error | PHP-FPM for the selected PHP version is stopped | Restart that PHP version in the App Store, then reload the site. |
| Uploads fail on large files | PHP upload limits are too low | Raise upload_max_filesize and post_max_size in the PHP settings for that version. |
aaPanel at UnderHost
On our Cloud VPS plans, aaPanel is a free option on several operating systems, including AlmaLinux 8 and 9, Rocky Linux 8 and 9, CloudLinux, Ubuntu and Debian. Pick it when you order, or install it yourself on a fresh server. Available systems and panels are listed on the Cloud VPS page.
Need help with this?
Want aaPanel on a fast, private server? Choose it free when you order a Cloud VPS, or let our team set it up for you.
Frequently asked questions
Is aaPanel really free?
Yes. The core panel is free. Some plugins in its App Store are paid, but you do not need them to host websites.
Can I install aaPanel on a server that already has cPanel?
No. Install aaPanel on a clean server. Two control panels on one server conflict over the web server, PHP and system settings.
Is aaPanel secure?
It can be, if you keep the security entrance, change the default port, use a strong password with two-factor authentication, and keep aaPanel and the operating system updated.
Should I choose aaPanel or cPanel?
Choose aaPanel if you manage your own sites and want a free panel. Choose cPanel and WHM if you host many separate customers, need resellers, or want built-in email hosting with commercial support.
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