ZIPROF hosts websites on two different control panels, cPanel and DirectAdmin. Both let you manage your files, email accounts, databases, and domains, but they look different and use different names for some of the same features. Here's how to check which one you have and how they compare.
How to check which control panel you have
- Check the welcome email ZIPROF sent you when your hosting account was set up. It states whether your account is on cPanel or DirectAdmin and includes your login link.
- Check your invoice or client area order details, which list the hosting package and server assigned to your account.
- Look at the login URL itself. A cPanel login address usually ends in :2083, while a DirectAdmin login address usually ends in :2222.
If you're still not sure, see How to Log In to Your Hosting Control Panel or contact ZIPROF support with your domain name and they'll confirm it for you.
Key differences between cPanel and DirectAdmin
Layout and navigation
cPanel organizes tools into icon groups under headings like Files, Databases, Domains, and Email. DirectAdmin uses a left hand menu with similar categories, but the icons and page layouts look noticeably different. Once you know where a feature sits in one panel, the equivalent in the other is usually one or two clicks away.
File management
Both panels include a built in file manager for uploading, editing, and setting permissions on your website files without needing FTP. In cPanel this tool is called File Manager. In DirectAdmin it's also called File Manager, but it's accessed from a different part of the menu.
Email and databases
Both panels let you create email accounts, set up forwarders and autoresponders, and create MySQL databases with their own users. The steps are similar in both: you open an Email or Databases section and fill in a short form. Field names can differ slightly. For example, DirectAdmin often groups database creation and user creation into a single step, while cPanel separates them.
Backups
Both panels offer a way to download a full backup of your account or restore one. DirectAdmin's backup tool is usually found under a section labeled Backup/Restore, and cPanel has a similarly named section. The underlying idea, a downloadable archive of your files, email, and databases, works the same way in both.
Does it matter which one you have?
For day to day use, no. Both panels give you full control over your website, email, and databases, and ZIPROF's support team can assist you regardless of which one your account runs on. The main practical difference is that step by step instructions vary slightly between the two, which is why ZIPROF's Knowledgebase keeps separate cPanel and DirectAdmin guides for tasks where the process differs.
Tip: When a Knowledgebase article has separate "In cPanel" and "In DirectAdmin" sections, always follow the one that matches your panel. Following the wrong set of steps can lead you to a menu that doesn't exist on your account.
Can you choose or switch panels?
Which panel your account uses depends on the hosting server it's assigned to, not something you select at checkout. If you have a strong preference for one panel over the other, mention it to ZIPROF support before you sign up or before you renew, and they can advise whether a switch is possible for your plan.