cPanel and WHM (Web Host Manager) are built by the same company and share the same underlying system, but they are not the same tool. cPanel is the control panel you use to manage a single hosting account: your files, databases, email, and domains. WHM is the administrative layer above it, used to manage the server itself and every account hosted on it. Most ZIPROF hosting customers only ever log in to cPanel. WHM access is normally only given to reseller hosting customers or anyone managing multiple accounts on a server.
What cPanel Is For
cPanel is the account-level control panel. If you have a standard shared hosting plan, cPanel is where you spend all your time. From it you can:
- Upload and edit website files using File Manager
- Create and manage email accounts
- Create MySQL databases and database users
- Install SSL certificates and set up domains, subdomains, and addon domains
- Run backups, check disk space and bandwidth, and install apps through Softaculous
Everything in cPanel is scoped to your own hosting account. You cannot see or affect other customers' accounts from inside it.
What WHM Is For
WHM sits above cPanel and is used to administer the whole server, or in a reseller's case, the block of accounts assigned to them. Someone with WHM access can:
- Create, suspend, or delete cPanel accounts
- Set resource limits (disk space, bandwidth, email accounts) for each account it manages
- Manage server-wide settings like IP addresses, nameservers, and packages (hosting plan templates)
- Install SSL certificates, DNS zones, and other settings on behalf of the accounts it oversees
WHM access is powerful. If you're a reseller, only share WHM login details with people who genuinely need to manage other accounts, not with end clients who only need their own cPanel login.
Who Actually Needs WHM?
- Standard shared hosting customers: you only need cPanel. You were never issued WHM access because there's nothing at the server level for you to manage.
- Reseller hosting customers: you get WHM access in addition to your own cPanel, so you can create and manage separate cPanel accounts for your own clients.
- Agencies managing client sites: if you simply build or maintain websites for clients who each have their own ZIPROF hosting account, you still only need cPanel logins for each of those accounts, not WHM.
If you were expecting WHM access and don't have it, or you're not sure which one your plan includes, open a support ticket from your ZIPROF client area and ask: whether you're on a reseller plan determines the answer.