On http://www.directadmin.com/internal.html, the lowest cost is $9. But http://www.webhostingtalk.com/showthread.php?t=671933 offers directadmin for $5/mo. I am wondering why their price is lower than $9 ?

Reseller price or dodgy.

i suggest cPanel, DA is insecure and lacks features.

AFAIK, cPanel is good but very expensive.

What's the cheapest price for VPS service providers?

That is for VPS license, not dedicated server license. Besides, for their other licenses like cPanel, Plesk & InterWorX, my guess will be they had absorbed part of the cost.

Reseller price or dodgy.

i suggest cPanel, DA is insecure and lacks features.

Care to site your info on how DA is insecure??? And which features do you think it lacks?

From my personal experience, cPanel has been slower to react to security issues than DA and I have not been lacking for any features with DA.

DA from the admin side is great to administer and from the user side, it's simple, effective, and non-cluttered.

Reseller price or dodgy.

i suggest cPanel, DA is insecure and lacks features.

Ridiculous.
You have no idea what you're talking about.

It's not dodgy - VPS licenses are available as low as $5/mo with them.
As for insecurity, please cite some examples on how DA has been compromised more than cPanel.

Finally, DirectAdmin is much lighter than cPanel.
That's (one of) it's main selling points.

DA also doesn't take over the server the way that cPanel does. With DA there is still separation between the server software and the control panel. Not so much with cPanel and cPanel is bloatware. It has a lot of stuff most people never use therefore wasting precious resources.

And as far as I've been able to tell, I can't find any feature in cPanel that isn't in DA.

isn't cPanel perl? I've not used perl on a server for years. Sucks big time. In the early days of the web, it was useful to have a simple text-processing language like perl running as cgi - allowed many people with no discernible skills whatsoever to write their own web scripts (igmoring it's massive memory-leakage problems up until perl 4). But now that PHP has moved forward from it's crap beginnings (PHP/FI), and totally rewritten by the Zend guys, perl shouldn't be in the field of view at all. C/C++ is of course still the best if well-written, as DA certainly is. Maybe cPanel has been around longer and more people know of it, but that really means nothing. Given a free choice, and a budget of 0, I'd go for an opensource panel written in PHP.

Reseller price or dodgy.

i suggest cPanel, DA is insecure and lacks features.

Correct, pricing for DA is available from $5.00.

As others have requested, please at least provide some sort of explanation for your "DA Is insecure" statement instead of just confusing people.

In my experience DirectAdmin is a much better panel - easier to look after in many ways and it doesn't "take over" the system in the way I feel cPanel does. I also prefer it from the user end, not being too overwhelming.

Of course this is all about personal opinion but again many would prefer if you actually gave some sort of explanation for you claims of DA being "insecure" :rolleyes:

DirectAdmin is great for the hosting basics. You get the resellers, shared, file manager, Installatron, everything for 3 times less than the cost of cPanel.

A lot of people like cPanel because it had more options and has a "better" interface. I believe DirectAdmin has far bypassed that and athough it may have a tad-bit less features than those of cPanel, it's still a control panel that should be considered.

yeah, there is only one reason it is so cheap, because it sucks :P.

We sell it for $6.95 on our servers.

yeah, there is only one reason it is so cheap, because it sucks :P.
Is that why your VPS plans are cheap too?

Is that why your VPS plans are cheap too?
haha nice comeback but no not true. I simply dislike DirectAdmin compared to CPanel since DirectAdmin's features are very limited and it can be complicated at times to use.

I might also add that sometimes to gain custom, people will lower the price of DirectAdmin or another product so that more people will buy a VPS with DirectAdmin since they believe it is a bargain deal. This could be why it is cheap.

haha nice comeback but no not true. I simply dislike DirectAdmin compared to CPanel since DirectAdmin's features are very limited and it can be complicated at times to use.Which cPanel features are missing in DA and what is it you find complicated?

Like several others here (the ones who actually use it? ;)) I also prefer DA to cPanel for its small footprint and the way it keeps its paws off the OS. Since it's smaller / lighter I guess there must be some cPanel features that it lacks, but they're obviously not ones I need...

I think the only features DA lacks are the ones that take over the OS! LOL

Okay, so there's no web interface for recompiling apache/php. If you need it, should you be administering a server?

Okay, so there's no separate interface to administer users. In DA it's fully integrated with the panel itself and it actually looks like it was created by the same people.

Okay, so there's no huge resource footprint. If you want it, make sure you have enough memory on hand.

So if those are the features that DA is lacking, you can have them.

There are so many people quick to judge other panels, but have only used cPanel or at the very least, have barely used the panel they are criticizing.

DA is a GREAT panel, full of features, streamlined interface that is a breeze to use, even for the newbies!

One you forgot: There's no scripts/fixeverything. I wonder why not... :D

I might also add that sometimes to gain custom, people will lower the price of DirectAdmin or another product so that more people will buy a VPS with DirectAdmin since they believe it is a bargain deal. This could be why it is cheap.

$5/mo is the internal cost for DA VPS licenses.

One you forgot: There's no scripts/fixeverything. I wonder why not... :D

Actually there is. Its under scripts/customapache.

Actually there is. Its under scripts/customapache.Is anyone still using customapache? On the one system I have that even has the directory, no fixeverything script. But as always, YMMV. :shrug:

IMO, DirectAdmin is lack of features. cPanel is much easy to use.

Everyone keeps quoting that DA has a lack of features, but NO ONE can ever list the features that DA is lacking.

cPanel is cluttered and tries to be everything to everyone and because of this, is not streamlined and is difficult to use for the noob.

Please, stop stating that DA lacks features and name the features that DA lacks. :)

Is anyone still using customapache? On the one system I have that even has the directory, no fixeverything script. But as always, YMMV. :shrug:

The customapache directory doesn't actually have everything to do with apache. It contains the Build Script. Recompiling everything or just what is broke via the script is pretty much your fixeverything.

Also, there us the custombuild script. ./build all would be your script.
Everyone keeps quoting that DA has a lack of features, but NO ONE can ever list the features that DA is lacking.

cPanel is cluttered and tries to be everything to everyone and because of this, is not streamlined and is difficult to use for the noob.

Please, stop stating that DA lacks features and name the features that DA lacks.Eaaasy. You're required to use it for a bit before seeing all of the features. That's not their fault!

Seriously though Scott, I feel the same way. I have used both a lot and I really don't see what features DA does not have compared to cPanel either. If I did, then I wouldn't have used DA after my first demo license.

Please, stop stating that DA lacks features and name the features that DA lacks. :)I suspect in many cases it's the one you mentioned earlier - no web interface to recompile Apache and PHP. If you can't point and click to do everything, the panel's no good. :rolleyes:

The customapache directory doesn't actually have everything to do with apache. It contains the Build Script. Recompiling everything or just what is broke via the script is pretty much your fixeverything.

Also, there us the custombuild script. ./build all would be your script.Sure, there's a build script (custombuild now replacing the old customapache) but I don't see it as equivalent to the cPanel fix* scripts. IIRC (and my memory of this is fading fast) those didn't do rebuilds - they were mostly simple scripts fixing common problems that appeared regularly in the system (resetting file permissions etc.)

I suspect in many cases it's the one you mentioned earlier - no web interface to recompile Apache and PHP. If you can't point and click to do everything, the panel's no good. :rolleyes:
You're being sarcastic, right? I hope so :)

Sure, there's a build script (custombuild now replacing the old customapache) but I don't see it as equivalent to the cPanel fix* scripts. IIRC (and my memory of this is fading fast) those didn't do rebuilds - they were mostly simple scripts fixing common problems that appeared regularly in the system (resetting file permissions etc.)
It has its own seperate scripts to fix common things such as fixpermissions.sh.

And yes, I know about custombuild. When I last used DA, it was still in Beta.

Reseller price or dodgy

The price is not dodgy. DA doesn't have resellers. It offers great deals to data centers and hosting providers to resell its licenses internally only. How is that dodgy.

And I'm sorry if it looked like I was getting heated before. I really wasn't. But in all of these threads about control panels, DA gets a bad rap because people say that it lacks features that are available in cPanel, yet when I've asked the question before, no one can name any of the features that they think DA lacks. I don't know if it's because they really don't have the experience with DA, or because DA isn't cluttered with icons, or because there isn't a separate admin panel, that they think it lacks features. I've just challenged anyone who says that it lacks features to name the features that it lacks and no one has met the challenge.

I have used cPanel/WHM and DirectAdmin both extensively and I can say that I haven't found any features in cPanel/WHM that aren't in DirectAdmin. Now I'm not an such an expert on either that I know all the ins and outs of both, but I haven't been able to find any features that one or both are lacking. I will say that for someone who has never used a web control panel before, DirectAdmin is less intimidating because of its streamlined interface and lack of clutter. I will also say that as an admin, DA is a breeze to administer, much easier than cPanel (I can never find what I'm looking for in WHM. Too many options that lack an intuitive organization.) And of the customers we have had switch from cPanel to DA, none have asked to switch back, and agree that DA is much easier to use. I think the issue with cPanel/WHM is that people fall in love with what they used first and since the majority of web hosts use cPanel, that is most likely what many people have used first. Change is hard and I think that is all that cPanel has going for it. I would think that if someone had used DA first, their opinions may have been different.

I will admit, that I like going for the underdog. But I also like quality and things that work. So I will give the underdog a try, but if it's not up to speed with my expectations and needs, then I will drop it. So far, the underdogs that I have chosen in the computer world have served me well: mac and directadmin.

Well I would say DA is a good control panel. I have used both and as powermonster-Scott has said DA does have the same features cPanel does. They may be what people think "hidden" in different areas. The only difference is the layout.

Spend a little longer time learning how to use it and you'll learn to love it as much as cPanel.

I guess DirectAdmin is good as a lightweight one but if you are selling shared hosting then really CPanel is the place to be. It has a nice bright AJAX interface that the user can use to manage their hosting and a simpple backend system that can be used to manage the server on a whole. CPanel is generally easier to use however I would still not mind using SSH to manage. DirectAdmin just seems to be like taking the long way to your destination.

I guess DirectAdmin is good as a lightweight one but if you are selling shared hosting then really CPanel is the place to be. It has a nice bright AJAX interface that the user can use to manage their hosting and a simpple backend system that can be used to manage the server on a whole. CPanel is generally easier to use however I would still not mind using SSH to manage. DirectAdmin just seems to be like taking the long way to your destination.

cPanel has a AJAX interface? Since when?

Alot of JS used in x3, and in the filemanager there is AJAX everywhere.

i think its cheaper because its a reseller?

i would choose cpanel over da. ive used da but my clients doesnt want the interface. they said its not user friendly. most of my prospective clients were asking for cPanel because of having a user friendly interface. since most of them are not gurus, DA is too complicated for them

I guess DirectAdmin is good as a lightweight one but if you are selling shared hosting then really CPanel is the place to be. It has a nice bright AJAX interface that the user can use to manage their hosting and a simpple backend system that can be used to manage the server on a whole. CPanel is generally easier to use however I would still not mind using SSH to manage. DirectAdmin just seems to be like taking the long way to your destination.

Since when did AJAX = to better? I'm confused with the amount of people these days who think the more AJAX the better. The only time AJAX is good, is when it's used if required - if it improves usability. I'm not saying cPanel have not made good use of it, but simply an "AJAX interface" isn't really an advantage for cPanel on its own.

I find your "simple backend system" comment hilarious, isn't the cPanel backend just so simple for administrating a server :rolleyes:

DA's administration interface is miles better, you have just the tools you need to run your DA setup and they are easy to find because the panel isn't expected to be your sysadmin - you are! (here I'm talking about the "build apache", "mount drive" features etc - since when did mounting a drive become something you would manually do on a frequent basis that needs to be in a control panel?). WHM on the other hand is completely over the top, very overwhelming at first too.

Since when did AJAX = to better? I'm confused with the amount of people these days who think the more AJAX the better. The only time AJAX is good, is when it's used if required - if it improves usability. I'm not saying cPanel have not made good use of it, but simply an "AJAX interface" isn't really an advantage for cPanel on its own.

I find your "simple backend system" comment hilarious, isn't the cPanel backend just so simple for administrating a server :rolleyes:

DA's administration interface is miles better, you have just the tools you need to run your DA setup and they are easy to find because the panel isn't expected to be your sysadmin - you are! (here I'm talking about the "build apache", "mount drive" features etc - since when did mounting a drive become something you would manually do on a frequent basis that needs to be in a control panel?). WHM on the other hand is completely over the top, very overwhelming at first too.

Then I am afraid we willn have to agree to disagree, CPanel uses AJAX in a good way to help aid the user, they do not however use this in their backend because it is not needed there. When I say simple backend I mean it is simple to manage things such as users, domains, DNS, nameservers and more. Unfortunately DA is still a software that I must support

Then I am afraid we willn have to agree to disagree, CPanel uses AJAX in a good way to help aid the user, they do not however use this in their backend because it is not needed there. When I say simple backend I mean it is simple to manage things such as users, domains, DNS, nameservers and more. Unfortunately DA is still a software that I must support

I did not say that cPanel's use of AJAX was bad, I could care less, I'm saying "AJAX" on its own isn't an advantage to a panel because if its needed its needed - if its not its not. It doesn't make a panel any better standalone :D

I'm surprised you find WHM simple to administrate users, domains, DNS, nameservers because of all the clutter around those functions. If you haven't already I'd suggest giving DirectAdmin a go, it is *extremely* easy to locate those same functions as an administrator and use them.

Point taken, AJAX doesn't make anything any better but for me personally I just find CPanel to be a lot easier to use and I have tried both.

I find WHM cumbersome to use. It takes more clicks to get things done. For example, you must click resellers, then reseller center, then find the reseller in the list, and then click what you want to change about them, make the changes and then execute. It's much simpler to do in DA. Plus the layout and the functions aren't intuitively arranged. It doesn't always make sense where things are and how to find them. Sometimes they are buried layers deep into the menu system and when you're looking for something, who has the time to click all the "possible" menu items to find out where it's buried? Most things in DA are one or two clicks away and I LOVE that all three panels (admin/reseller/user) are well-integrated with each other. WHM and cPanel don't even look like distant cousins! To know one is NOT to know the other. They look like they were created by two different developers working for two different companies or perhaps one was already in existence and the other was purchased from a competitor. I know that's not the case, but that's what it looks like.

And for those who don't find the DA panel easy-to-use, what are you looking for? There are the icons that you need and nothing more laid out in an organized fashion. With cPanel there are icons that most users will never use or know what they do. I think what you're calling as easy-to-use, is actually familiarity. They are already familiar with cPanel, so the layout is "easy-to-use". I think if you took two average computer users who have NEVER done web hosting before and NEVER used a control panel before and let them try out both, that the majority would think that DA was easier to use just based on layout and the not-overwhelming factor alone. At least that is what we have discovered with our clients.

Directadmin insecure? what a load of rubbish best thing i have ever used

I can't say i have found it lacking features its what windows vista is compared to windows 95 better and without the bloatware

Something I absolutely love DA for is the ability to add A/AAAA/PTR/CNAME/etc - ***ABSOLUTE BASICS*** at the enduser panel. No need to put in support ticket for such a basic thing when you're on shared hosting

That is one good point about DA

i think its cheaper because its a reseller?

i would choose cpanel over da. ive used da but my clients doesnt want the interface. they said its not user friendly. most of my prospective clients were asking for cPanel because of having a user friendly interface. since most of them are not gurus, DA is too complicated for them

Since you say prospective clients, are you sure this isn't just a case of them being plastered with cPanel in their face wherever they go?

I find the fact that you say DA is too complicated for them laughable :D

I agree! How can anyone say that DA is TOO complicated. It has a very simple, intuitive interface.

Something I absolutely love DA for is the ability to add A/AAAA/PTR/CNAME/etc - ***ABSOLUTE BASICS*** at the enduser panel. No need to put in support ticket for such a basic thing when you're on shared hosting

Absolutely - I found the DNS Management feature very useful when I was a client using DA for the first time a few years back.

Anybody who said that DA is hard to use hasnt tried DA before. Lol. I personally has difficulty getting used to cPanel at first and it took awhile to get used to it. However, DA just lays down everything for you neatly. They dont have fancy icons to represent what is what and small fonts below as opposed to DA where you have neat text telling you what is what. Ah, simple things such at these sure made DA a whole lot more pleasant ;)

DA = lighter , less resource hogger, simple interface(GUI), even runs on 128MB ram.

Cpanel = large installation, heavy resource hogger, lots of customization options, best runs with 512MB ram.

I would vote for DirectAdmin.

Maybe there is hidden fees

Guys, I can't believe this thread got sidetracked to the fact that no one answers the original questions by OP.

@OP, I strongly believe they offer cheap price because they bought the license in bulk.

Guys, I can't believe this thread got sidetracked to the fact that no one answers the original questions by OP.

@OP, I strongly believe they offer cheap price because they bought the license in bulk.

DA.com is expensive
Internal is cheap

DA.com is expensive
Internal is cheapWhat has it got to do with "DA.com"?

erm, i just abbreviated directadmin.com, probably shouldn't have in retrospect

I think DA is cheaper simply because it's a bigger deal for them to work with market share right now. cPanel has the advantage of being the established favorite and basically the industry leader, so they get more room when it comes to price. It's an economy of scale sort of thing; AFAIK DA is not so interested in some of the diverse markets out there like cPanel is.

What diverse markets are those?

Windows control panel, DNS-only, and game control panel(even though it's part of the core cPanel/WHM installation. Now I'm not trying to be a mouthpiece for JMBC Software/DirectAdmin, but I don't believe they're working on the above products (at least publicly).

Windows control panel, DNS-only, and game control panel(even though it's part of the core cPanel/WHM installation. Now I'm not trying to be a mouthpiece for JMBC Software/DirectAdmin, but I don't believe they're working on the above products (at least publicly).

The Windows version was scrapped before it came out of Beta wasn't it? Also, DA can do DNS Only via Skins.

As for the Game Panel, cPanel has been trying to develope that, but its one that very few take seriously in the GSP business, because it lacks support of many games, especially popular ones.

I guess I view cPanel's attempts at expanding to different areas as weak.

I just hate seeing DirectAdmin dogged out in this place as "less" than what cPanel is when generalized statements are made based of hear-say and assumption.

True. Which of the large game hosts use cPanel as their panel? Most seem to have developed their own or used a panel catering specifically to the job of controlling games. It's a useless expansion if you ask me. cPanel is scary enough for website hosting let alone game hosting.

they must have ment when u get hosting on their servers u add this and you get a control panel of ur choice (its there anyway) ...

Well, commenting on the fact that they are currently at work in more areas than one wasn't commentary on how good those areas were or weren't. Maybe you're reading a bit too much into my comments?

It's merely an obvious observation to me as to why DA licenses are generally cheaper than cPanel licenses. DA doesn't have all of these other products to work on/with, so they wouldn't need more revenue. cPanel has a larger market share than DA, regardless of what anyone thinks of either product. That's a fact, whether or not that is a statement about the quality of one over another is a moot point.


The Windows version was scrapped before it came out of Beta wasn't it? Also, DA can do DNS Only via Skins.


http://www.cpanel.net/products/cpss/index.html

Regardless, it still incurs costs, it doesn't build itself in a cost-free vacuum. Needless to say, a company also doesn't have to publicly announce every venture it works on, of course.


I guess I view cPanel's attempts at expanding to different areas as weak.

I just hate seeing DirectAdmin dogged out in this place as "less" than what cPanel is when generalized statements are made based of hear-say and assumption.


Right, but stating a business plan that would require more income is not a commentary on one product or another. It's simply speculation using a bit of business sense as to why one might be higher than the other, price-wise.

Believe me, look up my posts, I defend DA often. I think it's excellent software, but that wasn't the focus of this thread with regards to the OP.