What is Plesk? The web hosting control panel explained
Published on November 11, 2026 4 min read
Plesk is the control panel where you manage your website, email, databases and SSL. Learn what Plesk does, how it works and how it compares to cPanel.
Plesk is a web hosting control panel: a browser-based dashboard where you manage your website, email, databases, SSL certificate and DNS with buttons and forms instead of commands on a server. It is made by WebPros and runs on Linux and Windows servers. At LJPc hosting every hosting plan comes with Plesk, and you open it with one click from the customer portal.
This guide explains what Plesk is, what you can do with it, how it works at LJPc hosting and how Plesk compares to cPanel. For a tour of the screen itself, see the Plesk control panel guide.
What is Plesk, exactly?
A hosting server runs many separate services: the web server that shows your website, a mail server, a database server, DNS and certificates. Plesk brings all of them together in one clear panel. When you create an email address or switch to another PHP version in Plesk, Plesk changes the settings on the server for you.
A hosting provider installs Plesk on its servers. Each customer gets their own subscription with their own login and only sees their own websites and email. The server administrator, resellers and customers all work in the same Plesk, each with their own panel and permissions.
Plesk is owned by WebPros International GmbH, a Swiss software company that also owns cPanel. The current version is called Plesk Obsidian. Plesk runs on Linux, for example Ubuntu, Debian and AlmaLinux, and on Windows Server.
What can you do with Plesk?
Plesk covers everything your website and email need. These are the parts you will use most, each with a step-by-step guide:
| Task | Guide |
|---|---|
| View, upload and edit your website files | Plesk File Manager and uploading files with FTP, FTPS and SFTP |
| Install and update WordPress and create a staging copy with WP Toolkit | Install WordPress in Plesk and create a WordPress staging site |
| Create email addresses, forward mail and add aliases | Create an email address in Plesk and email forwarding and aliases |
| Create databases and manage them with phpMyAdmin | Create a database in Plesk |
| Choose your PHP version and PHP settings | Change the PHP version and change PHP settings |
| A free SSL certificate for https | Let's Encrypt: set up a free SSL certificate |
| DNS records and subdomains | Manage DNS records and create a subdomain |
| Create and restore backups | Back up your website |
| Scheduled tasks (cron jobs) | Set up cron jobs in Plesk |
| Read your website's error messages | View error logs in Plesk |
| Develop with Git, Node.js, Composer and Laravel | Git, Node.js and Laravel in Plesk |
| Give a web developer or colleague their own login | Give a developer access |
How does Plesk work at LJPc hosting?
- Open it from the portal. You open Plesk with the button next to your site in the customer portal, using your portal login. See open Plesk from the customer portal.
- Plesk Obsidian on Linux. All our servers run Plesk Obsidian on Linux, with PHP for your website and MariaDB for your databases.
- You run your website, we run the server. We look after the servers Plesk runs on, including updates and security. In Plesk you manage your own website and email.
- Domains and invoices in the portal. Your domain name, name servers, invoices and the storage of your plan are in the customer portal. The Plesk control panel guide shows what goes where.
- Reseller hosting and dedicated servers. These use Plesk too. As a reseller you create customers with their own Plesk login, see the Plesk reseller guide. On a dedicated server you manage every website on that server in Plesk.
Plesk vs cPanel: what is the difference?
cPanel is the other well-known web hosting control panel, and it is also made by WebPros. For a website owner they do much the same job: you manage files, email, databases, PHP and SSL. The main difference is how they are structured.
| Plesk | cPanel | |
|---|---|---|
| Operating system | Linux and Windows Server | Linux: AlmaLinux, CloudLinux, Rocky Linux and Ubuntu |
| Structure | One panel for administrator, resellers and customers, each with their own permissions | Two interfaces: WHM for the server administrator and resellers, cPanel for the website owner's account |
| Website folder | httpdocs | public_html |
| Default panel port | 8443 | 2083 (cPanel) and 2087 (WHM) |
Moving from a cPanel host? You migrate your website to Plesk the same way as from any other host: your files go into the httpdocs folder and you move your database with an export and an import. The step-by-step guide is migrate your website to LJPc. Rather not do it yourself? LJPc migrates your website for free.
Still stuck? Call us on +31 85 130 6429, email support@ljpc.nl or create a support ticket. We are happy to help.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between Plesk and the customer portal?
Plesk is where you manage your hosting: your website, email, databases and DNS. The customer portal is where you handle your domain names, invoices and subscriptions and see the storage of your plan. From the portal you open Plesk with one click.
Do I need technical skills to use Plesk?
For most tasks, no. Creating an email address, installing WordPress or turning on an SSL certificate takes a few clicks in a form. Our knowledge base has a step-by-step guide for each part, and our support team is there if you get stuck.
Do I need a separate password for Plesk?
No. At LJPc hosting you open Plesk from the customer portal with the button next to your site. The portal logs you in automatically, so your portal login is all you need.
Do I pay extra for Plesk at LJPc?
No. Plesk comes as standard with your web hosting plan and with reseller hosting at LJPc.
Is Plesk the same as cPanel?
No, they are two different control panels from the same company, WebPros. Plesk runs on Linux and Windows Server and has one panel for administrator, resellers and customers. cPanel runs on Linux only and uses two interfaces: WHM for the server administrator and cPanel for the website owner.
Can I move my website from a cPanel host to Plesk at LJPc?
Yes. You copy the files from the public_html folder into the httpdocs folder in Plesk and move your database with an export and an import. Rather not do it yourself? LJPc migrates your website for free.