Reseller hosting lets you host your clients’ websites on your own account and sell the service under your own brand. Picking a provider is a decision you will live with, because moving a dozen client sites later is real work. This guide sets out what to compare, what to ask, and how to read a plan beyond the headline price.
What reseller hosting actually is
A reseller plan gives you a pool of server space and the ability to create separate cPanel accounts for each client. You manage those accounts in WHM (Web Host Manager), set your own prices and bill your clients yourself. The provider runs the servers and the data centre. If you want the full picture first, read how to start a web hosting business with reseller hosting.
The criteria that matter
WHM and cPanel access
Check that you get real WHM access, not a cut-down panel. WHM is where you create accounts, set package limits, suspend accounts and manage DNS. cPanel is what your clients log in to. If you are unsure of the difference, see what is cPanel.
Account limits
Plans are usually sized by the number of cPanel accounts. Count the clients you have now, add the ones you expect in the next year, and leave headroom. Check how upgrading works, and whether you can do it without moving servers.
Storage type and size
Look at the total storage and the type. Solid state storage is the baseline now, and enterprise-grade drives are built for sustained server workloads. If you are curious about the differences, see Enterprise SSD vs NVMe hosting. Work out your total from your largest existing sites, because a few media-heavy sites can use a lot of a small plan.
Backups
Ask how often backups are taken, where they are stored and who can restore them. Backups stored on the same server as the sites are not much help if that server fails. Hourly backups stored off-site give you a short window of possible data loss. Also ask whether you can restore a single client account yourself.
White-label options
If you want your clients to see your brand only, check for white-label nameservers and the ability to brand your own account. Without this, your clients may see the provider’s name in nameserver records and emails.
Support
You are the first line of support for your clients, so you need a second line that responds. Check which channels are available, such as tickets, email, chat or phone call-back, and whether the team understands WHM, not just general hosting.
Migration help
Moving existing client sites is the biggest barrier to switching. Ask whether the provider migrates sites for you, whether it is free, and whether it is done without downtime.
Data location
If your clients are in Australia, servers in Australia keep pages closer to their visitors, and some clients ask where their data is stored. Ask where the servers are, not only where the company is based.
Questions to ask any provider
- Do I get full WHM access? Can I create my own packages?
- How many cPanel accounts are included, and what does the next plan up cost?
- What is the storage, and what type of storage is it?
- How often are backups taken and where are they stored?
- Can I use my own branded nameservers?
- Who helps me when I am stuck, and how do I reach them?
- Will you migrate my clients’ sites, and is it free?
- What does renewal cost? Is it the same as the first term?
- Is there a lock-in contract?
- Where are the servers located?
Check the whole cost, not only the plan price
Compare renewal pricing as well as the first invoice. Check what a backup restore costs, if anything. Work out your margin: if you charge each client $15 to $30 a month, a plan that hosts 20 accounts needs to cost much less than the total you will bill.
How Skyrack’s plans map to these criteria
Skyrack is Australian owned and operated, with a team operating between Sydney and Adelaide, and has been trading since May 2012. Our reseller hosting plans are priced at $44.98, $79.98 and $119.98 per month.
| Criterion | What the plans list |
|---|---|
| Control | WHM and cPanel |
| Account limits | 10, 20 or 30 cPanel accounts |
| Storage | 25GB, 50GB or 75GB Enterprise SSD |
| Bandwidth | Unlimited |
| Backups | Hourly, off-site |
| White-label | White-label server and DNS |
| Support | Ticket, email and call-back |
| Migration | Free for up to 10 existing cPanel accounts, by the Skyrack team, generally without downtime |
| Data location | Servers in a Sydney data centre |
| Contract | No lock-in |
If you want the agency angle, our white-label hosting page explains how it works. If one client needs far more than a reseller account offers, a managed VPS is the next step.
A simple way to decide
- List your clients and the size of each site.
- Add the clients you expect in a year.
- Choose the smallest plan with headroom for that number of accounts and their storage.
- Ask the provider the questions above and compare the answers in writing.
- Start with a small batch of sites, check how support responds, then migrate the rest.
If you would like a second opinion on the size you need, contact us and we will tell you honestly which plan fits.