Starting today, PanelAlpha includes a brand-new and FREE edition: Single Server, now available in BETA, which you can install on your own VPS to run your own WordPress hosting. Finally, there’s a real self-hosted alternative to WP Engine, Kinsta, Cloudways, and legacy panels like cPanel, Plesk, or DirectAdmin!
Why this matters
Until now, PanelAlpha was positioned as a more advanced product aimed primarily at hosting providers and larger agencies that needed a more complex setup to offer serious WordPress hosting. It was intentionally built around a clear separation of roles: a modern, intuitive client area designed to be easy to use even for non-technical users, and a dedicated admin area that centralizes all the tools needed to operate hosting and manage plans effectively.
But over time, we kept hearing the same feedback from smaller customers, freelancers, developers, and self-hosters: they want the same quality, speed, and WordPress-focused experience, just without the bigger setup, the bigger bill, or the bigger hassle.
So we built it.
Single Server is our answer to that demand – a clean, self-contained setup on a single VPS, where you run your own WordPress hosting on your terms, without vendor lock-in or bloated, old-school panels. It brings together the best of both client and admin areas in a single deployment, removing the usual split between systems and giving you a more direct way to manage your hosting environment.
And importantly, Single Server edition is free and will stay free. Our direction is simple: keep Single Server free for small setups, with the plan to include up to 3 sites per server at no cost.
What is more, over the next few weeks we plan to make PanelAlpha Engine fully open source. This means that even without the panel, you will still be able to run high-performance, secure, fully functional Docker-based WordPress environments and manage them with ease.
This is the kind of solution we genuinely care about, because it addresses a real gap in how WordPress hosting is built and managed in practice. A lot more enthusiasts should be able to run proper WordPress hosting without paying steep monthly fees or dealing with outdated setups.
Why PanelAlpha Single Server is worth trying
- Self-hosted setup without vendor lock-in
Run WordPress on your own VPS with full control over infrastructure, data, and costs. There is no dependency on any closed platform. And soon, with PanelAlpha Engine going open source, even the engine itself will be fully in your hands. - Free, and staying that way
Single Server is free and will stay free for small setups. We are committed to keeping up to 3 sites per server entirely free, so you can run your own WordPress hosting without getting hit with another monthly fee. - Fast migrations, with preview before DNS cutover
PanelAlpha already has a built-in migration flow with our plugin, supporting dozens of popular providers and control panels. This includes free preview links through WithoutDNS, so you can check a migrated site before touching DNS, which removes much of the usual migration pain. - Docker-based engine with real performance gains
PanelAlpha Engine runs each hosting service in a separate Docker container. In PanelAlpha’s performance test from February, Engine setups showed response times that were roughly 15 to 30 times faster than cPanel and DirectAdmin, and more than 10 times faster than Plesk under the same workload. - WordPress-first, not a generic control panel
This is not another generic control panel overloaded with features that are rarely used. It is built around what actually matters for WordPress hosting. - Easy collaboration with developers and designers
You can bring other contributors into the workflow without turning everything into server-level access chaos. This becomes especially important when real projects involve more than one person. - Backed by an active community
We want this to be shaped in public, with real feedback from real users. That is why Discord and the Community Forums matter so much for this release.
Get started with Single Server
If you want to try Single Server, install PanelAlpha Engine on your VPS using the installer command below:
wget -N -P /opt/panelalpha https://license.panelalpha.com/single-server-installer.sh && bash /opt/panelalpha/single-server-installer.shRequirements: Debian 12 or 13, or Ubuntu 22.04.4 or 24.04 LTS, at least 4 GB RAM, and root SSH access.
Install it. Test it. Break it!
Single Server is in BETA – now is the time to push it, test it inside and out, and tell us how it holds up in real use. Try it on your VPS, migrate a site, and work with it as you normally would – then share what works, what does not, and what needs to improve.
We are building this because you should not have to choose between expensive WordPress hosting and outdated control panels. There is a better way to do this, and this is where it starts!
Read the Documentation Join our Community on Discord
Share your feedback with us: feedback@panelalpha.com
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