Key facts
- Plesk is a commercial hosting control panel that runs on Linux and Windows servers.
- Plesk can run several PHP versions and set a different one for each domain.
- Plesk includes a file manager, database tools with phpMyAdmin, and Scheduled Tasks for cron jobs.
- Free Let's Encrypt SSL certificates can be issued and renewed from inside Plesk.
- The WordPress Toolkit in Plesk handles installs, updates and staging copies of WordPress sites.
- dijitul Complete Hosting includes your own Plesk login for £1 a day + VAT.
What Plesk is
Plesk is a hosting control panel: a website you log in to that lets you manage everything on your hosting. Instead of typing commands on a server, you click through clear menus to add a domain, create an email account, upload files or install an SSL certificate.
It is used by hosting companies around the world on both Linux and Windows servers. On a typical Linux setup, Plesk sits on top of Apache and nginx, PHP-FPM, MySQL or MariaDB, and a mail server, and gives you one place to control them all.
What you can do in Plesk
- Websites and domains: add domains, subdomains and aliases, and set up redirects.
- PHP settings: choose the PHP version per domain, and change memory_limit, max_execution_time and upload_max_filesize.
- Files: upload, edit and unzip files in the browser, or connect with SFTP.
- Databases: create MySQL or MariaDB databases and users, and open phpMyAdmin.
- SSL: issue free Let's Encrypt certificates that renew automatically.
- Email: create mailboxes, forwarders and autoresponders.
- Scheduled Tasks: set up cron jobs to run scripts on a timetable.
- Developer tools: Git deployment, Composer, Node.js and SSH access, where enabled.
- WordPress Toolkit: install WordPress, manage updates and create staging copies.
- Logs: view access and error logs to find out why something is not working.
Is Plesk easy to use?
For most people, yes. The layout is built around your domains. You click a domain and see all its settings in one screen: files, databases, PHP, SSL, mail and logs. Common jobs take a few clicks.
A small business owner can usually manage day-to-day tasks, such as adding an email address or resetting a password, without help. More technical jobs, like changing PHP versions or editing DNS, are still point and click, but it helps to know what you are changing. On managed hosting, the host can do those jobs for you.
Five common tasks, step by step
Create an email address
Go to Mail, click Create Email Address, enter the name and a strong password, then save.
Change PHP version
Open the domain, click PHP, choose the version from the list, then click OK.
Add a free SSL certificate
Open the domain, click SSL/TLS Certificates, then choose the Let's Encrypt option and include the www address.
Open the database
Go to Databases and click phpMyAdmin next to the database you want.
Set up a cron job
Go to Scheduled Tasks, click Add Task, enter the command or URL, choose how often, then save.
Plesk compared with other panels
The other well-known panel is cPanel. Both do the same core jobs. Plesk is often described as more domain-focused and tidy, and it runs on Windows as well as Linux. cPanel is common on budget shared hosting. Neither is right or wrong: what matters most is how well the host sets it up and supports it. See our Plesk vs cPanel comparison for more detail.
How dijitul uses Plesk
Every dijitul Complete Hosting customer gets their own Plesk login, on a server we manage, update and monitor. That means you can do things yourself when you want to, and call us when you would rather we did it.
It costs £1 a day + VAT for one website and includes 10 POP3/IMAP email accounts you can manage in Plesk, Cloudflare DNS, daily backups kept for 14 days, free SSL, one domain a year and migration done for you. Older PHP versions are available where safely possible. Read more about Plesk hosting or order online.
Frequently asked questions
Is Plesk better than cPanel?
Neither is better for everyone. Both let you manage domains, email, databases, files and SSL. Plesk is organised around domains, runs on Linux and Windows, and includes a strong WordPress Toolkit. cPanel is very common on budget shared hosting. The quality of the host's setup and support matters more than the panel.
Do I need technical skills to use Plesk?
Not for everyday jobs. Creating email accounts, uploading files, issuing SSL certificates and resetting passwords are all point and click. Technical tasks such as changing PHP settings or DNS records are easy to reach but need some understanding, so on managed hosting it is common to ask the host to do them.
Can I change the PHP version in Plesk?
Yes. Open the domain, click PHP settings and pick the version from the list. Plesk can run several PHP versions side by side, so each domain can use a different one. You can also adjust settings such as memory_limit and upload_max_filesize on the same screen.
Does Plesk include free SSL?
Plesk includes a Let's Encrypt extension that issues free SSL certificates and renews them automatically before they expire. You can cover the main domain, the www address and webmail in one certificate. Wildcard certificates are also possible when DNS is managed in a way that supports them.
Which UK host gives me my own Plesk login?
dijitul hosting gives every Complete Hosting customer their own Plesk login on a managed server. It costs £1 a day + VAT and includes 10 POP3/IMAP email accounts, Cloudflare DNS, daily backups kept for 14 days, free SSL, one domain a year, migration and UK support, so you can do it yourself or ask us.
Related
Set it up and forget about it
Managed hosting, Plesk, Cloudflare DNS, daily backups and your domain for £1 a day + VAT. We move your site for you.