cPanel wants to 'eliminate' WHMCS

**JasonS** · June 12th, 2011, 15:13

cPanel Job Offer as they list at - http://job.listings.cpanel.net/x/detail/a2ldog93kwgy - Project Manager - Billing Product

The description:

cPanel is embarking on a new mission to provide a new and innovative billing product for hosting services. We are currently looking for a project leader with strong development skills, an understanding of the hosting business, familiarity with modern billing practices, and an eye for design. The project leader will be integral in defining the mission parameters, hiring and establishing an effective team of developers, and overseeing the project execution.

The Mission
Defining the scope and strategy of the project from beginning to end
Defining project milestones and monitoring the project’s progress
Interviewing, hiring, and supervising the development team
Contributing expertise through hands on development and team interaction

Now the advert for the job they have on WHT:

Wish them luck - but is it really wise of them to do this, thoughts?

**DavidsAwesome** · June 12th, 2011, 16:50

I think it is wise. I always wondered why cPanel didn't integrate a billing solution. It's something that all of their customers want, and frankly I think cPanel will do well with it. Probably just another way to get us to spend more money though.

**Hosting Advisor** · June 13th, 2011, 02:35

I think, cPanel is trying to grab market of cross platform hosting control panels such as Parallels H-Sphere. First, they launched encompass control panel for windows hosting and now they are planning to integrate billing system in cPanel. I wish them all the success in the competitive hosting world, but they will have a long hard struggle to beat off the WHMCS who offers the best solutions for billing system.

**jainy25** · June 13th, 2011, 02:52

It's good actually they are doing it. It is very much needed.

And remember, this competition will only help the general audience get better products.

**Pingness** · June 13th, 2011, 05:08

If this is built into WHM then it could be very good for resellers though there would without doubt be a surge in new hosts.

**deeplist** · June 13th, 2011, 07:43

This is no doubt a good move on cPanel's part. I've often wondered why they haven't created a billing solution prior. However, It will be of no use to somebody like me who offers cross platform hosting solutions on more than one panel.

**Decker** · June 13th, 2011, 08:32

WHM and cPanel are 2 different sectors in hosting, cPanel doing a billing solution would have to encompass a huge range of new ideas/solutions for them. Whoever gets that job will be painting a target on their head to get shot down in some way.

Don't get me wrong I like seeing competition, it's a good thing, but if they're going to take on WHM they'd better get it right first time and do it so well everyone goes WOW!

I can see some migrating just to be first in the pack, but the crystal ball also sees many rocky roads (not the nice sweet treat) ahead.

**SiberForum** · June 13th, 2011, 08:50

I have nothing against the upgrades. This is the case when elimination means renewal. But It should be compatible with all the accounts using WHMCS before, or it might appear to be the trick to make people pay some money for upgrade to the new type of billing app.

**Matt - HostMist** · June 13th, 2011, 16:57

I don't mind seeing extra competition in the billing system market. Though, I do hope cPanel does it right and puts some things inside to not only do WHM / cPanel right, but also some other panels as well (make it expandable).

**tumble** · June 13th, 2011, 23:49

There product will be looking very strong. Since that have recently accepted to fully support Cloud Linux.
The package would look like.

Control Panel + Cloud Linux + Billing Center.

One Place Shopping.

**deeplist** · June 14th, 2011, 05:19

It's not really a "one place shop" at all. Plesk has tried numerous time to incorporate their "plesk billing" software into their control panel and from what I've seen, people just aren't interested. They'd rather it just not be there at all. It might be useful for those who are running single servers with only cPanel as an option and who would rather not buy a license for another software like WHMCS. But as I said before, I run multiple machines and multiple panels. Unless they are going to support billing solutions for their competitor's control panels as well, I'm not interested. It may work out in their favor if it's completely optional and doesn't cost anything extra, but if they try to increase their licensing to justify developing and including this "new" billing software, I have a feeling people are going to get pissed.

**tumble** · June 14th, 2011, 07:48

Very true if one runs multiple control panels and they do not include them. It would seem silly for them not to include all panels such as WHMCS does.Chances are there is a huge single server market user segment were they can up-sell the billing center. I cannot see them increasing license across the board. I do see them increasing license cost to those that may decide to us the billing option. cPanel has a very larger following and I think the actions by CloudLinux to get there product fully supported by cPanel Shows the importance having Cpanel on your side (as a vendor). Time will only tell.

**WebIntellects-R** · June 14th, 2011, 08:48

If it is an upgrade, it will come to everyone with good emotions, but providing its realization won't have disadvantages before WHMCS.

**DJABNetworks** · June 20th, 2011, 18:25

I noticed this the other day, and already see an issue with it.

While cPanel dominates the market share in web hosting control panels, it does have a lion's share of flaws. I've always referred to it as "crap, but the best crap on the market." There's also a lot of things that would make sense that the developers just choose not to include in updates, and certain things that would require a ground-up code rewrite they just ignore. (One example is how resellers should have their users in their own home directory, i.e. /home/reseller/user/, instead of /home/reseller/ and then /home/user1/, /home/user2/, etc., forcing a database to keep track of who owns which accounts).

So, that being said, I feel that while cPanel might start strong with a billing system to rival WHMCS, and improve on it well, a lot of the community recommendations might go ignored, and if the entire base ever needs a rewrite, you can count on it never being done.

Just my two cents

**JonnyH** · June 22nd, 2011, 07:38

I really don't see this going well.

With how messy cPanel/WHM is at the minute all it's going to do is add confusion to their system. Can't they update their panel to the 21st century?