TL;DR
Reseller hosting drums to a completely different beat compared to regular shared hosting plans. In looking out for these specific special features, 5 tops brands have come to our attention with the most notable among them being ScalaHosting for its innovative technologies
1. ScalaHosting
ScalaHosting Reseller Plan
ScalaHosting reseller packages offer whitelabelling as well as access to some custom technologies.
Among all the hosting providers listed here, ScalaHosting by far comes with the best starting prices. Although ChemiCloud has a lower cost of entry, their discounted price is only valid for the first month.
This means that in the long run, you actually pay a lot less with ScalaHosting if you’re a new customer on their Reseller plans. When it comes to the plans here though there are a number of things you need to be aware of.
First and foremost, along with the low prices come a very low amount of resources, particularity in storage space and bandwidth. If you decide to take a virtual server reseller account here it gets worse since a small chunk of space will be taken up by the operating system as well.
Still, it’s cheap and comes with white labelling and most other typical features. Of note is that ScalaHosting includes a domain reseller account, so you can more or less function as a one-stop web host yourself.
Why We Like ScalaHosting
ScalaHosting isn’t your average web hosting provider but what I like to consider a market leader. Their innovation and foresight in creating solutions give them an edge in a highly competitive industry.
ScalaHosting Ratings & Performance
ScalaHosting Tested Performance
Learn more in ScalaHosting review.
2. ChemiCloud
ChemiCloud Electron Plan
Websites are hosted on ultra-fast drives and you get access to a host of security features. The lowest price is only for the first month.
ChemiCloud’s reseller packages may look cheap at first glance but be aware that the price in big font is only for the first month. Rates climb steeply after that but there are a few good reasons for this.
First off, ChemiCloud offers full SSD reseller hosting, meaning everything runs off these ultra-fast drives. On top of that you get a free domain name and 30-day cycle worth of backups, which is quite significant.
Each cPanel account you cycle off also gets a specific (and pretty generous for the price) 1.5GB of memory and enough features to make your sub-branded accounts a very attractive deal for almost anything.
Aside from that, you get access to a whole suite of security features that really makes reseller hosting here stand out. The question is – are you a serious reseller or simply trying to cycle off excess resources from your own master account?
Why We Like ChemiCloud
Their full SSD solution shows ChemiCloud’s dedication to performance. In a product segment (reseller) that is important and yet seldom publicized, this small edge it gives to customers shows the company’s dedication to detail.
ChemiCloud Ratings & Performance
ChemiCloud Tested Performance
More details in our ChemiCloud review.
3. HostPapa
HostPapa Bronze Plan
HostPapa reseller packages don’t come cheap. But, for that you get a lot of resources and premium plans include automated billing.
HostPapa has a wide range of reseller hosting options available with a few notable features that put them ahead of the pack. However, prices here are not cheap and range from a low of $29.99/mo to over $100/mo.
For the price though you get access to a lot of CPU power, private nameservers, a host of security features, and much more. Resellers also will benefit from special reseller support who can help them with anything from configuration advice to customization assistance.
HostPape does regulate their RAM allowance and bandwidth a little more tightly than most. Here reseller plans start with only 2GB of RAM and 500GB of bandwidth. The key to success therefore is careful balancing of your package.
Of special note are the higher-tier plans (Gold and above) which come with a billing and automation suite. For resellers this can make your life so much easier to have it integrated into your account, rather than having to implement one of your own.
Why We Like HostPapa
HostPapa provides its resellers not just with good plans but all the support they need. This is important for many reasons and makes them a solid option, especially for those new to reseller hosting.
HostPapa Ratings & Performance
HostPapa Tested Performance
Check out our comprehensive HostPapa review.
4. InMotion Hosting
InMotion Hosting Reseller Solutions
One of the top hosts tracked by HostingGuruReviews. InMotion reseller packages come with full SSD and other supporting tools.
InMotion Hosting’s excellence in shared hosting comes from performance and attention to detail, both of which pass on to their reseller plans. Starting at $15.39/mo the reseller plans here offer a considerably generous amount of resources.
Another full SSD reseller provider, InMotion also offers you a strong security suite, control panel whitelabelling, day money-back guarantee, and supporting tools. The latter is very useful since it allows you to easily handle billing software, resell domains, and more.
The biggest attraction on this host though is their superb performance. InMotion is one of the top hosts tracked by the HostingGuruReviews system and has consistently ranked in our top 10 (for both shared and VPS servers) for speed and reliability.
There is also a wide array of reseller plans to choose from, some of which encroach on their VPS space.
Why We Like InMotion Hosting
InMotion has very good product depth when it comes to more powerful plans like VPS and reseller. This gives potential customers more flexibility in an area that not many place great focus on.
InMotion Hosting Ratings & Performance
InMotion Hosting Tested Performance
More details in our InMotion Hosting review.
5. HostGator
HostGator Reseller Hosting
Despite being an EIG company, reseller plans on HostGator offer a fair among of resources at reasonable prices.
The friendly Gator is back and this time on our top reseller hosting list. HostGator is a popular choice despite being an EIG company and offers short and sweet reseller hosting plans that start from as little as $19.95/mo.
It offers unmetered domains, subdomains, email accounts, and more along with starting resources that are fair. If you’re looking to start reseller hosting but don’t want to be too worried about tight resources, this is a good place to look.
Also included is entry to their reseller club and that has a number of benefits. Not only can you sell domain names but the whole system plugs neatly into your control dashboard.
The one disadvantage about HostGator though is that it doesn’t boast the performance and reliability that the others on this list do. Personally I am tempted to tack that down to EIG, but as a whole, the service remains worth taking a look at.
Why We Like HostGator
HostGator represents a strong launch point for those seeking to enter the reseller market. Its generous provision of resources gives inexperienced resellers a bit more leeway for mistakes.
HostGator Ratings & Performance
HostGator Tested Performance
Learn more about HostGator in our review.
How Reseller Hosting Works?
The reseller hosting business isn’t difficult to understand. Basically, the concept is the same as if you were to buy wholesale goods from an OEM manufacturer – then rebrand and sell them as your own. Along the way you mark up the price and that’s how you make your profit.
However, as with the regular reseller business, profit margins aren’t terribly high. You also have to pay for the hosting account in advance – irrespective of whether you have customers or not. This means that reseller hosting isn’t necessarily suitable for everyone.
Reseller hosting can be suitable if you:
- Need web hosting and want to earn a little extra for selling excess resources
- Are looking for a small boost to your main income
- Intend to work towards becoming a full web host eventually
Although not terribly complex, it would be better if you were familiar with web hosting in order to work a reseller account. This will give you a broader knowledge base to start your business on.
What to Look for in Reseller Plans
Reseller hosting is when you buy web hosting space (and the corresponding features) to partition out and sell to your own customers. This allows you to take advantage of existing resources and run your own web hosting business, in a sense.
Because of this nature, there is a specific set of features out of the norm that you need to consider in reseller hosting. Some of these include storage space (nowadays it’s mostly SSD reseller hosting), whitelabelling, control panel licensing, account configuration tools, and more.
Although reseller plans may look like regular types of web hosting, there are some differentiators that you need to be aware of.
Resources
These include elements like memory (RAM), storage space, and CPU. The reason you need to pay more attention in this area is that you need to keep in mind that the resources have to be partitioned out among your potential customers.
Customer Support
Resellers have to provide their own support (albeit indirectly from the web host). This means even greater emphasis is needed in the service provider’s customer service. Spend some time talking to your potential host and gauging their speed and knowledgeability before signing up for a plan.
Control Panel Licensing
As a reseller, you get a limited number of licenses you can share out among your customers. Make sure you assess the plans available and see if the licenses provided are enough to cover how you intend to partition out your plans.
Speed and Reliability
This is usually among the top complaints of web hosting buyers. Make sure the host you choose has a good track record (follow their performance tracks on HostingGuruReviews). If their servers go down – all your customers will be affected! The effect, in essence, is multiplied manyfold.
Cost versus Functionality
Rather than focus on the price of the plans available on a host, make sure you assess price against features provided. There’s no point buying the cheapest if it won’t support what you want to do in your reseller business.
Final Thoughts
The reseller business is very different from buying a web hosting plan for your personal use. Not only is the assessment criteria different, but you’ll require additional skills to manage the master control panel as well.
All of this contributes to a relatively large investment in both time and money. If you’re considering reseller hosting as a business, make sure you build a proper business plan that not only covers hosting fees, but your complete business.
You’ll need to look towards other elements such as technical work, outlay in time, business environment factors, and of course sales and marketing. Remember, the web hosting market is highly competitive – consider what it takes for you to have the competitive edge.
