Panelica vs HestiaCP
A side-by-side comparison using each project's official 2026 documentation. HestiaCP is the maintained fork of VestaCP; Panelica is built from scratch on 2026 stack (Go + React 19 + cgroups v2).
What you actually pay each month
Both projects are free at their base. The right question is what 2026 architecture you want underneath.
Where Panelica wins, where HestiaCP wins
Feature presence on each platform without third-party add-ons. Partial means the feature exists but is limited or requires a paid extension.
| Feature | Panelica | HestiaCP |
|---|---|---|
| Modern 2026 stack | ✓ Go 1.24 + React 19 | Bash scripts + jQuery UI |
| Built-in AI co-pilot | OpsAI · 15 experts | , |
| Native iOS & Android apps | ✓ in App Store / Google Play | , |
| 5-layer kernel isolation | ✓ cgroups + ns + chroot + FPM + perms | FPM + perms only |
| Docker manager with templates | ✓ 160+ templates | , |
| One-click migration in | ✓ incl. HestiaCP source | cPanel script only |
| WordPress Toolkit | ✓ Install + harden + Benchmark + Redis Boost | App installer (Softaculous-style) |
| Live SSE / WebSocket UI | ✓ No reloads | , |
| Cloudflare 8-tab integration | ✓ DNS, Zones, Analytics, WAF, R2… | DNS only |
| REST API surface | 246 documented endpoints | CLI-first, partial REST |
| Multi-language UI | 31 languages | ✓ ~25 languages |
| RHEL family support | ✓ AlmaLinux 9/10, Rocky 9/10 | Debian + Ubuntu only |
| 42-color white-label | ✓ Per-tenant or per-plan | Theme color + logo |
When each one is the right choice
HestiaCP is honest, stable Bash-script craftsmanship over a classic LAMP/LEMP stack. Panelica is a 2026 architecture rewrite, with kernel-level isolation and a modern reactive UI.
Choose Panelica when…
- You want a 2026 codebase (Go backend, React 19 frontend, native cgroups v2 + namespaces).
- You need true multi-tenant isolation across CPU, memory, IO and PIDs, not just FPM open_basedir.
- You want native iOS/Android apps and an AI co-pilot for ops, not just a web UI.
- You serve customers on RHEL-family OS (AlmaLinux / Rocky), not only Debian/Ubuntu.
- You want a Docker manager and WordPress Toolkit that match cPanel/Plesk-class features.
Stay with HestiaCP when…
- You explicitly want Bash scripts over a vanilla LAMP/LEMP stack, with no abstraction layers.
- You only run Debian or Ubuntu and never need RHEL-family.
- Your VPS is under 1 GB RAM and you want HestiaCP's ~50 MB idle footprint.
- You are deeply invested in HestiaCP-specific scripts, Munin plugins or hooks.
Move from HestiaCP in one click
The Panelica importer connects to your existing HestiaCP server, discovers every site, then copies files, MariaDB/MySQL databases, Exim mailboxes, DNS zones and SSL certificates while preserving every password hash byte-for-byte. End users never reset a password.
Free forever. Really.
Use the full feature set for 14 days. After that, you keep one domain forever, free, with no credit card, no expiry, no degraded functionality. Move up to Professional ($4.99/mo) only when you outgrow it.
Real prices, verifiable on our pricing page. No hidden upgrades, no add-on fees, no account-based tiering.
About switching from HestiaCP
Is HestiaCP really free?
Yes. HestiaCP is GPL v3, fully free, with no paid tier. Community support via GitHub and forum.
What is the relationship between HestiaCP and VestaCP?
HestiaCP is the maintained community fork of VestaCP, which became inactive after 2018 (and had a supply-chain backdoor incident that year). HestiaCP fixed the security baseline and continues active development; we recommend it over VestaCP for any reason.
Why pick Panelica over HestiaCP if both are free?
Architecture. HestiaCP is Bash scripts over a vanilla LAMP/LEMP stack and a jQuery UI. Panelica is a 2026 rewrite — Go backend, React 19 frontend, native cgroups v2, namespaces, AI co-pilot, mobile apps, 5-layer kernel isolation, Docker manager. Different generation of product.
Can I migrate from HestiaCP to Panelica?
Yes. Panelica's importer connects to your HestiaCP server, copies files, MariaDB/MySQL databases, Exim mailboxes, DNS zones and SSL certificates while preserving SHA512-CRYPT email and MySQL password hashes byte-for-byte. End users never reset a password.
What does HestiaCP do better than Panelica?
Resource frugality. HestiaCP can comfortably run on a 1 GB RAM VPS with ~50 MB idle. Panelica is heavier (~120 MB idle) because of the Go runtime, React assets and cgroups daemons. If your goal is the absolute smallest VPS, HestiaCP wins.