If you’ve received a Plesk renewal notice recently, you’ve probably noticed the numbers keep going up. Plesk has once again raised prices for 2025, continuing a trend that’s made the platform increasingly expensive for agencies and hosting providers.
Let’s look at what’s happening, why it keeps happening, and what alternatives you have.
The 2025 Price Increases
Plesk’s 2025 pricing continues the upward trajectory we’ve seen for years:
- Web Admin (10 domains): Now $14.75/month (up from $12.95)
- Web Pro (unlimited domains): Now $44.95/month (up from $39.95)
- Web Host (for resellers): Now $57.95/month (up from $49.95)
These increases might seem modest in percentage terms, but they compound. If you’ve been a Plesk customer since 2017, you’ve seen prices more than double.
A Brief History of Plesk Pricing
Looking at historical data from the Plesk community forums and archived pricing pages:
- 2017: Web Pro was around $15/month
- 2019: Jumped to $25/month after Oakley Capital acquisition
- 2021: Climbed to $32/month
- 2023: Reached $39.95/month
- 2025: Now $44.95/month
That’s roughly a 200% increase over eight years. The pattern is clear: expect prices to keep rising.
Why Does This Keep Happening?
Plesk is owned by WebPros (formerly Plesk International GmbH), which is backed by Oakley Capital, a private equity firm. Private equity typically operates on a model of maximizing returns over a defined investment horizon.
This means:
- Continuous price optimization to extract maximum value
- Limited incentive to reduce costs for customers
- Pricing based on switching costs, not competitive pressure
When your existing customers have invested heavily in learning your platform and building workflows around it, you can raise prices knowing most won’t leave. It’s a rational business strategy, but it’s not great for customers.
What Are Your Options?
If you’re reconsidering Plesk, several alternatives exist across different price points and philosophies:
FlatRun (Free, Open Source)
FlatRun is a Docker-native hosting control panel that’s completely free under the MIT license.
Pros:
- Zero cost, forever
- Modern Docker-based architecture
- No vendor lock-in (standard compose files)
- Full REST API for automation
- Active development
Cons:
- Younger project, smaller ecosystem
- No built-in email hosting
- DNS management handled externally
Best for: Agencies and developers who want modern container workflows without licensing costs.
HestiaCP (Free, Open Source)
HestiaCP is a fork of the older VestaCP project, offering traditional hosting panel functionality.
Pros:
- Free and open source
- Includes email server management
- DNS server included
- Familiar interface for traditional hosting
Cons:
- Traditional architecture (not container-based)
- Less active development than commercial alternatives
- Security concerns from VestaCP legacy
Best for: Small hosting providers who need email and DNS in a traditional setup.
CloudPanel (Free, Community)
CloudPanel offers a modern interface for managing PHP applications, with both free community and paid Pro versions.
Pros:
- Free community edition
- Good PHP application support
- Modern interface
- Built-in caching (Varnish, Redis)
Cons:
- Pro features require payment
- Focused primarily on PHP
- Limited container support
Best for: PHP developers and agencies primarily working with PHP applications.
Coolify (Free, Open Source)
Coolify positions itself as a self-hosted Heroku/Netlify/Vercel alternative.
Pros:
- Free and open source
- Good for modern application deployment
- Git-based workflow
- Supports multiple languages
Cons:
- Different paradigm from traditional hosting panels
- Learning curve if coming from Plesk
- Less suited for traditional shared hosting
Best for: Development teams deploying modern applications with Git-based workflows.
cPanel (Paid)
If you’re leaving Plesk but still want a commercial solution with full support, cPanel is the obvious alternative. However, cPanel has its own history of aggressive price increases.
Pros:
- Mature, well-supported product
- Extensive ecosystem
- Full email and DNS support
- Familiar to most hosting providers
Cons:
- Similar pricing problems to Plesk
- Legacy architecture
- High vendor lock-in
Best for: Those who need commercial support and aren’t concerned about long-term pricing.
Why FlatRun Is Different
Full disclosure: we built FlatRun, so we’re biased. But here’s our thinking:
Traditional hosting panels were built for a world of shared hosting and PHP applications. They’ve bolted on container support, but the architecture reflects their origins.
FlatRun starts from containers. Every deployment is a Docker stack. Your configurations are standard compose files. If you decide to leave FlatRun tomorrow, your containers keep running with regular Docker commands.
More importantly, we’re not venture-backed or private equity-owned. Our business model is the upcoming FlatRun Marketplace—a place to buy and sell templates and extensions. The core panel is free because we believe hosting infrastructure shouldn’t come with a recurring tax.
Making the Switch
If you decide to move away from Plesk, here’s a general approach:
- Inventory your sites - List all domains, databases, and configurations
- Set up your new platform - Install FlatRun or your chosen alternative
- Migrate site by site - Start with lower-traffic sites to build confidence
- Test thoroughly - Verify functionality before updating DNS
- Update DNS - Point domains to the new server
- Cancel Plesk - Once everything is stable
We have a detailed Plesk migration guide if you’re considering FlatRun.
The Long-Term View
Here’s the uncomfortable truth: if you stay with Plesk (or cPanel), prices will keep rising. Private equity ownership and monopolistic market positions make this predictable.
Open-source alternatives break this cycle. When the software is MIT-licensed, no single company controls pricing. If FlatRun somehow became extractive, you could fork it. The community keeps projects honest in a way that proprietary vendors aren’t.
Taking Action
You have options:
- Accept the increases - Sometimes simplicity is worth a premium
- Negotiate - Contact Plesk sales; volume discounts exist
- Switch to alternatives - Evaluate FlatRun, HestiaCP, CloudPanel, etc.
- Go panel-free - Manage servers directly with Docker or Kubernetes
Whatever you choose, make an active decision rather than passively accepting annual increases. Your hosting costs are in your control.
Ready to try a free alternative? Download FlatRun and deploy your first site in minutes.