Which licenses does ISPmanager 6 offer
ISPmanager 6 is sold under three main licenses: Lite, Business, and Host. The difference between them is not in the interface, but in the limits on the number of domains, the set of reseller features, and the subscription price. Before installing the panel on a server, it is worth understanding which ISPmanager 6 license covers your task, otherwise you will have to switch licenses halfway through the project. If the panel is already installed, a comparison with the alternative is described in the article ISPmanager 6 vs cPanel.
All three licenses include a web server, mail, databases, and SSL. The differences start where scale comes in: how many domains you can add, how many system accounts you can create, and whether reselling hosting to clients is allowed.
How Lite differs from Business
Lite is the minimal license for a single site or a small project on a VPS. It limits the number of domains and does not allow creating separate billing plans for clients. Business removes part of those limits and adds reselling: you can create client accounts with their own permissions and plans.
| Parameter | Lite | Business | Host |
|---|---|---|---|
| Domain limit | up to 1 | unlimited | unlimited |
| Client reselling | no | yes | yes |
| White-label plan templates | no | limited | full set |
| Automation API | basic | extended | extended |
In practice, Lite suits a one-person studio, while Business fits a small hosting provider with dozens of clients.
What the Host license provides
Host is a license for providers who sell virtual hosting under their own brand. It removes the remaining limits and adds tools for full-scale reselling.
- Unlimited number of domains and system accounts on a single server.
- Custom billing plans with flexible quotas for disk space, mail, and databases.
- White-label interface: the client sees the panel under the provider's brand.
- Full API access for billing and automatic account provisioning.
For more details on working with client accounts, see reselling in ISPmanager 6 Business: it covers creating plans and transferring permissions.
How to choose a license for a VDS or dedicated server
The choice of license depends not on server power, but on the business model.
- A single site or a personal project on a VDS — take Lite, paying extra for Business here makes no sense.
- An agency runs 5-30 client sites on one server — Business with reselling is needed.
- A company sells hosting under its own brand on a dedicated server — only Host fits.
Keep in mind: you can upgrade from Lite to Business later without reinstalling the panel, the license is changed through the provider's client area.
How to activate a license in ISPmanager 6
After purchase, the license key is bound to the server's IP address. You can check the current activation status through the server console:
ispmgrctl core --get license.status
If the key was not applied automatically, update it manually and restart the panel daemon:
ispmgrctl core --set license.key=YOUR_KEY
systemctl restart ihttpd
Before installing the panel and choosing a license, it helps to check the guide installing ISPmanager 6 on Ubuntu: it lists the system requirements for each option.
Common mistakes when choosing and activating a license
Most license issues repeat from one client to another.
- They buy Lite for reselling — the panel simply does not show the option to create client plans.
- They change the server's IP address and forget to rebind the license — the panel switches to restricted access mode.
- They keep a trial license past the trial period and lose access to security updates.
Checklist before buying: count domains and clients for the next 12 months, decide whether reselling is needed, and only then choose between Lite, Business, and Host. Underestimating is more expensive: a license migration means another night of downtime for client sites.