What Is Reseller Hosting?

Category: Hosting Basics · Updated 2026-10-30

Reseller hosting is a plan where a company buys server space and bandwidth in bulk from a hosting provider, then divides it into smaller hosting accounts and sells them to its own customers under its own brand. The reseller handles billing and basic support, while the original provider maintains the physical hardware. It is a common way for web designers and small agencies to offer hosting without running their own servers.

How reseller hosting works

A reseller signs up for a reseller plan from a hosting provider, which allocates a block of disk space, bandwidth and a set number of hosting accounts under one master login, usually managed through WHM alongside cPanel. The reseller then creates individual cPanel accounts for each of their own clients, sets the price, and collects payment directly. The underlying server, network and data center are still operated by the original provider.

What a reseller typically gets

A master control panel (commonly WHM) to create, suspend and manage client accounts.
A pool of disk space and bandwidth to split among client accounts as the reseller chooses.
White-label branding, so clients see the reseller's company name, not the underlying provider's.
Billing and support tools, or integration with third-party billing software.
Sometimes a limited number of free SSL certificates and one-click installers to resell.

Reseller hosting vs. other options

	Reseller hosting	VPS	Affiliate referral
Who maintains the server	Original provider	You (or managed by provider)	Original provider
Branding	Your own	Your own	Provider's brand
Billing control	You set client prices	You set client prices	No, you earn a commission instead
Technical effort	Low to medium	Medium to high	None

Who reseller hosting fits

It suits web design agencies that build sites for clients and want to also host them under one invoice, freelancers adding a recurring revenue stream, and small businesses that want to manage hosting for a handful of related sites under one brand. It generally does not fit someone who wants to run large, resource-heavy sites themselves, since reseller accounts share a server much like shared hosting does.

What to check before buying a reseller plan

Total disk space and bandwidth, and how many client accounts that comfortably supports.
Whether WHM/cPanel access is included, or a different control panel is used.
Overselling policy: some plans let you sell more space than you actually have, which risks running out if clients use what they're allotted.
Support level: whether the provider supports you only, or also offers help desk access for your end clients.
Typical monthly price, usually in the range of about $15 to $50 depending on capacity.

Frequently asked questions

What is reseller hosting in simple terms?

Reseller hosting is a plan where you buy a bulk allocation of server space from a hosting provider and resell smaller hosting accounts to your own clients under your own brand, while the provider keeps running the actual server.

Do I need technical skills to run a reseller hosting business?

You need to know how to create and manage accounts in a control panel such as WHM, and enough basics to do first-line troubleshooting, but you do not need to administer the physical server, since the provider handles that.

How much does reseller hosting cost?

Reseller plans typically start around $15 to $20 per month for a small amount of space and scale up to $50 or more for larger allocations. Pricing depends on disk space, bandwidth and the number of accounts included.

Can my reseller clients tell they are not hosted directly by the provider?

Usually not, if white-label branding is set up correctly. Clients see your company name on the control panel, billing and support emails, with no visible reference to the underlying hosting provider.

What is the difference between reseller hosting and a VPS used for hosting clients?

Reseller hosting runs on a shared server managed entirely by the provider, while a VPS gives you your own virtual machine that you configure yourself, including installing and managing a control panel if you want one. A VPS offers more control but requires more server administration.

Is reseller hosting profitable for a small agency?

It can add steady recurring revenue for an agency that already builds client websites, since hosting fees cover the wholesale cost with room for a markup. Profitability depends on how many clients you host and how much support time each one needs.