How to Create a Hosting Package in WHM

Who this guide is for: Resellers on cPanel Reseller Hosting who are setting up the first package they'll sell. Last updated: October 4, 2026 Source: official cPanel & WHM documentation

The Short Version: Create a Package in 7 Steps

1. Log in to WHM using the address you were given.
2. Open WHM > Packages > Add a Package.
3. Choose a package name. You can't change it later.
4. Enter disk, bandwidth, email, and database limits in MB.
5. Check the Feature List and Locale settings.
6. Click Add.
7. Assign the package to your first customer in Create a New Account.

Hands-on time: If you've already decided on your limits, creating the package takes a few minutes. Most of the time goes into deciding which limits to set.

What Is a Hosting Package in WHM?

A WHM hosting package is a reusable configuration that defines, under a single name, the disk, monthly bandwidth, email, database, and domain limits for a cPanel account, along with the cPanel features that account can use. You can assign the same package to multiple customer accounts, within your reseller plan's resource and account limits.

In practice, each package corresponds to a hosting plan you sell. Every customer on STARTER starts with the same limits. When you want to change a limit, you update the package instead of editing accounts one by one.

Package vs. cPanel Account

You create the package first, then assign it to your customer's account in Create a New Account.

Before You Start

Your reseller plan's capacity is the ceiling for the packages you can sell. For example, if your plan includes 75 GB of storage and you give each customer 5 GB, you can host about 15 full-capacity accounts on disk alone. Even if your plan allows more accounts, storage is usually what sets the real limit. You can check your plan's current capacity on the Reseller Hosting plans page.

Create Your First Package

Step 1: Log In to WHM

Log in to WHM with your reseller username and password, using the address from your activation email and service details. It usually looks like this:

https://<your-WHM-server-address>:2087

2087 is WHM's secure (HTTPS) port. 2083 is the port your customers use to log in to their own cPanel. Use 2087 for package tasks.

Step 2: Open Add a Package

In the left menu, expand Packages and click Add a Package. You can also type Add a Package into Search Tools at the top left.

Step 3: Choose a Package Name

Enter a name in Package Name. You can't rename a package later, so don't include anything that might change, such as prices, promotions, dates, or resource amounts.

These names aren't required; use your own plan names if you prefer. cPanel recommends keeping the number of packages small and the names short so they're easier to manage. You can't use extensions as a package name.

Step 4: Enter the Resource Limits

In the Resources section, enter a value for each field or select Unlimited. The screenshots below show example values for a first package; each field is explained in detail in Which Limits Should I Choose?.

For every field and the exact MB values to enter in WHM, see Example Package Design.

Step 5: Check the Feature List and Locale

In the Settings section, you choose which cPanel features the package can use and the account's default interface language. For a first package, you can leave most settings at their defaults.

• Feature List: Controls which tools the account sees in cPanel. If you don't have your own list, choose your provider's default list (usually default). Don't assign the list named disabled to a package; cPanel notes that it isn't meant to be assigned to packages or accounts.
• Locale: The default language of your customer's cPanel. Choose the language most of your customers use; they can change it later in their own cPanel.
• Dedicated IP and Shell Access: Leave them unchecked unless you have a business need. Details are in Which Limits Should I Choose?.

Step 6: Save the Package

Click Add at the bottom of the page.

Step 7: Assign the Package to Your First Customer

Open WHM > Account Functions > Create a New Account. Enter the customer's domain, username, and contact email, then choose your package from Choose a Package in the Package section and create the account.

The full account setup is covered in a separate guide: How to create a new cPanel account in WHM.

Package ready? If you've created the package and assigned it to an account, the basic setup is done. The sections below help you choose limits deliberately and manage the package later.

Which Limits Should I Choose?

How Many MB Should I Enter for 10 GB of Disk Space in WHM?

For 10 GB of disk space, enter 10240 in WHM's Disk Space Quota field. WHM's disk, monthly bandwidth, and email quota fields expect megabytes (MB), calculated as 1 GB = 1024 MB.

Disk Space vs. Bandwidth

Disk space is the total amount of data an account can store on the server. Bandwidth (monthly traffic) is the amount of data the account can transfer to visitors and other servers in a month. One limits storage; the other limits what moves in and out of it each month.

For example, a site using 10 GB of disk might use 100 GB of bandwidth a month. Image-heavy or high-traffic sites use bandwidth faster. There's no reliable way to convert a bandwidth amount into a number of visitors; page size and visitor behavior decide that.

Every Resource Field Explained

These are the resource options defined in cPanel's official Add a Package documentation. Some may not appear in your account, depending on your WHM version or your provider's settings.

The six fields that matter most for a first package

Other resource limits

For a first package, you can usually leave these at their defaults or set low values.

Email Limits: Three Separate Settings

Max Email Accounts sets how many mailboxes can be created, Max Quota per Email Address sets how large one mailbox can be, and Maximum Hourly Email by Domain Relayed sets how many emails a domain can send per hour. None of them replaces the others.

“20 email accounts with 2 GB each” and “200 emails per hour” are different limits. And “unlimited email” doesn't mean physically unlimited resources: mailboxes use the account's disk space, and sending is subject to server-wide rules.

Addon Domains, Subdomains, and Aliases

For package design, the addon domain limit matters most because it sets how many websites the package can host: for example, 0 addons for STARTER (1 site) and 4 addons for BUSINESS (5 sites). WHM still uses the older term (Parked Domains); in current cPanel versions these are called Aliases, and customers usually manage domains from the Domains screen.

What Is a Feature List?

A Feature List defines which cPanel features a package can access. Resource limits answer “how much can they use?”, while the Feature List answers “which tools can they use?”

Feature Lists are managed in WHM > Packages > Feature Manager. On the Add a Package screen, the View link next to the list shows what's in it. Some features may be disabled server-wide by your provider; even if they're checked in the list, the customer may not see them.

Locale and cPanel Theme

Locale sets the default language your customers see in cPanel for accounts on this package. The cPanel Theme sets the interface theme. In current versions, Jupiter is for experienced users who want access to every tool, while Meridian offers a simpler, task-focused experience. Which themes appear depends on your server's configuration.

Advanced Settings: Dedicated IP, Shell Access, CGI

Unless you have a business need, the safest choice is to leave these settings at their defaults or as your provider recommends.

Should I Make Everything Unlimited?

Usually not. Unlimited means WHM doesn't enforce a cap on that field; it doesn't mean the physical capacity of the server or your reseller plan is infinite.

• High resource usage by a customer with no package limit can use up your reseller plan's total capacity and affect your other customers.
• Clear limits make it obvious what a customer has bought and when it's time to move to a bigger plan.
• Your provider may restrict Unlimited on your reseller account; if so, the option won't appear or can't be selected.

If you plan to advertise “unlimited” on your sales page, make sure you have the capacity to back it up.

Example Package Design

Make sure the differences between packages mean something to the customer. Three packages with clear differences are easier to sell and manage than five that look almost the same.

Do I Set the Package Price in WHM?

No. A WHM package is a technical template for an account's resources and features; it has no price field. You manage pricing, invoicing, and renewals in your billing or e-commerce system.

In systems like WHMCS or WiseCP, you usually map each hosting product to a WHM package name when you set it up. For details, see the integration guides: Setting up reseller hosting with WHMCS and Setting up reseller hosting with WiseCP.

Managing the Package Later

Changing a Package's Limits

You edit an existing package in WHM > Packages > Edit a Package. According to cPanel's API documentation, changes to a package apply to every account that uses it.

1. Open WHM > Packages > Edit a Package.
2. Select the package from Package and click Edit.
3. Make your changes and click Save Changes. To discard them before saving, click Reset.

If You Want to Rename a Package

Packages can't be renamed. cPanel's recommended approach is to create a new package with the name you want and move accounts to it.

Upgrading or Downgrading a Customer's Package

To move a customer from STARTER to BUSINESS, use WHM > Account Functions > Upgrade/Downgrade an Account: select the account, choose the new package, and save. The account takes on the new package's limits. For the detailed steps, see: How do I change a customer's hosting package?

If You Can't Create a Package

Troubleshooting

Common Mistakes

Before You Start Selling the Package

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a hosting package in WHM?

A WHM hosting package is a reusable template that defines a cPanel account's disk space, monthly bandwidth, email, database, and domain limits, plus the cPanel features it can use. You create it once, then assign it to every customer who buys that plan.

Does creating a package create a hosting account?

No. A package only defines limits. The account that hosts your customer's website and email is created separately in WHM > Account Functions > Create a New Account, where you assign the package.

Why can't I see Add a Package in WHM?

cPanel notes that hosting providers can enable or disable this screen for reseller accounts. If you don't see Packages or Add a Package in your menu, ask our support team about your account's package permissions.

Can I rename a package later?

No. cPanel doesn't allow package renames. If you want a different name, create a new package and move accounts to it with Upgrade/Downgrade an Account. That's why you shouldn't put prices or promotions in package names.

Can I change a package's limits later?

Yes. You can change limits in Edit a Package, and the changes apply to every account using that package. The exceptions: changing the mailbox quota doesn't affect existing email accounts, and the Dedicated IP setting can't be changed afterward.

Should I use Unlimited?

Usually not. Unlimited means WHM doesn't enforce a cap on that field; your reseller plan's capacity is still finite. High usage by a customer with no limit can affect your other customers. Clear, measured limits make both resource management and upgrades easier.

What's the difference between disk space and bandwidth?

Disk space is the total data an account can store on the server. Bandwidth is the data it can transfer in a month. A site using 10 GB of disk might use 100 GB of bandwidth a month. You set the two separately, and both are entered in MB in WHM.

What's the difference between Email Accounts and Email Quota?

Max Email Accounts sets how many mailboxes can be created. Max Quota per Email Address sets the maximum size of a single mailbox. For example, “20 email accounts, up to 2 GB each” uses both settings together.

What is a Feature List?

A Feature List defines which cPanel tools accounts on a package can see. Resource limits answer “how much”; the Feature List answers “which tools.” You manage lists in WHM > Packages > Feature Manager.

Where do I set the package price in WHM?

There's no price field in WHM. A WHM package is a technical resource template. You manage pricing, invoicing, and renewals in WHMCS, WiseCP, or another billing system, where you map the product to the WHM package.

Can I change a customer's package later?

Yes. In WHM > Account Functions > Upgrade/Downgrade an Account, select the account and assign the new package. The account takes on the new limits. If you're lowering limits, make sure the customer's current usage fits within them.

Can I use these packages with WHMCS or WiseCP?

Yes. In these systems you usually map each hosting product to a WHM package; when a customer orders, the account is created with that package. For setup details, see the WHMCS and WiseCP integration guides.

Summary

1. A package is a template; the customer account is created separately.
2. Create the package in WHM > Packages > Add a Package.
3. Pick a lasting name; you can't rename it later.
4. Enter disk, bandwidth, and mailbox quota in MB.
5. Check the Feature List and Locale, and don't enable advanced settings you don't need.
6. Test the package on a test account, then assign it to customers.