Table of contents

What is reseller hosting?How reseller hosting worksWholesale purchase and white-labeling explainedClient and account management toolsWho should consider reseller hosting?Pros and cons of reseller hostingHow to choose a reseller hosting providerHow to launch your reseller hosting businessPro tips for a profitable reseller hosting businessHosting optionsAdditional resources

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What is Web Hosting → Reseller

What is reseller hosting?

Thinking about launching your own hosting business or expanding your web services? Reseller hosting might be the low-risk, high-reward option you’re looking for.

Reseller hosting allows you to buy server resources in bulk from a hosting provider and then sell those resources to your own clients. You create hosting plans, set your own prices, and manage customer accounts—all without managing the physical servers behind the scenes.

It’s a popular path for web designers, freelancers, and agencies who want to offer hosting without starting from scratch.

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What is reseller hosting?

Reseller hosting is a type of web hosting where you purchase server resources in bulk from a hosting provider and resell them to your own clients under your brand. It lets you create and manage multiple hosting accounts without handling server infrastructure or hardware.

How reseller hosting works

Reseller hosting works by splitting a large pool of server resources into smaller hosting accounts that you control and sell. Here’s what that process looks like:

You sign up for a reseller hosting plan, which gives you a large allocation of server space, bandwidth, and other resources.
You use a management tool like WHM (Web Host Manager) to divide those resources into individual cPanel accounts for your clients.
Each client gets their own login and hosting environment, just like they would with a traditional hosting provider.
You set your own pricing, offer custom features, and provide customer support under your own brand.
The infrastructure, server maintenance, and backend support are handled by your upstream hosting provider.

You essentially become a web hosting company without needing to own or operate any of the hardware.

Wholesale purchase and white-labeling explained

Two of the biggest advantages of reseller hosting are bulk pricing and white-label branding.

Wholesale hosting packages

Most reseller plans include generous resource limits across storage, bandwidth, domains, and email accounts. By buying in bulk, you get a lower cost per client account compared to individual hosting plans. This gives you room to turn a profit while still offering competitive prices.

White-label hosting

White-labeling means your clients won’t see any mention of the original hosting provider. Instead, you can:

Customize the cPanel login with your own logo and colors
Use private name servers (e.g. ns1.yourcompany.com)
Present yourself as the sole hosting provider

This gives your brand full visibility and helps build client trust.

Client and account management tools

To manage clients effectively, most reseller setups come with these core tools:

WHM (Web Host Manager): This is where you create and manage individual hosting accounts. You can assign quotas, monitor usage, and suspend or delete accounts as needed.
cPanel (for clients): Each client gets access to their own cPanel dashboard where they can manage files, domains, databases, and emails.
Billing platforms (like WHMCS or Blesta): These automate client onboarding, invoicing, payments, and support ticketing.
Optional extras: Some providers bundle in SSL certificates, website builders, email filtering, or malware protection to help you upsell more services.

These tools make it possible to scale your business while staying organized and professional.

Who should consider reseller hosting?

Reseller hosting is ideal for anyone looking to add a new income stream with minimal technical overhead. Common use cases include:

Web developers and designers: Bundle hosting with your design services so clients never need to shop around.
Marketing agencies: Host client websites, landing pages, and microsites as part of your digital services.
Entrepreneurs: Launch a niche hosting brand (e.g. WordPress-only or eco-friendly hosting) with minimal startup costs.
Freelancers: Offer monthly hosting plans as a way to generate recurring revenue, even from small projects.

If you’re already working with websites in any capacity, reseller hosting can turn those relationships into steady income.

Pros and cons of reseller hosting

Understanding the strengths and limitations of reseller hosting will help you decide if it fits your goals.

Pros

Low startup cost: No need to buy or manage physical servers.
Recurring revenue: Build a subscription-based business with predictable income.
Brand control: Offer hosting under your own company name and style.
Client retention: Clients are more likely to stay with you if you’re also their hosting provider.

Challenges

Customer support is your job: While the host supports you, you’re responsible for helping your clients.
Limited server access: You can’t always make deep server-level changes (e.g. install custom services or software).
Dependence on your upstream provider: Performance issues or outages on their end affect your reputation.

How to choose a reseller hosting provider

Choosing the right partner is critical. Look for a host that offers:

Strong uptime and performance: Look for SSD storage, data center redundancy, and uptime guarantees.
Fully white-labeled features: Custom name servers, rebrandable dashboards, and support for your branding.
WHM and cPanel access: These are the industry standards for managing reseller accounts and clients.
Billing software integration: Many hosts include WHMCS or Blesta licenses, which saves you hundreds per year.
Responsive technical support: Ideally 24/7 via chat, tickets, and phone.
Security and backups: Features like malware scanning, firewall protection, and daily backups should be included.

How to launch your reseller hosting business

If you’re ready to dive in, here’s how to get started.

Sign up for a reseller hosting plan from a reputable provider.
Set up your WHM dashboard and create your first few hosting packages (based on storage, bandwidth, etc.).
Configure your branding including logo, custom name servers, and white-labeled cPanel.
Install billing software like WHMCS or Blesta and connect your payment processor (Stripe, PayPal, etc.).
Build your website with a clean design, pricing tables, and support portal.
Promote your services through your network, existing clients, SEO, or paid ads.
Support your clients by responding to tickets, monitoring usage, and handling renewals.

Once your system is set up, most of your work revolves around customer communication and marketing.

Pro tips for a profitable reseller hosting business

To stand out from the crowd and increase revenue, apply these expert tips:

Niche down: Instead of being a general-purpose host, target a niche like WordPress agencies, nonprofits, or local businesses.
Offer bundles: Combine hosting with other services like website maintenance, SEO, or design. This boosts revenue and client loyalty.
Automate everything: Use WHMCS to automate renewals, invoices, domain registration, and support tickets.
Prioritize support: Fast, friendly responses will win you clients even if your resources match the competition.
Use private name servers: It’s a subtle but powerful way to look professional and own your brand.
Monitor usage: Keep an eye on client accounts to ensure no one exceeds limits or slows down the server.

Next steps for launching your reseller hosting business

Reseller hosting lets you build a recurring revenue stream without managing physical servers. It’s one of the easiest ways to start offering hosting under your own brand, especially if you’re already working with websites or clients.

The next step is to choose a hosting solution that fits your needs, and that’s where Liquid Web comes in. We offer the industry’s fastest and most secure VPS and dedicated servers—for Windows or Linux, unmanaged or fully managed.

Click below to explore options or start a chat with one of our hosting experts now.