Reseller hosting is a web hosting plan where you buy a chunk of server resources from a hosting provider and then split it into separate hosting accounts you can sell (or assign) to your own clients under your brand.
Think of it like renting an apartment building and subleasing the units: your provider owns and maintains the “building” (the server and network), and you manage the “units” (individual client accounts). Most reseller plans let you create multiple isolated accounts, set storage and bandwidth limits per client, and often white-label the control panel so your customers see your company name instead of the upstream host. In many setups, you manage those accounts through a control panel like cPanel with WHM, which is built for creating and managing multiple customer logins and packages.
How it compares to other hosting types
| Type | Best for | What you control | Main tradeoff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shared hosting | One business running one site (or a few small sites) | Your own websites inside one account | Not designed for client-by-client logins or reselling |
| Reseller hosting | Agencies, freelancers, IT firms hosting many client sites | Multiple separate client accounts, packages, and basic management | You are the first call for support and billing |
| VPS or cloud | Teams that need more control or higher traffic capacity | More server-level settings, performance tuning, custom stacks | More technical responsibility (unless fully managed) |
Reseller hosting is popular with Orlando web agencies and managed service providers because it lets you bundle hosting with updates, backups, and website edits under one monthly line item, without running your own servers. If you want the client to pay you, and you want a clean way to keep accounts separated, reseller is usually simpler than stuffing every site into one shared account.
If you are sorting out hosting options for your own site (not reselling to clients), start with our overview of the main types of web hosting and work backward from what your site actually needs.
What you handle vs. what the host handles
In most reseller arrangements, the hosting company handles the data center, hardware, network uptime, and the base server software. You handle client setup, password resets, basic troubleshooting, and billing (unless you choose a program where the provider bills your clients directly). Some reseller plans include branded nameservers, private DNS, and templated account packages so the whole experience feels like “your” hosting company.
What to look for before you pick a reseller plan
- Account isolation: Each client should have their own login and limits so one site problem does not spill into others.
- Resource clarity: Storage and bandwidth are not the whole story. Ask how CPU and RAM limits work, especially if you host WordPress.
- Backups and restores: Know how often backups run, where they are stored, and how fast restores happen when something breaks.
- Security basics: Malware scanning, a web application firewall option, and automated updates matter when you host multiple businesses.
- Support boundaries: Confirm what the host will fix for you (server issues) versus what becomes your job (site errors, plugins, email settings).
One common mistake is buying reseller hosting just because it sounds “bigger” than shared hosting, then realizing you do not want the support load. If you want hosting that stays hands-off while still performing well for WordPress, our managed WordPress hosting is often a better fit for a single business site.
If you already run multiple WordPress sites for clients and want cleaner management, reseller hosting can be a solid middle step before moving to a VPS or cloud setup. If you tell us how many sites you plan to host and what kind of traffic they get, we can point you to the simplest setup that fits without paying for headroom you will not use.
