Hey everyone,
I’ve been using ServerAvatar with a student plan from DigitalOcean, and paying around $9/month for their Newbie plan.
Recently, I started testing free alternatives like CloudPanel and HestiaCP, but found both to be a bit complicated since they require using the terminal (PuTTY, custom commands, etc.), which I’m not very comfortable with.
I'm looking for a free (or cheap) alternative that:
Doesn't require much terminal usage
Can be fully managed via a web interface
Ideally costs less than $30–40/year
Does something like this exist? Any recommendations would be appreciated
Yes, there are a few alternatives that match what you're looking for — simpler interfaces, less dependency on CLI, and affordable or free options.
Here are some solid picks:
1. RunCloud
Web-based control panel
Works with DigitalOcean, AWS, GCP, etc.
Beginner-friendly UI — no SSH knowledge needed for basic tasks
Starts at $8/month (~$96/year), but sometimes promo discounts are available https://runcloud.io/
2. GridPane
Excellent for managing WordPress sites
Very intuitive interface
Works with DigitalOcean, Vultr, Linode, etc.
Starts at $30/month — a bit above your budget, but offers a 10-day free trial https://gridpane.com/
Stick with the panel for GUI tasks (most essential ones are web-based)
Ask here on the forum for specific CLI tasks — we’re happy to guide you
Other names worth mentioning:
CyberPanel (free, GUI, OpenLiteSpeed based)
aaPanel (free, very popular in Asia, decent UI, but has its own quirks)
ServerWand (clean UI, simple setup, not as popular)
If you're totally avoiding the terminal, RunCloud is probably your best bet. If you're open to learning gradually, CloudPanel with forum support is still a powerful (and free) option.
Let me know your exact needs (PHP apps, WordPress, email hosting, etc.) and I can narrow it down even more.
