If you are looking for an alternative cPanel for your machine, just like me, you may be stumbled upon FastPanel.direct, and today, I would like to share the experience I had with their panel and support.
What is FastPanel.direct?
is simple and powerful server management panel. Create sites in a few clicks, manage mail, databases, backups, plan tasks and analyze traffic. Set and configure access rights as you like – each site can be assigned to a single user. To improve the security of your account, connect two-factor authentication.
fastpanel.direct
Dynamic notifications allow you to be aware of the status of the server and sites. In addition, FASTPANEL® includes a Web SSH client, site preview and a favicon editor.
If you wish to visit their site, go to https://fastpanel.direct/. This should take you to their homepage. Promising right? Here is a quick demo screen, found on their home page below:
Features and Module?
Here are the Features and Modules FastPanel.direct wish to deliver on their clients.
I was impressed with the entire UI. In fact, before I tried Virtualmin. I did try to install FastPanel.direct on my DigitalOcean account and see if this is worth it.
If you wish to test FastDirect.Panel in DigitalOcean, you may use my referral link below:
https://m.do.co/c/e3b40a8b20c9You will get $50 in credit for over 30 days. This should be enough for you to play around with Digital Ocean.
System requirements
RAM: 1G
Free Space: 5GB
CPU: 1 core, 1 GHz
OS: CentOS 7 (64-bit) Debian 7, 8, 9 (64-bit)
Registration
Before you proceed, make sure to register an account first, this should Business License which is currently FREE. To do so, click on the Order button found in https://fastpanel.direct/
From here, you should be routed to https://cp.fastpanel.direct/orders
*Within the limited advertising campaign you will receive your full-functional version of FASTPANEL® without restriction on the number of sites for a period of no less than 18 months absolutely free of charge. FASTPANEL reserves the right to change the license status to commercial at any time after this period, but with a notification of not less than 6 months.
Enter the IP address of your machine and proceed to checkout.
Setup your Droplet (VPS)
I will use Debian 9 in a $5 droplet. If you have challenges on how to create a Digital Ocean droplet, see these screenshots below:
From here, you will receive a separate email to your registered email address in DigitalOcean, this contains your root password, then use the root credential to access SSH.
Installation
Make sure you have SSH access already. If yes, run these lines below:
apt-get update; apt-get install wgetInitiate FastPanel installation by:
wget http://repo.fastpanel.direct/install_fastpanel.sh -O - | bash -[email protected]:~# wget http://repo.fastpanel.direct/install_fastpanel.sh -O - | bash -
--2019-07-12 04:48:08-- http://repo.fastpanel.direct/install_fastpanel.sh
Resolving repo.fastpanel.direct (repo.fastpanel.direct)... 5.101.120.164
Connecting to repo.fastpanel.direct (repo.fastpanel.direct)|5.101.120.164|:80... connected.
HTTP request sent, awaiting response... 200 OK
Length: 652 [application/octet-stream]
Saving to: ‘STDOUT’
- 100%[=====================================>] 652 --.-KB/s in 0s
2019-07-12 04:48:08 (57.8 MB/s) - written to stdout [652/652]
_________ _______________ ___ _ __________
/ ____/ | / ___/_ __/ __ \/ | / | / / ____/ /
/ /_ / /| | \__ \ / / / /_/ / /| | / |/ / __/ / /
/ __/ / ___ |___/ // / / ____/ ___ |/ /| / /___/ /___
/_/ /_/ |_/____//_/ /_/ /_/ |_/_/ |_/_____/_____/
Greetings user!
Now I will install the best control panel for you!
OS: Debian GNU/Linux 9 (stretch)
Configuring nginx repository.
[Success]
Configuring additional repository.
[Success]
Installing all the Programs Required for the Control Panel Installation Process.
[Success]
Configuring FASTPANEL repository.
[Success]
Installing MariaDB 10.1 from debian stretch APT Repository.
[Success]
Installing FASTPANEL package.
[Success]
Installing web service: nginx, apache, php.
[Success]
Installing ftp service: proftpd.
[Success]
Installing mail service: exim, dovecot.
[Success]
Installing recommended software: roundcube, phpmyadmin, etc, etc...
[Success]
Congratulations! FASTPANEL successfully installed and available now for you at https://178.128.52.187:8888/ .
Login: xxxx
Password: xxxx
[email protected]:~# On your first login, the Panel will ask you for a license. In order to get one, simply enter your email address. The license data will be sent to your email address.
If you wish to visit their documentation page for Installation, see https://fastpanel.direct/wiki/en/how-to-install-fastpanel-sup-r-sup
Applications
FastPanel comes with a minimum number of modules installed. Additional options can be enabled in the “Applications” menu.
In my case, I installed them all. This way, I could see the full feature FastPanel can provide.
Which applications can be installed?
The list of available applications for setup is as follows:
- Ai-Bolit – antivirus scanner by Revisium
- Awstats – web analytics report generator
- Bind9 – DNS server
- Composer – Application level package manager for PHP
- Fail2ban – server access long analyzer to block unwanted requests
- Memcached – RAM data caching server
- PHP 5.2
- PHP 5.3
- PHP 5.4
- PHP 5.5
- PHP 5.6
- PHP 7.0
- PHP 7.1
- PHP 7.2
- PHP 7.3
- Quota – quota module
- Rainloop – Webmail client
- Redis – in-memory data structure project implementing a distributed, in-memory key-value database
- Roundcube – Webmail client
- SFTP – SFTP accounts management module
- Shellinabox – terminal web-emulator
- Spamassassin – SPAM filtering application
- WP-CLI – Console-based WordPress management utility
How to install an alternative PHP version?
Alternative PHP version installation steps are similar to any other application installation steps
- Go to “Side menu” → “Settings” → “Applications”
- Click “Install” in the line of the required PHP version
- Select the required PHP version in the settings.
Source: https://fastpanel.direct/wiki/en/applications
Support
After 2 hours of research, FastPanel.direct is a product of https://fastvps.ru/offers/fastpanel. That’s not a problem if they EN Support.
With working and slick UI panel, I am skeptical why it was promoted as FREE during their promo period. Of course, if a promo period ends? What would be the official price for this panel?
I need answers, given, their panel has the potential to host my client’s website.
In fact, the price shown in https://fastpanel.direct/ was 9.99 € (before they remove it), however, it does not say monthly or yearly plan.
With that said, I consult their team, and these are the conversation I had with them:
Okay, 9.99 €/ per year, this is so cheap and why so cheap? I hope this is true.
Okay at this point, I am convinced, it would be best to move my clients to FastPanel.direct. However, after a conversation with Andrey Obuhovsky. Price went monthly, see below:
At this point, I lose interest in FastPanel.direct. I want to use their platform, but I need a price plan, for me to see if their platform is cost-effective for my business.
However, I still have hope they can make their mind. Anyhow, if you have tried FastPanel.direct, please comment on your experience and the price plan if any.
In addition to this, here are Reddit threads I found so far:
Anyone using fastpanel.direct ?
Any reviews/opinions of FastPanel.Direct?
I hope this will help you out in choosing FastPanel.direct will fit on your needs.
First of all, we would like to thank you for your detailed review of our panel! In order to express our gratitude, we would like to present you an everlasting license on a complimentary basis. You are welcome to ask for it any time by contacting our Customer Care Department.
Secondly, we would kindly like to ask you to accept our apologies for misinforming you about the prices for FASTPANEL given by our employee. At the moment we still have not decided on the exact plans and prices we would charge for FASTPANEL licenses.
One thing we can assure you is that the prices for FASTPANEL would be much better than the prices for Plesk and cPanel.
What you share here confirmed my initial insecurity about this panel and the way the company backing it may or may not conduct their business longterm.
The whole setup smells like they’re trying to tie in customers by hooking them into using the panel with the later potential of dropping a price bomb… or slowly
As has been seen and done innumerable times before in similar contexts.
So agree they need to straighten up as this smells untrustworthy. As of right now they ask you to jump the wagon not knowing the driver’s intentions or even the end destination.
To be fair they did write this in their FAQ:
Q: The panel is free for now. Will I have to pay for it later?
A: Not necessarily. We will add payed features later. If by that time you will be a FASTPANEL® user you will be able you continue using FASTPANEL® for free. Which means now is the perfect time to start using the panel!
But – and that’s a big but… that “Not necessarily” simply smells trouble. One might ‘be able’ to continue using a free version. However, they decide what that includes.
Anyway, poked the demo. My impresson: Usable, but overly fluffy design.
All the image-eyecandy-stuffed ‘infoheader’ sections is overkill and a turnoff in terms of usability…. simply not a gratifying use of above the fold screen estate IMO.
But your mileage may vary. Other design choices icons, functions etc did me fine, But other free selfhosted panels are available out there. VestaCP, HestiaCP, Froxlor, CentOS webpanel, AaPanel and Webmin to name a few.
I’m not affiliated with any of the above. Just sharing so people surfing by know.
Hello Mads, thanks for dropping your thoughts. I totally agree with you.
I am using VestaCP for long time, we don’t know anything about fastpanel pricing so they may put it at anything but one thing sure we will be bounded to them and eventually after price introduction it will be difficult to migrate to other panel. We will have to start from scratch with other panels if their price doesn’t suits out budget. Theres a big risk.
I highly recommend sticking to opensource panels. Prefering VestaCP just due to Letsencrypt and pure Nginx-PHP-FPM bsed installation, no other reason though.
I totally agree with your point. Same situation with current pricing model with cPanel.
Nice web panel, thanks
only risk in free: After require pay for fastpanel, if expensive or other reason, it’s HARD to change and start again. That’s reason A last I give up.
It’s just like boiling frog.
I totally agree with you. It is a risk having their web panel.
I have left AApanel and use Fastpanel for most of my projects, thanks Fastpanel.
After reading all your comments, I am coming here on 25th of November 2021 and still see FASTPANEL advertised as free for provision services (such as DigitalOcean, Vultr etc; meaning commercial use) as well as personal use and I have to say it’s kicking asses with its features. It is definitely competing face to face with cPanel. Don’t know about you, but I am moving all my customers to FASTPANEL after using and abusing it for some days and being completely satisfied after stress testing their service! I would definitely pay for it too if I have to, cause cPanel guys have lost their mind with their prices, and I’ve read that they will increase them in 2022. The cPanel team has to land on planet earth with their luxury-prices and their super-charged self-esteem. I’ve been searching for a cPanel free competitor and oh boy: FASTPANEL IS IT!
I’ve been using FASTPANEL for a year and so far so good. They updated their layout and became more intuitive. So far I’m looking for an affordable and secure panel at the level of FASTPANEL. It’s been hard to find a better one. Thank you FASTPANEL.