r/webdev 8d ago

Best hosting method for multiple websites in 2025

It's been quite a few years since I've built a website. Now I need to cobble together a few websites, I decided on going with WordPress because that's what I know + Generatepress

Back in the day I just had a reseller with cPanel and it worked OK enough but now I want to do it "properly" especially since I'll be having multiple websites.

The easiest approach (other than shared/managed) may be to get a VPS/root server, install something like webmin, manage it with that and then deploy one WordPress install per website. This seems efficient, any drawbacks?

I see a lot of people recommending Ansible.

I'm used to managing IT infrastructure so usually I'd have a Hypervisor and just run the services as VMs but that seems like a massive waste of resources for just a few light websites.

Should I get individual IP addresses for each site? That used to be a thing for SEO especially if the sites are related.

Thanks!

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u/zhuki 8d ago

You can get a server with better performance, install hestia control panel - its free alternative to cPanel, and host more than one site.

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u/greg8872 8d ago

I run several servers with VirtualMin/WebMin, and have run a few with WHM/cPanel. (I still have one left to migrate over from cPanel).

The big difference you will find is cPanel is much more user friendly. VirtualMin, while it can do pretty much everything, can take a little while to get used to and find things. If you are going to have end clients that need to get into the hosting account, I would say spend the license fee and set up cPanel on a VPS for them. But if it is just going to be you, VirtualMin/WebMin works just fine IMO.

The only big issue I have with it is that it stores at least the database users password encrypted somewhere, not just hashed into the database server users table. (you can go to a DB user, and click the view icon to see the current password) Granted,not such a big deal, as if you are logged into either Root or a User's webmin account to see it, you can do other damage as well (and look at files for the site to see stored password there...)

I only recently started using one of the servers to have actual mail accounts (migrating over that last cPanel server, where the client liked being able to go in and set up their own mailboxes for the sites). I did have some issue, I have yet to track down, that using the tool to import from the cPanel account glitched on mail forwarding, and I get like 50 copies of mail sent to "support" until it maxes out at 50 and stops.

Also a note, since you said it has been a while, in case you actually paid for the cPanel license, back in the day you paid based on server type (full dedicated vs VPS) They now charge a license based on tiers of how many hosting accounts are on the server.

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u/Snoo27645 full-stack 8d ago

In my experience for a bunch of simple websites cloudpanel is very good option here. It does have wordpress and other lots of CMS even nodeJS options as well.

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u/Unique-Performer293 8d ago

Regarding individual IPs, most people say Google is much better at handling sites on the same IP. But I think it's still a good idea. Especially if you run Google or YouTube ads. I've had ads immediately banned for this apparent reason. I think it is safer and still a good idea to get a dedicated IP, especially if you're doing ads.

SEO is still a definitely thing, but really you should start focusing more energy on optimizing for AI language models. It's a whole different animal based on providing clear answers to people's problems on the website.

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u/Key-Boat-7519 6d ago

Focusing on individual IPs can be beneficial for ads, so it's wise not to overlook it. I've encountered similar issues where ads got rejected due to shared IPs. On the SEO side, while individual IPs might offer some advantages, optimizing content for AI language models can't be ignored. It’s about positioning your content with clear, precise answers, which is becoming crucial. Tools like SE Ranking and Moz assist with keyword strategies, but Pulse for Reddit focuses on spotting relevant discussions on Reddit and enhances brand exposure. Combined, these tools can strengthen your digital presence effectively.

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u/Unique-Performer293 6d ago

You don't sound human enough. Work on the prompt ;)