"cPanel-included" is a cost, dressed as a feature

"cPanel-included" is a cost, dressed as a feature

They told you: "Get a host with cPanel — it's the industry standard, so it must be best."

cPanel went private-equity, then jacked per-account licensing year after year. That fee is baked into your bill whether you touch the panel or not. "Standard" here means "what the cheap-host playbook copied," not "what's good for you."

Follow the money: the panel you praise is a recurring tax the host passes straight to you.

Plenty of faster setups run on plain SSH or a free panel.

Reality: familiar isn't the same as optimal, it's just what everyone got sold.