It seems to be the way of the land that when a Windows compatible control panel is released it takes on the look and feel of Windows XP. HostingAccelerator is a Windows compatible control panel that doesn’t fail to deliver in this respect. But instead of just looking good and being fairly easy to navigate it is also powerful, secure, and offers plenty in the way of valuable functions and uses.

The navigation is relatively easy but when compared to other control panels it might take you a little longer to get used to. There are essentially three different navigation menus on the screen so finding the right page can be troublesome for the first few visits. However, the fortunate thing about this is that the reason for this unusual combination of buttons at the top right of the screen, tabs just below and on the left, and then more global buttons below that, is the vast feature set that they contain.

Of course, the more astute among you would have noticed the option to change from this tab view to either tree or menu when logging in (while choosing one of the 11 different XP themed color settings). In our opinion you would be well advised to do just that. However we have stuck to the default setting for this review.

Account Management Buttons

Generally speaking the round buttons at the top of the page tend to concentrate on account management features. As well as providing a link back to this main page, there are also links to pages that allow you to edit your profile, manage your folders, change your password, list your custom links, use a byte conversion calculator, use online help, and logout of your account.

Other Buttons And Navigation Menus

The tab options are geared toward the management of your domain, website, and emails. The third menu has a tendency to change from buttons to more tabs or a navigation menu and is dependent on the page you are viewing at that time. However it is the tab buttons where we will begin an exploration of what exactly HostingAccelerator has to offer.

Site Wizards

Another positive aspect that is common in Windows XP is the wizard. Designed to make complex tasks and procedures less complex and much quicker they can often be a genuine lifesaver in times of trouble. While there are only so many different applications for a wizard in a hosting account it would have been better to see more than three different wizards. That said, the three that are featured provide benefits to the user because of their labor saving qualities.

The site wizard takes you through a few simple steps to help you establish a new site or domain. Once completed, the domain is yours to manage as normal, and a record is also kept in the site wizard page. It is also possible through the site wizard to establish new sub-domains. The procedure really is simple making it a powerful tool for the reseller and the hosting service provider.

 The Mail Wizard is also a quick process and within just a few screens it is possible to establish a new email account either for an existing domain or a new domain, established during the wizard process. The Register Domain wizard lets you register a domain without having to set up a website or email account in order to do so.

Site Manager

The site manager screen of HostingAccelerator gives you access to numerous site settings and enables you to manage each one of them. Depending on the level of your account, whether you are a site manager or a reseller, you will have access to different functions. 

PHP, Perl, and .Net settings are all managed through the domain settings along with your domain information. The manage domain sub-screen allows you to view and edit settings for every domain, sub-domain, and domain directory you have on that specific account.

Power Apps

In the Power Apps section of the site manager are several options to add applications to your website in a single click. Some of these applications can be added instantly as freely available scripts, while others are commercial but supported by the HostingAccelerator control panel. 17 free scripts can be installed with a single click for each one, and they range in purpose from forums to chat rooms, blogs to banner management, and a lot more. Excellent for adding dynamic and community based content to your website.

 ASP.Net start kits are a very useful inclusion, and give you access to packs of applications that are pre-configured and ready to go. A good example of the functionality of this is the commerce kit. The commerce kit includes storefront software, shopping cart software, a customizable product catalog, and an order submission service.

Folder Manager

The Folder Manager lists all folders currently associated with each of your domains and sub-domains. It also has easy navigation to quickly add, delete, amend, rename, and generally edit any of the folders in the list. It’s even possible to search for text strings in files in order to locate a specific file on your server.

Reporting Center

The Reporting Center provides access to reports and statistics for disk space and bandwidth used, data transfer details, system event logs, and the message center. All statistics show the allowed limit where applicable too ensuring that you know exactly where you stand and how much further you can walk before you need to upgrade to a different package with your current host.

Reseller Benefits

Being a reseller demands having complete control over the websites you sell and the hosting packages you offer. HostingAccelerator offers just that. The wizards assist in the setting up of new sites, new sub-domains, new email accounts, and even domain registration. It also enables you, as a reseller, to determine the packages you intend to sell and set the appropriate features through the control panel itself. A reseller account gives you complete control over everything you need.

Cost

One thing we do like is a crystal clear pricing structure. So many commercial software manufacturers avoid, wherever possible, publishing their rates on their website. HostingAccelerator is definitely not like that and also offers a good range of different plans depending on your exact needs and requirements.

Prices are available for Webmasters with 5 domains or Webmasters with 500 domains and priced accordingly. Similarly, plans are also available for unlimited domains, and for multiple servers. For single servers the price ranges from $99 for 5 domains to $449 for 500 domains or even $499 for unlimited domains. Multiple server prices are equal to $1996 for 5 servers and $3743 for ten servers.

Hosting Accelerator Conclusion