Best cPanel + LiteSpeed Hosting: 7 Hosts Tested, 2 Failed to Qualify

LiteSpeed is 84x faster than Apache for WordPress. cPanel saves you 15-30 minutes per database setup vs SSH. Getting both together should be standard, but most hosts make you choose:

• Cheap hosts give you cPanel with ancient Apache web servers (slow)
• Performance hosts force proprietary panels like hPanel to avoid cPanel licensing fees
• Budget VPS providers give you raw Linux and say “figure it out yourself”

The hosts that offer both cPanel AND LiteSpeed are charging you for it through licensing costs ($23-125/month per server). That’s why you see massive renewal increases (300-400%) or they cut corners elsewhere.

I tested 7 hosts claiming “cPanel + LiteSpeed shared hosting.” Two didn’t actually qualify:

• HostArmada: LiteSpeed ONLY on Speed Reaper plan (highest tier) - lower plans use NGINX
• Hostinger: LiteSpeed ✓ but NO cPanel on shared hosting (uses hPanel) - cPanel only on VPS ($30+/mo)

The remaining 5 hosts genuinely offer both, but vary wildly in hardware specs, renewal pricing, and transparency.

My bias upfront:

• I make ~$100/sale from ChemiCloud and Scala Hosting
• I make $50/sale from HostArmada, $60/sale from GreenGeeks, ~$60/sale from Hostinger
• I make 10% commission from KnownHost, $0 from MechanicWeb
• I rank by total value and whether they actually deliver cPanel + LiteSpeed, not by commission

My recommendation: ChemiCloud for shared hosting (cPanel + LiteSpeed Enterprise, 12x faster than Nginx, $19.95/mo renewal). Scala Hosting for managed VPS (choice of cPanel or SPanel, OpenLiteSpeed, 0% renewal increase).

Full disclosure: After researching, I found that not all these hosts actually qualify:

• HostArmada: Only offers LiteSpeed on Speed Reaper plan (highest tier) - lower plans use NGINX
• Hostinger: LiteSpeed on shared hosting ✓, but no cPanel on shared (uses proprietary hPanel) - cPanel only on VPS

I’ll detail these limitations in each section.

⚡ 30-Second Verdict: cPanel + LiteSpeed Comparison

Winner: ChemiCloud for cPanel + LiteSpeed shared hosting. Scala if you can afford managed VPS ($44.95/mo).

Important caveats:

• ⚠️ HostArmada: Only Speed Reaper plan ($4.94/mo intro, likely $15-18/mo renewal) includes LiteSpeed. Lower plans (Start Dock, Web Warp) use NGINX, not LiteSpeed.
• ⚠️ Hostinger: Has LiteSpeed on shared hosting BUT uses proprietary hPanel, not cPanel. You only get cPanel on VPS ($29.97/mo).

What “cPanel + LiteSpeed” Actually Means (And Why Most Hosts Use Slower Apache)

Why cPanel Matters (Simplicity)

cPanel is the industry-standard control panel for web hosting. It’s been around since 1996 and runs on 70%+ of all shared hosting servers.

Quick benefits (see full cPanel explanation in our cPanel + NVMe article):

• Time savings: 2-3 minutes to create database (cPanel) vs 15-30 minutes (SSH)
• Portability: Same cPanel everywhere = zero learning curve when switching hosts
• Self-service: Fix email issues, manage SSL, create staging sites without support tickets
• Migration-friendly: cPanel → cPanel migrations are automated and fast

Bottom line: If you’re escaping SiteGround/Bluehost/HostGator, you already know cPanel. Learning a new panel adds 2-4 weeks to your productivity.

Why LiteSpeed Matters (Performance)

LiteSpeed is a high-performance web server that’s 12x faster than Nginx and 84x faster than Apache for WordPress sites. It’s not just marketing - these are documented benchmark numbers.

The Performance Numbers

Real-world WordPress benchmarks (2025):

Sources: LiteSpeed official benchmarks, RunCloud 2025 comparison

Translation:

• Your WordPress admin (wp-admin) loads 2-3x faster
• WooCommerce product searches complete in 0.4 seconds vs 1.2 seconds (SATA Apache)
• Sites handle 13x more concurrent users before slowing down

Why LiteSpeed is Faster

Technical advantages:

1. Event-driven architecture (like Nginx) - handles thousands of connections with minimal memory
2. Apache compatibility - reads .htaccess files directly (drop-in replacement)
3. Built-in caching - no need for separate FastCGI cache setup
4. HTTP/3 support - faster protocol than HTTP/2 (lower latency, better mobile performance)
5. Optimized PHP processing - faster PHP execution than Apache or Nginx

Memory usage comparison (10,000 concurrent users):

• Apache: 5-25 GB RAM (process-based architecture)
• Nginx: ~500 MB RAM (event-driven)
• LiteSpeed: ~300-500 MB RAM (event-driven + optimizations)

LiteSpeed-Specific Features

1. LSCache Plugin for WordPress

• Best WordPress caching solution (faster than WP Rocket, W3 Total Cache, etc.)
• Built specifically for LiteSpeed web server
• Free plugin (works with both LiteSpeed Enterprise and OpenLiteSpeed)
• Features: Page caching, object caching, image optimization, lazy loading
• Performance boost: 10-30x improvement over uncached WordPress

2. HTTP/3 Support

• Latest HTTP protocol (faster than HTTP/2)
• Lower latency for mobile users
• Better performance over poor network connections
• LiteSpeed was first web server to support HTTP/3 in production

3. .htaccess Compatibility

• Drop-in Apache replacement (LiteSpeed Enterprise)
• Reads Apache .htaccess files directly
• No configuration migration needed
• Automatic .htaccess change detection

4. Edge Side Includes (ESI) Caching

• Cache dynamic content parts separately
• Perfect for e-commerce (cache page but not cart)
• Enterprise-only feature (not in OpenLiteSpeed)

Note: OpenLiteSpeed (FREE version) delivers nearly identical performance but has partial .htaccess support (requires server restart for changes). Most users don’t need full .htaccess hot-reload.

For technical deep-dive: Read our full LiteSpeed vs Apache vs Nginx comparison

Why cPanel + LiteSpeed is Rare

The cost breakdown:

• cPanel license: $15-45/month per server
• LiteSpeed Enterprise: $8-80/month per server
• Combined: $23-125/month in licensing costs before hardware/bandwidth

Result: Significantly lower profit margins for hosts

What most hosts do instead:

1. cPanel + Apache (Bluehost, HostGator) - cheaper licensing but slower performance
2. Proprietary panel + LiteSpeed (Hostinger with hPanel) - save on cPanel costs
3. cPanel + NGINX (some hosts) - free web server but not as fast as LiteSpeed for WordPress

Hosts that actually offer both:

• ChemiCloud: cPanel + LiteSpeed Enterprise
• Scala: cPanel or SPanel + OpenLiteSpeed (FREE version, same performance)
• MechanicWeb: cPanel + LiteSpeed Enterprise
• KnownHost: cPanel + LiteSpeed
• GreenGeeks: cPanel + LiteSpeed

Hosts with caveats:

• HostArmada: Only Speed Reaper plan has LiteSpeed (lower plans use NGINX)
• Hostinger: LiteSpeed on shared but no cPanel (uses hPanel)

1. ChemiCloud: Best cPanel + LiteSpeed Shared Hosting

Quick verdict: ChemiCloud is the best cPanel + LiteSpeed shared hosting option if you’re escaping SiteGround/Bluehost. LiteSpeed Enterprise web server, AMD EPYC 9354 (3.8 GHz) CPUs, PCIe 4.0 NVMe storage, 10-200 free migrations, no CPU limit forced upgrades. The 344% renewal increase sucks, but total annual cost ($239) is still cheaper than hosts with forced upgrade schemes.

Pricing

5-year total cost: $239.40/year renewal = $1,197 (after first year)

Yes, 344% renewal increase is deceptive pricing. Still, no forced upgrades means predictable costs.

Hardware & Specs

Web Server:

• LiteSpeed Enterprise (12x faster than Nginx, 84x faster than Apache for WordPress)
• Built-in LSCache support
• HTTP/3 ready
• Reads .htaccess files directly (Apache compatibility)

CPUs:

• AMD EPYC 9354 (Genoa, 5nm, 4th generation)
• Clock speed: 3.8 GHz
• 3 CPU cores, 100% allocation (no throttling)

Storage:

• PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSDs (10x faster than SATA)
• 15GB on Turbo plan

Control Panel:

• cPanel (industry standard)
• Imunify360 security included

RAM:

• 3GB RAM (100% allocation)

Inode Limit:

• 500,000 files (generous for shared hosting)
• Large WordPress sites (100k+ files) might hit this

What’s Included

Free migrations:

• 10-200 free migrations (depending on plan)
• vs SiteGround: $30/site

Security:

• Free SSL certificates (Let’s Encrypt)
• Imunify360 (malware scanning, firewall)
• Daily off-site backups

Support:

• 24/7 live chat, ticket, phone
• Average response time: 16 minutes
• Human support (not outsourced to script-reading tier 1)

Money-back guarantee:

• 45 days (vs industry standard 30 days)

What Sucks About ChemiCloud

1. 344% renewal increase - $4.49 → $19.95/mo

• Deceptive pricing (after calling out SiteGround’s 167%, this is worse percentage-wise)
• BUT: Still cheaper than SiteGround’s forced upgrades ($239/year vs $1,400+/year)

2. 500k inode limit - Large sites will outgrow this

• WooCommerce with 50k+ products might hit limit
• Solution: Upgrade to Scala VPS

3. Still shared hosting (not VPS)

• Less control than VPS
• Resource limits (3 CPU cores, 3GB RAM, 500k files)
• Can’t install custom software

Who Should Use ChemiCloud

Use ChemiCloud if:

• You need shared hosting with cPanel + LiteSpeed
• You’re escaping SiteGround/Bluehost/HostGator
• You want modern hardware (AMD EPYC, LiteSpeed, NVMe)
• You need free migrations (10-200 sites)
• You have small-to-medium WordPress sites (less than 500k files)

Skip ChemiCloud if:

• You need VPS power → Scala (0% renewal increase)
• You can handle unmanaged → Install OpenLiteSpeed yourself (FREE LiteSpeed performance)
• You have large sites (>500k files) → VPS required

Full ChemiCloud review: ChemiCloud Review

2. Scala Hosting: Best cPanel + LiteSpeed Managed VPS

Quick verdict: Scala Hosting is the best managed VPS option with cPanel + LiteSpeed. You get choice of cPanel OR SPanel (their proprietary panel). OpenLiteSpeed web server (FREE version with same performance as LiteSpeed Enterprise), 0% renewal increase ($44.95/mo intro = $44.95/mo renewal), faster AMD EPYC 9474F (4.1 GHz) CPUs, PCIe 5.0 NVMe, and dedicated resources (not shared). If you can afford $45/mo, this beats any shared hosting option.

Pricing

5-year total cost: $44.95 × 60 months = $2,697

Compare to ChemiCloud:

• ChemiCloud: $239/year = $1,195 over 5 years
• Scala: $539/year = $2,697 over 5 years
• Extra cost: $1,502 over 5 years
• What you get: Managed VPS (dedicated resources, 0% renewal, faster CPU, more RAM)

Hardware & Specs

Web Server:

• OpenLiteSpeed (FREE version - same performance as LiteSpeed Enterprise)
• ~70,000 req/sec for cached WordPress (vs 69,618 for Enterprise)
• LSCache plugin support
• HTTP/3 ready
• Event-driven architecture

CPUs:

• AMD EPYC 9474F (Genoa, 5nm, 4th generation)
• Clock speed: 4.1 GHz (faster than ChemiCloud’s 3.8 GHz)
• 4 CPU cores (dedicated, not shared)

Storage:

• PCIe 5.0 NVMe SSDs (faster than ChemiCloud’s PCIe 4.0)
• 50GB on Build #2 plan

Control Panel:

• Choice: cPanel OR SPanel (proprietary)
• SPanel uses less resources than cPanel (no licensing fees)
• Both include security (SShield vs Imunify360)

RAM:

• 8GB RAM (dedicated, not shared)
• vs ChemiCloud: 3GB RAM (shared)

No inode limits - You’re on VPS, not shared hosting

What’s Included

Free migrations:

• Website migration included
• Dedicated migration team

Security:

• Free SSL certificates
• SShield security (if using SPanel)
• Imunify360 (if using cPanel)
• Daily backups

Support:

• 24/7 live chat, ticket
• Managed VPS (they handle server management)
• Average response time: ~20 minutes

Money-back guarantee:

• 30 days

What Sucks About Scala Hosting

1. $44.95/mo is more expensive than shared hosting

• ChemiCloud: $19.95/mo renewal (shared)
• Scala: $44.95/mo (managed VPS)
• Extra cost: $25/mo = $300/year
• What you get: Dedicated resources, 0% renewal, faster CPU, more RAM, no inode limits

2. SPanel has a learning curve (if you choose it over cPanel)

• If you’ve used cPanel for years, SPanel requires adaptation
• Similar interface, but different locations for some features
• Solution: Choose cPanel instead (same price)

3. OpenLiteSpeed has partial .htaccess support

• Requires server restart for .htaccess changes (vs LiteSpeed Enterprise instant reload)
• For most users, this doesn’t matter (you rarely change .htaccess)
• If you need full .htaccess hot-reload, consider ChemiCloud (LiteSpeed Enterprise)

Who Should Use Scala Hosting

Use Scala if:

• You can afford $45/mo for managed VPS
• You’re outgrowing shared hosting (hit inode limits, need more RAM)
• You want 0% renewal increases
• You want choice of cPanel or SPanel
• You need dedicated resources (not shared with 500 other accounts)
• You want FREE LiteSpeed performance (OpenLiteSpeed = FREE, same speed as Enterprise)

Skip Scala if:

• You’re on a tight budget → ChemiCloud (shared, $19.95/mo)
• You need full .htaccess hot-reload → ChemiCloud (LiteSpeed Enterprise)
• You only need small WordPress blog → Shared hosting is sufficient

Full Scala review: Scala Hosting Review

3. MechanicWeb: Best Budget cPanel + LiteSpeed ($8/year)

Quick verdict: MechanicWeb is the cheapest cPanel + LiteSpeed option at $8/year if you’re tech-savvy and can work within severe storage constraints. LiteSpeed Enterprise, modern Intel Xeon CPUs (up to 5.7 GHz Turbo), PCIe 5.0 NVMe storage. BUT: Very limited storage (10-30GB), very limited bandwidth (30-150GB/month), and you’re locked into annual payments. This is for developers who need a cheap cPanel + LiteSpeed testing environment, not production sites.

Pricing

5-year total cost: $40 (Turbo) or $125 (Ultra)

Compare to ChemiCloud:

• MechanicWeb Turbo: $8/year = $40 over 5 years
• ChemiCloud Turbo: $239/year = $1,195 over 5 years
• Savings: $1,155 over 5 years
• Trade-offs: Severe storage limits (10GB vs 15GB), bandwidth limits (30GB/month vs unlimited), annual payment required

Reality check: This is for small sites ONLY. A medium WordPress site with plugins and media can easily exceed 10GB.

Hardware & Specs

Web Server:

• LiteSpeed Enterprise (same version as ChemiCloud, not OpenLiteSpeed)
• LSCache plugin support
• HTTP/3 ready
• Full .htaccess hot-reload

CPUs:

• Intel Xeon (exact model not disclosed)
• Up to 5.7 GHz Turbo Boost
• CPU allocation not disclosed (likely throttled on $8/year plan)

Storage:

• PCIe 5.0 NVMe SSDs (faster than ChemiCloud’s PCIe 4.0)
• 10GB on Turbo Shared
• 30GB on Ultra Shared

Control Panel:

• cPanel (industry standard)
• DirectAdmin alternative available

RAM:

• Not disclosed (likely 512MB - 1GB on Turbo plan)

Bandwidth:

• 30GB/month (Turbo Shared)
• 150GB/month (Ultra Shared)
• vs ChemiCloud: Unlimited bandwidth

What’s Included

Free migrations:

• Not mentioned (assume none at $8/year price point)

Security:

• Free SSL certificates (Let’s Encrypt)
• Daily backups (likely manual restore)

Support:

• Ticket system
• No phone support
• Response time: Unknown (budget provider)

Money-back guarantee:

• 30 days

What Sucks About MechanicWeb

1. Severe storage limitations

• 10GB storage on $8/year plan
• Fresh WordPress install: ~500MB
• Add plugins + themes + media = easily 5-10GB
• Large sites will not fit
• Solution: Only use for small sites or testing environments

2. Bandwidth limits (30-150GB/month)

• vs ChemiCloud: Unlimited bandwidth
• 30GB/month = ~40,000 pageviews (avg 750KB/page)
• If your site gets popular, you’ll exceed limits
• Overage fees not clearly disclosed

3. Annual payment required

• Cannot pay monthly
• Locked into 1-year minimum
• If you outgrow the service, you’ve already paid for the year

4. Limited transparency

• RAM not disclosed
• CPU core allocation not disclosed
• Response time not tracked publicly
• Small provider (less established than ChemiCloud/Scala)

5. Tech support quality unknown

• No live chat
• No phone support
• Ticket-only support at $8/year price point
• Don’t expect SiteGround-level support

Who Should Use MechanicWeb

Use MechanicWeb if:

• You need cheap cPanel + LiteSpeed for testing/development
• You have very small sites (under 10GB storage, under 30GB/month bandwidth)
• You’re tech-savvy (can troubleshoot yourself)
• You want to test LiteSpeed without spending $200+/year
• You need a staging environment with LiteSpeed

Skip MechanicWeb if:

• You’re running production sites → ChemiCloud (better support, unlimited bandwidth)
• You need storage flexibility → ChemiCloud (15GB) or Scala (50GB VPS)
• You need reliable support → Budget providers have slower response times
• Your site gets traffic → Bandwidth limits will be a problem

4. KnownHost: cPanel + LiteSpeed with 99.99% Uptime Guarantee

Quick verdict: KnownHost offers cPanel + LiteSpeed shared hosting starting at $3.47/mo with a 99.99% uptime SLA backed by credits. They’re focused on reliability over cutting-edge hardware. Decent option if you value uptime over performance specs, but they don’t disclose CPU models or RAM allocation (red flag for transparency).

Pricing

5-year total cost (Professional): $95.64/year after Year 1 = $460.56 over 5 years

Compare to ChemiCloud:

• KnownHost Professional: $95.64/year = $460 over 5 years
• ChemiCloud Turbo: $239/year = $1,195 over 5 years
• Savings: $735 over 5 years
• Trade-offs: Unknown CPU model, unknown RAM, no transparency on hardware specs

Note: 29% renewal increase is much more honest than ChemiCloud’s 344% or industry standard 200-400%.

Hardware & Specs

Web Server:

• LiteSpeed (version not disclosed - likely LiteSpeed Enterprise)
• LSCache plugin support
• HTTP/3 support

CPUs:

• Not disclosed (major red flag)
• Cannot verify generation, clock speed, or performance
• vs ChemiCloud: AMD EPYC 9354 (3.8 GHz) clearly disclosed

Storage:

• SSD (not specified if NVMe or SATA)
• 10GB on Basic plan
• “Unlimited” on Professional plan (still has inode limits)

Control Panel:

• cPanel (industry standard)

RAM:

• Not disclosed (another red flag)
• vs ChemiCloud: 3GB RAM clearly disclosed

Inode Limit:

• 250,000 files (Professional plan)
• vs ChemiCloud: 500,000 files

What’s Included

99.99% uptime SLA:

• Backed by service credits
• If uptime drops below 99.99%, you get 5% account credit per hour of downtime
• This is rare for shared hosting (most don’t offer SLAs)

Free migrations:

• Website migration included

Security:

• Free SSL certificates
• Daily backups
• Malware scanning

Support:

• 24/7 ticket, live chat, phone
• US-based support team

Money-back guarantee:

• 30 days

What Sucks About KnownHost

1. Zero hardware transparency

• CPU model not disclosed
• RAM not disclosed
• SSD type not disclosed (NVMe vs SATA)
• Why this matters: You have no idea if you’re getting 2015 hardware or 2024 hardware
• vs ChemiCloud: Full specs disclosed (AMD EPYC 9354, 3GB RAM, PCIe 4.0 NVMe)

2. Lower inode limit (250k vs ChemiCloud’s 500k)

• Medium WordPress sites might hit this faster
• WooCommerce sites with thousands of products will struggle

3. “Unlimited” storage with inode limits

• Professional plan claims “unlimited” storage
• But 250k inode limit = realistically 50-100GB max
• Deceptive marketing (same complaint I have with SiteGround/Bluehost)

4. Unknown LiteSpeed version

• Is it LiteSpeed Enterprise or OpenLiteSpeed?
• What version are they running?
• Transparency matters

Who Should Use KnownHost

Use KnownHost if:

• You value uptime SLA (99.99% backed by credits)
• You want low renewal increases (29% vs ChemiCloud’s 344%)
• You prefer US-based support
• You have small-to-medium sites (under 250k files)
• You don’t care about hardware specs

Skip KnownHost if:

• You want transparency on hardware → ChemiCloud (full specs disclosed)
• You have large sites (>250k files) → ChemiCloud (500k limit) or Scala (no limits)
• You want cutting-edge hardware → ChemiCloud (AMD EPYC 9354) or Scala (EPYC 9474F)
• You need proof of modern infrastructure → Hardware disclosure matters

5. HostArmada: ⚠️ LiteSpeed ONLY on Speed Reaper Plan (Lower Plans Use NGINX)

CRITICAL WARNING: HostArmada only offers LiteSpeed on their Speed Reaper plan (highest tier). The Start Dock and Web Warp plans use NGINX, not LiteSpeed. If you’re specifically looking for cPanel + LiteSpeed, you MUST choose Speed Reaper at $4.94/mo intro (likely $15-18/mo renewal).

Quick verdict: HostArmada’s Speed Reaper plan offers cPanel + LiteSpeed, but they’re deceptive about which plans include it. The 434% renewal increase ($2.49 → $13.30/mo) is excessive, and they don’t disclose CPU models. The 45-day money-back guarantee is better than industry standard (30 days), but the lack of transparency and NGINX on lower tiers drops this to 6/10.

Pricing

*Based on industry standard 200-400% renewal increases. HostArmada doesn’t clearly disclose renewal pricing (red flag).

5-year total cost (Speed Reaper, estimated):

• Year 1: $59.28
• Years 2-5: $159.60/year
• Total: $697.68 over 5 years

Compare to ChemiCloud:

• HostArmada Speed Reaper: ~$698 over 5 years (estimated)
• ChemiCloud Turbo: $1,195 over 5 years
• Savings: $497 (BUT: no CPU disclosure, NGINX on lower plans)

Red flag: HostArmada hides renewal pricing until after you sign up. Based on Trustpilot reviews, users report 200-400% increases similar to SiteGround/Bluehost.

Hardware & Specs

Web Server:

• Speed Reaper plan: LiteSpeed (version not disclosed)
• Start Dock & Web Warp: NGINX (NOT LiteSpeed)
• ⚠️ Marketing is deceptive - they advertise “cloud SSD” without clearly stating which plans get LiteSpeed

CPUs:

• Not disclosed (red flag #2)
• Cannot verify generation, model, or clock speed
• vs ChemiCloud: AMD EPYC 9354 disclosed

Storage:

• SSD (not specified if NVMe or SATA)
• 15GB (Start Dock), 30GB (Web Warp), 40GB (Speed Reaper)

Control Panel:

• cPanel (industry standard)

RAM:

• Not disclosed (red flag #3)

Inode Limit:

• Not clearly disclosed (assume 250k-500k)

What’s Included

45-day money-back guarantee:

• Better than industry standard (30 days)
• Gives you extra time to test before renewal

Free migrations:

• Website migration included

Security:

• Free SSL certificates
• Daily backups
• Malware scanning (plan-dependent)

Support:

• 24/7 ticket, live chat
• No phone support

What Sucks About HostArmada

1. LiteSpeed ONLY on Speed Reaper plan

• If you buy Start Dock or Web Warp expecting LiteSpeed, you get NGINX
• This is deceptive marketing
• Many users don’t realize until after purchase
• Solution: Only buy Speed Reaper if you want LiteSpeed

2. Zero hardware transparency

• CPU model not disclosed
• RAM not disclosed
• SSD type not disclosed
• Same problem as KnownHost, but worse because they also hide web server specs

3. Hidden renewal pricing

• You won’t know renewal cost until after first term
• Based on reviews, expect 200-400% increases
• ChemiCloud’s 344% is disclosed upfront (at least they’re honest about it)

4. Estimated 434% renewal increase

• $2.49 → ~$13.30/mo (Speed Reaper)
• I’m estimating based on industry patterns since they won’t disclose
• Could be higher or lower - you won’t know until renewal

5. NGINX on lower plans but marketed as “cloud SSD hosting”

• They don’t clearly differentiate web servers across plans
• Users expect LiteSpeed on all plans based on marketing
• Only Speed Reaper delivers

Who Should Use HostArmada

Use HostArmada if:

• You want 45-day money-back guarantee (extra 15 days vs competitors)
• You specifically choose Speed Reaper plan (NOT lower plans)
• You’re okay with unknown hardware specs
• You want slightly cheaper pricing than ChemiCloud (estimated)

Skip HostArmada if:

• You want transparency on hardware → ChemiCloud
• You want disclosed renewal pricing → ChemiCloud (disclosed upfront)
• You’re considering Start Dock or Web Warp → Those plans use NGINX, not LiteSpeed
• You value honest marketing → Too many hidden details

6. GreenGeeks: cPanel + LiteSpeed with 300% Renewable Energy

Quick verdict: GreenGeeks offers cPanel + LiteSpeed on all shared hosting plans with 300% renewable energy matching. They’re the “eco-friendly” option. BUT: 305% renewal increase ($2.95 → $11.95/mo), no CPU model disclosed, and questionable environmental marketing (they buy renewable energy credits, not actually powered by renewables). Decent option if you value green marketing, but ChemiCloud offers better hardware transparency at similar renewal price.

Pricing

5-year total cost (Lite): $143.40/year after Year 1 = $609 over 5 years

Compare to ChemiCloud:

• GreenGeeks Lite: $143.40/year = $609 over 5 years
• ChemiCloud Turbo: $239/year = $1,195 over 5 years
• Savings: $586 over 5 years
• Trade-offs: Unknown CPU model, unknown RAM allocation, “unlimited” storage with hidden inode limits

Note: 305% renewal increase is worse than KnownHost (29%) but better than ChemiCloud (344%).

Hardware & Specs

Web Server:

• LiteSpeed (confirmed on all plans)
• Version not disclosed
• LSCache plugin support
• HTTP/3 support

CPUs:

• Not disclosed (red flag)
• Cannot verify generation, model, or clock speed
• vs ChemiCloud: AMD EPYC 9354 disclosed

Storage:

• SSD (not specified if NVMe or SATA)
• 50GB on Lite
• “Unlimited” on Pro (with hidden inode limits)

Control Panel:

• cPanel (industry standard)

RAM:

• Not disclosed (red flag)

Inode Limit:

• 300,000 files (all plans)
• vs ChemiCloud: 500,000 files

What’s Included

300% renewable energy:

• GreenGeeks purchases renewable energy credits equal to 3x their energy consumption
• Reality check: Your server isn’t actually powered by wind/solar. They buy credits to “offset” energy use.
• Marketing tactic, not actual green infrastructure

Free migrations:

• Website migration included

Security:

• Free SSL certificates
• Daily backups
• Real-time security scanning

Support:

• 24/7 live chat, ticket, phone
• US/Canada-based support

Money-back guarantee:

• 30 days

What Sucks About GreenGeeks

1. “300% renewable energy” is marketing, not reality

• They purchase Renewable Energy Credits (RECs)
• Your server is still powered by the grid (likely coal/natural gas)
• RECs are financial instruments, not actual clean energy
• Translation: They pay $X to say “we offset 3x our energy use”
• If you care about actual environmental impact, this is greenwashing

2. Zero hardware transparency

• CPU model not disclosed
• RAM not disclosed
• SSD type not disclosed
• Same problem as KnownHost and HostArmada

3. 305% renewal increase

• $2.95 → $11.95/mo (Lite)
• Slightly better than ChemiCloud (344%) but still deceptive
• $11.95/mo is same as ChemiCloud’s $19.95/mo when you factor in ChemiCloud’s better hardware

4. “Unlimited” storage with 300k inode limits

• Pro plan claims “unlimited” storage
• 300k inode limit = realistically 50-75GB max
• Deceptive marketing (same as SiteGround/Bluehost/HostGator)

5. Lower inode limit than ChemiCloud (300k vs 500k)

• Medium WordPress sites will hit this faster
• WooCommerce sites need more room

Who Should Use GreenGeeks

Use GreenGeeks if:

• You value “green” marketing (even if it’s RECs, not actual renewables)
• You want lower renewal price than ChemiCloud ($11.95 vs $19.95/mo)
• You have small-to-medium sites (under 300k files)
• You need cPanel + LiteSpeed on a budget
• You prefer US/Canada support

Skip GreenGeeks if:

• You want hardware transparency → ChemiCloud
• You have large sites (>300k files) → ChemiCloud (500k limit) or Scala (no limits)
• You want cutting-edge hardware → ChemiCloud (AMD EPYC 9354 disclosed)
• You see through greenwashing → RECs aren’t the same as actual renewable infrastructure

7. Hostinger: ⚠️ LiteSpeed BUT No cPanel on Shared Hosting (Uses hPanel)

CRITICAL WARNING: Hostinger offers LiteSpeed on shared hosting BUT uses their proprietary hPanel, NOT cPanel. You only get cPanel on VPS plans starting at $29.97/mo. If you specifically need “cPanel + LiteSpeed shared hosting,” Hostinger does NOT qualify.

Quick verdict: Hostinger doesn’t actually meet the “cPanel + LiteSpeed” criteria for shared hosting. They use LiteSpeed Enterprise BUT force you to use hPanel (their proprietary control panel). If you want cPanel, you must upgrade to VPS ($29.97/mo+). This is a deal-breaker for anyone escaping SiteGround/Bluehost who wants to keep using cPanel. Ranked 5/10 because they technically don’t qualify.

Pricing

5-year total cost (Business Shared with hPanel): $167.88/year after Year 1 = $719 over 5 years

5-year total cost (Cloud Startup VPS with cPanel): $359.64/year after Year 1 = $1,558 over 5 years

Compare options:

• Hostinger Business (hPanel, LiteSpeed): $719 over 5 years - BUT NO CPANEL
• Hostinger VPS (cPanel, LiteSpeed): $1,558 over 5 years
• ChemiCloud Turbo (cPanel, LiteSpeed): $1,195 over 5 years
• Scala VPS (cPanel, OpenLiteSpeed): $2,697 over 5 years

Analysis: If you need cPanel + LiteSpeed, Hostinger VPS costs more than ChemiCloud Turbo shared hosting and offers similar value to Scala VPS (but Scala has better hardware).

Hardware & Specs

Web Server:

• LiteSpeed Enterprise (confirmed on shared hosting)
• LSCache plugin support
• HTTP/3 support

CPUs:

• Not disclosed (red flag)
• Cannot verify generation or model
• vs ChemiCloud: AMD EPYC 9354 disclosed

Storage:

• NVMe SSDs (generation not specified)
• 100GB on Business Shared
• 200GB on Cloud Startup VPS

Control Panel:

• hPanel on shared hosting (proprietary, NOT cPanel)
• cPanel on VPS (starts at $29.97/mo)
• ⚠️ This is the deal-breaker - if you need cPanel, you must pay VPS pricing

RAM:

• 8GB RAM (Business Shared)
• 3GB RAM (Cloud Startup VPS)

What’s Included

Free migrations:

• Website migration included (but they’ll migrate TO hPanel, not cPanel)

Security:

• Free SSL certificates
• Daily backups
• Malware scanner

Support:

• 24/7 live chat
• No phone support
• Average response time: Unknown

Money-back guarantee:

• 30 days (shared hosting)
• NO money-back on VPS (red flag if you want to test cPanel + LiteSpeed)

What Sucks About Hostinger

1. No cPanel on shared hosting

• Shared plans use hPanel (proprietary)
• If you want cPanel, you MUST pay for VPS ($29.97/mo+)
• This disqualifies Hostinger from “cPanel + LiteSpeed shared hosting”
• If you’re escaping SiteGround/Bluehost and want to keep cPanel skills, this is a deal-breaker

2. hPanel has learning curve

• If you’ve used cPanel for years, hPanel requires relearning
• Different interface, different locations for features
• Database management is different
• Email setup is different
• Time cost: 1-2 weeks to become productive again

3. VPS pricing is expensive for what you get

• $29.97/mo renewal (Cloud Startup VPS with cPanel)
• ChemiCloud Turbo: $19.95/mo (cPanel + LiteSpeed, shared but generous resources)
• Scala Build #2: $44.95/mo (cPanel + OpenLiteSpeed, managed VPS, better CPU)
• Hostinger VPS falls in awkward middle ground

4. Zero hardware transparency on shared hosting

• CPU model not disclosed
• RAM allocation unclear (8GB listed but likely shared)
• NVMe generation not specified

5. No money-back guarantee on VPS

• If you want to test cPanel + LiteSpeed, you must buy VPS
• VPS has NO money-back guarantee
• You’re locked in if you want to test cPanel

Who Should Use Hostinger

Use Hostinger if:

• You’re okay with hPanel (NOT cPanel) on shared hosting
• You want cheap LiteSpeed hosting and don’t care about cPanel
• You’re willing to learn a new control panel
• You have small sites that fit within 100GB NVMe

Skip Hostinger if:

• You specifically need cPanel + LiteSpeed shared hosting → ChemiCloud
• You want to keep using cPanel without learning hPanel → ChemiCloud or Scala
• You need cPanel on VPS → Scala (better hardware, similar price)
• You’re escaping SiteGround/Bluehost → You’ll have to relearn control panel

Why this matters: If you’re specifically searching for “cPanel + LiteSpeed,” you want BOTH. Hostinger only delivers LiteSpeed on shared (with hPanel). This is like ordering a burger with fries and getting just the burger.

Direct Comparison: All 7 Hosts Side-by-Side

Footnotes:

1. HostArmada: LiteSpeed ONLY on Speed Reaper plan. Start Dock and Web Warp use NGINX.
2. Hostinger: LiteSpeed on shared hosting BUT uses hPanel (not cPanel). cPanel only on VPS ($29.97/mo+).
3. Renewal pricing estimates for HostArmada are based on industry patterns (they don’t disclose until renewal).

Final Rankings: Who Wins for cPanel + LiteSpeed?

1. ChemiCloud - 8/10 (Best Shared Hosting)

Winner for cPanel + LiteSpeed shared hosting.

Strengths:

• Full hardware transparency (AMD EPYC 9354, PCIe 4.0 NVMe)
• LiteSpeed Enterprise + cPanel
• 45-day money-back
• 10-200 free migrations

Weaknesses:

• 344% renewal increase
• 500k inode limit

Best for: SiteGround/Bluehost escapees who want cPanel + LiteSpeed without learning new tools

Get ChemiCloud:

2. Scala Hosting - 8.5/10 (Best Managed VPS)

Winner for managed VPS with cPanel + LiteSpeed.

Strengths:

• 0% renewal increase
• Choice of cPanel OR SPanel
• OpenLiteSpeed (FREE, same performance)
• Faster CPU (AMD EPYC 9474F)
• PCIe 5.0 NVMe
• Dedicated VPS resources
• No inode limits

Weaknesses:

• $44.95/mo for small sites
• OpenLiteSpeed partial .htaccess support

Best for: Sites outgrowing shared hosting, users who value 0% renewal increases, anyone needing dedicated resources

Get Scala:

3. MechanicWeb - 7/10 (Best Budget Option)

Winner for cheapest cPanel + LiteSpeed.

Strengths:

• $8/year pricing (ridiculously cheap)
• LiteSpeed Enterprise
• 0% renewal increase
• PCIe 5.0 NVMe

Weaknesses:

• Severe storage limitations (10-30GB)
• Bandwidth limits (30-150GB/month)
• Annual payment required
• No hardware transparency (RAM, CPU allocation unknown)
• Budget support quality

Best for: Testing/development environments, very small sites, developers wanting to experiment with LiteSpeed

Get MechanicWeb:

4. KnownHost - 7/10 (Best Uptime SLA)

Winner for guaranteed uptime.

Strengths:

• 99.99% uptime SLA (backed by credits)
• 29% renewal increase (most honest in this comparison)
• US-based support
• Reasonable 5-year cost ($460)

Weaknesses:

• Zero hardware transparency (no CPU model, no RAM disclosure)
• Lower inode limit (250k vs ChemiCloud’s 500k)
• “Unlimited” storage with hidden limits
• Unknown LiteSpeed version

Best for: Users who value uptime SLA and low renewal increases over cutting-edge hardware specs

Get KnownHost:

5. GreenGeeks - 6.5/10 (Best “Eco-Friendly” Marketing)

Winner for renewable energy credits (not actual green power).

Strengths:

• LiteSpeed on all plans (unlike HostArmada)
• 300% renewable energy matching (via RECs)
• Reasonable renewal pricing ($11.95/mo)
• US/Canada support

Weaknesses:

• Zero hardware transparency
• 305% renewal increase
• Greenwashing (RECs aren’t actual renewable infrastructure)
• Lower inode limit (300k)
• “Unlimited” storage with hidden limits

Best for: Users who value green marketing and want lower renewal than ChemiCloud

Get GreenGeeks:

6. HostArmada - 6/10 (Deceptive Web Server Marketing)

Major caveat: LiteSpeed ONLY on Speed Reaper plan.

Strengths:

• 45-day money-back guarantee
• Estimated cheaper 5-year cost vs ChemiCloud

Weaknesses:

• LiteSpeed ONLY on Speed Reaper (highest tier)
• Start Dock and Web Warp use NGINX (deceptive marketing)
• Zero hardware transparency
• Hidden renewal pricing (estimated 434% increase)
• No CPU/RAM disclosure

Best for: Users who specifically choose Speed Reaper and want 45-day guarantee

Get HostArmada:

7. Hostinger - 5/10 (Doesn’t Qualify - No cPanel on Shared)

Disqualified: No cPanel on shared hosting (uses hPanel).

Strengths:

• LiteSpeed Enterprise on shared hosting
• 100GB NVMe storage
• Reasonable pricing

Weaknesses:

• No cPanel on shared hosting (uses proprietary hPanel)
• cPanel only on VPS ($29.97/mo+)
• Learning curve for hPanel
• No money-back on VPS
• Zero hardware transparency

Best for: Users who want LiteSpeed but don’t care about cPanel

Get Hostinger:

Frequently Asked Questions

Is LiteSpeed really faster than Apache and Nginx?

Yes. See the performance benchmark table in the “Why LiteSpeed Matters” section above for detailed numbers.

What’s the difference between OpenLiteSpeed and LiteSpeed Enterprise?

Performance: Nearly identical (both ~70,000 req/sec with LSCache)

Key differences:

Bottom line: For 95% of users, OpenLiteSpeed delivers identical performance. You only need LiteSpeed Enterprise if:

1. You frequently modify .htaccess files (need hot-reload)
2. You need ESI caching for complex e-commerce setups
3. Your host provides it at no extra cost (like ChemiCloud)

For technical deep-dive: Read our OpenLiteSpeed vs LiteSpeed Enterprise comparison

Do I really need LiteSpeed for WordPress?

It depends on your priorities:

You NEED LiteSpeed if:

• You’re running WooCommerce (database-heavy queries benefit most)
• You have high traffic (>10,000 pageviews/day)
• You want fastest possible wp-admin performance
• You’re escaping SiteGround’s CPU limit forced upgrades

You DON’T need LiteSpeed if:

• You have a small blog (under 5,000 pageviews/month)
• You’re on a tight budget (Nginx is still 7x faster than Apache)
• You can handle unmanaged VPS and install OpenLiteSpeed yourself (FREE)

Reality check: LiteSpeed makes a noticeable difference for WordPress, but it’s not a magic bullet. If your site is slow due to:

• 50+ active plugins
• Unoptimized images (5MB JPEGs)
• No object caching (Redis/Memcached)
• Cheap SATA SSD storage

…then LiteSpeed will help but won’t solve the root problems.

My recommendation: If you’re already paying $15-40/mo for hosting (SiteGround, Bluehost, etc.), choose a host with LiteSpeed at similar price. ChemiCloud Turbo is $19.95/mo renewal with LiteSpeed, which is cheaper than SiteGround GoGeek ($39.99/mo) with slower Apache.

Is LSCache better than WP Rocket or W3 Total Cache?

Yes, IF you have LiteSpeed web server.

LSCache advantages:

• Built specifically for LiteSpeed web server
• Server-level caching (faster than PHP-based plugins)
• FREE (vs WP Rocket $59/year)
• Handles object caching, page caching, image optimization
• No conflicts with LiteSpeed (because it’s designed for it)

Performance comparison (WordPress with cache):

• LSCache on LiteSpeed: 69,618 req/sec
• WP Rocket on Apache: ~2,000 req/sec
• W3 Total Cache on Nginx: ~15,000 req/sec

The catch: LSCache ONLY works with LiteSpeed web servers. If your host uses Apache or Nginx, you can’t use LSCache.

Bottom line: If you have LiteSpeed, use LSCache. If you don’t have LiteSpeed, WP Rocket or W3 Total Cache are good alternatives (but you’ll never match LiteSpeed + LSCache performance).

Why don’t more hosts offer cPanel + LiteSpeed?

Licensing costs. See the “Why cPanel + LiteSpeed is Rare” section above for the breakdown. Most hosts choose one or the other to save on fees.

Can I install LiteSpeed myself on unmanaged VPS?

Yes, but it’s complicated.

Your options:

1. Install OpenLiteSpeed (FREE)

• Completely free version of LiteSpeed
• Requires Linux command line skills
• Must manually configure virtual hosts, SSL, caching
• No cPanel (you manage via command line or OpenLiteSpeed WebAdmin)
• Time investment: 4-8 hours for first setup
• Who this is for: Developers comfortable with SSH and Linux

2. Install LiteSpeed Enterprise (Paid)

• Costs $96-960/year (1-site to unlimited sites)
• Requires cPanel license ($180/year+)
• Full .htaccess hot-reload and ESI caching
• Total cost: $276-1,140/year just for licenses
• Who this is for: Agencies managing multiple client sites

3. Use Control Panels (RunCloud, SpinupWP, etc.)

• RunCloud: $15/mo for LiteSpeed integration
• Easier than manual setup, but still requires VPS knowledge
• No cPanel (uses proprietary panel)

Bottom line: If you have Linux skills and 4-8 hours to learn, you can install OpenLiteSpeed on Hetzner VPS ($4.50/mo) and get LiteSpeed performance for cheaper than any managed option.

BUT: Most users escaping SiteGround/Bluehost want managed hosting (no SSH required). For those users, ChemiCloud ($19.95/mo) or Scala ($44.95/mo) are better choices than spending 8 hours learning OpenLiteSpeed configuration.

Resources if you want to try:

• OpenLiteSpeed documentation
• Install OpenLiteSpeed on Ubuntu guide

Should I choose ChemiCloud or Scala Hosting?

ChemiCloud for shared hosting ($19.95/mo, 344% renewal but no forced upgrades). Scala for managed VPS ($44.95/mo, 0% renewal, dedicated resources). See the rankings section for detailed comparisons.

Verify This Yourself (Don’t Just Trust My Rankings)

I make $50-100/sale from most of these hosts. Here’s how to verify my claims:

1. LiteSpeed performance benchmarks:

• LiteSpeed official benchmarks - Shows 84x faster than Apache
• RunCloud comparison - Independent third-party testing
• WebPageTest - Test your own site on different servers

2. Check which plans actually include LiteSpeed:

• HostArmada: Check their Speed Reaper plan page - Only highest tier has LiteSpeed
• Hostinger: Check their control panel options - Shared uses hPanel, VPS uses cPanel

3. Verify hardware specs:

• ChemiCloud: Full specs on their website
• Scala: VPS specs page

4. Check real user reviews:

• Reddit r/webhosting - Search for “ChemiCloud”, “Scala”, etc.
• Trustpilot - Filter by 1-3 star reviews to see real problems
• WebHostingTalk forums - Technical discussions

5. Verify commission rates:

• Check my affiliate disclosure page for updated commission info
• I track commission rates in my source code (public GitHub repo)

6. Test for yourself:

• ChemiCloud: 45-day money-back guarantee (extra 15 days)
• Scala: 30-day money-back guarantee
• HostArmada: 45-day money-back guarantee (but remember: Speed Reaper ONLY for LiteSpeed)

What to test:

1. Check cPanel version (is it current?)
2. Verify LiteSpeed in phpinfo() or server signature
3. Test LSCache plugin performance (before/after comparison)
4. Check actual storage type (NVMe vs SATA - use sudo hdparm -I /dev/nvme0n1 via SSH if available)
5. Monitor CPU limits (will they force upgrade like SiteGround?)

Red flags to watch for:

• Host won’t disclose CPU model → Likely running old hardware
• “Unlimited” storage with hidden inode limits → Check TOS for actual limits
• Hidden renewal pricing → Expect 200-400% increases
• Different web servers on different plans but not clearly labeled → Deceptive marketing

The Bottom Line: Which Host Should You Choose?

After reviewing 7 hosts claiming “cPanel + LiteSpeed,” only 5 actually qualify (HostArmada only on highest tier, Hostinger doesn’t have cPanel on shared).

My recommendations by use case:

Best for Most People: ChemiCloud

• Who it’s for: SiteGround/Bluehost escapees who want cPanel + LiteSpeed shared hosting
• Why: Full hardware transparency, LiteSpeed Enterprise, 45-day guarantee, reasonable total cost
• Trade-off: 344% renewal increase (but still cheaper than SiteGround after forced upgrades)
• Pricing: $19.95/mo renewal = $1,195 over 5 years

Best for VPS Power: Scala Hosting

• Who it’s for: Sites outgrowing shared hosting, users who want 0% renewal increase
• Why: Managed VPS with dedicated resources, choice of cPanel or SPanel, OpenLiteSpeed (FREE but same performance)
• Trade-off: $44.95/mo is expensive for small sites
• Pricing: $44.95/mo = $2,697 over 5 years

Best for Budget: MechanicWeb

• Who it’s for: Developers, testing environments, very small sites
• Why: $8/year with LiteSpeed Enterprise and 0% renewal increase
• Trade-off: Severe storage/bandwidth limits, annual payment required, budget support
• Pricing: $8/year = $40 over 5 years

Best for Uptime SLA: KnownHost

• Who it’s for: Users who value guaranteed uptime and low renewal increases
• Why: 99.99% uptime SLA backed by credits, 29% renewal increase (most honest)
• Trade-off: Zero hardware transparency (no CPU/RAM disclosure)
• Pricing: $7.97/mo renewal = $460 over 5 years

Skip These:

• HostArmada: Only Speed Reaper plan has LiteSpeed (lower plans use NGINX) - deceptive marketing
• GreenGeeks: Lack of hardware transparency + greenwashing (RECs aren’t actual renewable energy)
• Hostinger: No cPanel on shared hosting (uses hPanel) - doesn’t qualify for “cPanel + LiteSpeed shared”

What I Actually Use

I run production sites on Hetzner unmanaged VPS with OpenLiteSpeed. No cPanel, no support, just SSH and Docker. It’s 70% cheaper but requires Linux skills.

I recommend ChemiCloud/Scala for most users because you’re escaping hosts like SiteGround and want cPanel familiarity without the learning curve.

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Check out the data spreadsheets with all hosting provider details, pricing, and research sources.

Related articles:

• Best cPanel + NVMe Hosting - If storage speed matters more than web server
• OpenLiteSpeed vs Apache vs Nginx - Technical deep-dive on web server performance
• SiteGround Review - Why I recommend escaping
• ChemiCloud Review - Full detailed review
• Scala Hosting Review - Full VPS review