Key takeaways
- Webmin is a general Linux server administration tool. Virtualmin is a hosting control panel that runs on top of Webmin and adds domains, mail, DNS and users.
- Webmin is BSD licensed and Virtualmin GPL is GPLv3, both free. Virtualmin Pro adds resellers, more installers, extra DNS and backup targets and priority support.
- As of 30 October 2026 Virtualmin Pro starts at $7.50 a month or $75 a year for 10 domains, with larger domain counts costing more.
- Use Webmin for one server's own configuration, and Virtualmin when you host many separate domains and mailboxes.
People search for "Virtualmin vs Webmin" because the names suggest two rival products. They are not rivals. They are two layers of one family from the same project, and the difference decides whether you get a server admin tool or a hosting panel. Facts below come from their own sites and GitHub on 30 October 2026.
Virtualmin vs Webmin at a glance
| Webmin | Virtualmin | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Web based administration of a Unix like server | Hosting control panel built on Webmin |
| Works in terms of | Services, users, files, packages | Domains, mailboxes, sites, databases |
| Licence | BSD 3 Clause | GPLv3 for Virtualmin GPL |
| Cost | Free | GPL free, Pro from $7.50 a month for 10 domains |
| Latest release seen | 2.670, 21 September 2026 | 8.3.0, 29 September 2026 |
| Customers log in | Not designed for it | Domain owners and resellers |
Sources: Webmin, Webmin releases, Virtualmin, Virtualmin shop and Virtualmin GPL releases.
What Webmin is
Webmin describes itself as a web based system administration tool for Unix like servers, with about one million yearly installations. It gives you screens to configure the operating system, such as users, disk quotas and services, and to control software like BIND, Apache, PHP and MySQL. Think of it as a graphical front for the config files you would otherwise edit over SSH.
It is not built around customers. There is one administrator, one server, and the tool does what that administrator asks. That makes it flexible and also means it will happily let you break things.
What Virtualmin adds
Virtualmin is a hosting control panel that sits on Webmin. Its own site lists websites, WordPress, mail, databases, DNS, SSL certificates, users and backups in one interface, on Apache or nginx with multiple PHP versions. It adds the idea of a virtual server: one domain with its own site, mailboxes, database and owner, plus resellers and a CLI and remote API for automation.
Because it uses Webmin underneath, you keep Webmin's screens for the server itself. One login can cover both, which is why many people think of them as one product.
GPL versus Pro
Virtualmin GPL is free and covers Apache or nginx, MySQL and PostgreSQL, multiple PHP versions, mail management, backups, a file manager, two factor login, Let's Encrypt and the CLI and API, per its shop page.
Virtualmin Pro adds, among other things, reseller accounts, more installable scripts, a Podman plugin, WP Workbench for WordPress, advanced user management, resource limits, more DNS providers, more backup targets and priority private tickets. As of 30 October 2026 it starts at $7.50 a month or $75 a year for 10 domains, with plans for 50, 100, 250 and unlimited domains. Check the shop for the current amounts, because they vary by domain count.
Mail and DNS
Both layers can manage mail and DNS services, but Virtualmin does it per domain. Its site lists mailboxes with spam and virus protection, forwarders, auto responders and Amazon SES support, and DNS managed locally or through Cloudflare, Google Cloud DNS or Amazon Route 53. Webmin alone gives you modules for each service, without the per domain picture. Running mail still takes care, so see setting up a mail server the right way first.
Learning curve and trade offs
Virtualmin is easier for hosting tasks, because you create a domain and it sets up the pieces. Its install expects a clean supported system, and its download page lists Rocky Linux, Debian and Ubuntu LTS as safe choices, including a fully qualified hostname for mail.
The interface is dense and older in feel than newer panels, and there are many options to learn. Many people consider that a fair price for the control. Webmin has the same style with a different scope, so it rewards people who already understand the services.
Which one should you pick
- One server, you are the only admin: Webmin.
- Many domains, mailboxes or clients on one server: Virtualmin GPL.
- You resell hosting, want resource limits or cloud DNS: Virtualmin Pro.
- You prefer files and SSH: neither; use a config management tool.
- You want a different style of panel: compare free control panels for a VPS or read what a server control panel is.
Alternatives
If neither fits, the other free panels are HestiaCP, CloudPanel and aaPanel, compared in our HestiaCP vs CloudPanel post. For a multi server panel with flat per server prices and a free plan, see RespireCloud pricing.
Questions
Do I need Webmin to use Virtualmin?
Virtualmin is built on Webmin and installs it with the installer, so you get both. You can still use Webmin's other modules from the same login to manage the operating system itself.
Is Virtualmin free?
Virtualmin GPL is free and open source. Virtualmin Pro is paid and adds features for hosting providers. Webmin on its own is free.
Is Webmin a hosting control panel?
Not by itself. It edits server settings, services, users and files, but it has no concept of customer accounts with their own websites and mailboxes. That is what Virtualmin adds.
Can Virtualmin host WordPress?
Yes. It lists WordPress among its installable web applications, and Virtualmin Pro adds a WP Workbench plugin for updates, backups and cloning.
Which is easier to learn?
Virtualmin is easier for hosting tasks because it works in terms of domains and users. Webmin is easier if you already know what a service config file should look like and want a screen over it.
