WHMCS Pricing & Price Increases
Complete pricing history from 2020 to 2026. WHMCS has increased prices significantly — the Plus tier rose 84% in six years, while Business tiers saw increases up to 135%. Here's everything you need to know.
Last updated: January 2026
Quick Answer: How Much Does WHMCS Cost?
As of January 2026, WHMCS pricing starts at $34.95/month for the Plus tier (250 clients) and goes up to $399.95/month for Business 10,000. Prices have increased substantially each year since 2023.
- Plus (250 clients): $34.95/month (was $18.95 in 2020)
- Professional (500 clients): $54.95/month
- Business 1,000: $84.95/month (was $39.95 in 2020)
- Business 5,000: $284.95/month
- Business 10,000: $399.95/month
WHMCS Pricing History (2020-2026)
Track how WHMCS prices have changed over the years. Prices shown are monthly in USD.
| Tier | Max Clients | 2020 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starter | 250 | $15.95 | $15.95 | Discontinued | — | — | Discontinued |
| Plus | 250 | $18.95 | $18.95 | $24.95 | $29.95 | $34.95 | +84% |
| Professional | 500 | $24.95 | $29.95 | $39.95 | $44.95 | $54.95 | +120% |
| Business 1,000 | 1,000 | $39.95 | $44.95 | $59.95 | $69.95 | $84.95 | +113% |
| Business 2,500 | 2,500 | — | $99.95 | $129.95 | $149.95 | $179.95 | +80%* |
| Business 5,000 | 5,000 | — | $99.95 | $224.95 | $234.95 | $284.95 | +185%* |
| Business 10,000 | 10,000 | — | — | $374.95 | $389.95 | $399.95 | New tier |
* Percentage calculated from first year the tier was available. Business tiers were restructured in 2023-2024.
Need More?
WHMCS offers larger Business tiers up to 100,000 clients ($1,249.95/mo) and an Unlimited tier at $1,999.95/month. Contact WHMCS for enterprise pricing.
Price Increase Timeline
Baseline Pricing
WHMCS offers three main tiers: Starter ($15.95), Plus ($18.95), Professional ($24.95), and Business ($39.95 unlimited).
Tier Restructuring
WHMCS introduces client-based tiers for Business plans. Professional increases to $29.95, Business splits into multiple tiers based on client count.
Major Price Hike
Significant increases across all tiers. Plus jumps 32% to $24.95. Business 5,000 more than doubles to $224.95. Starter license discontinued for new customers.
Continued Increases
Plus rises to $29.95, Business 10,000 jumps from $224.95 to $389.95 (73% increase). Existing Starter users upgraded to Plus automatically.
Latest Pricing
Plus reaches $34.95 (84% above 2020). Professional hits $54.95. Business 5,000 reaches $284.95. New upper tiers introduced for large providers.
Why Is WHMCS Increasing Prices?
WHMCS was acquired by WebPros (backed by Oakley Capital) in 2018. Since then, the company has followed a typical private equity playbook:
Private Equity Ownership
WebPros (owner of WHMCS, cPanel, Plesk) needs to show returns to investors. Price increases are the fastest path to higher revenue.
Market Dominance
WHMCS has ~80% market share in hosting billing software. With few alternatives, customers have limited switching options.
High Switching Costs
Migration from WHMCS is complex and risky. Years of data, custom integrations, and workflow dependencies create lock-in.
Enterprise Repositioning
The new high-tier pricing signals a shift toward enterprise customers, potentially abandoning small hosting providers.
Community Reaction
The hosting community has expressed significant frustration with WHMCS pricing changes.
“We pay a subscription for software that's supposed to add new features without imposing price increases. Instead, we get annual hikes with minimal improvements.”
— WHMCS Community Forum
“The value proposition no longer matches the pricing. We're paying more each year for essentially the same software.”
— Web Hosting Talk
“Attempts to migrate to alternatives like Blesta often fail. We're stuck.”
— LowEndTalk Forum
Common Concerns
- Slow feature development despite rising costs
- Dismissiveness toward community feature requests
- Feeling 'locked-in' due to migration complexity
- Lack of transparency about future pricing plans
WHMCS Alternatives to Consider
If WHMCS pricing is impacting your business, here are alternatives worth evaluating:
PayRequest
Billing PlatformModern billing for hosting resellers who don't need server automation. Invoicing, subscriptions, customer portal, and 20+ payment methods.
Pros
- 95% cheaper than WHMCS
- Zero % transaction fees
- Customer portal included
- OpenProvider & Cloudflare integrations
Cons
- No cPanel/Plesk automation
- No server provisioning
Best For
Domain resellers, small hosting providers, businesses focused on billing
Blesta
Billing & AutomationOpen-source billing platform with hosting automation. 99% open source for customization.
Pros
- Much cheaper than WHMCS
- Source code access
- One-time license option ($250)
Cons
- Fewer integrations
- Smaller community
- Steeper learning curve
Best For
Developers who want customization and lower costs
FOSSBilling
Open SourceCompletely free, open-source billing. Forked from BoxBilling, under active development.
Pros
- 100% free
- No vendor lock-in
- Apache 2.0 license
Cons
- Still in beta
- Limited features
- Community support only
Best For
Budget-conscious providers willing to trade features for cost
HostBill
Enterprise BillingEnterprise-grade billing with extensive automation and white-label options.
Pros
- Powerful automation
- Enterprise features
- Good support
Cons
- Expensive
- Complex setup
- Overkill for small providers
Best For
Large hosting companies with complex needs
| Solution | Starting Price | Automation | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| WHMCS | $34.95/mo | Full | Large providers with cPanel needs |
| PayRequest | €5/mo | Billing only | Domain resellers, small hosts |
| Blesta | $12.95/mo | Full | Developers, customization needs |
| FOSSBilling | Free | Basic | Budget-conscious, DIY providers |
| HostBill | $99/mo | Full | Enterprise hosting companies |
What Should You Do?
Practical steps to handle WHMCS price increases:
1. Audit Your Current Plan
Check your active client count. You might be paying for capacity you don't need. Downgrading could save hundreds per year.
2. Evaluate Your Automation Needs
Do you actually need server provisioning? Many domain resellers and small hosts only use WHMCS for billing — which alternatives do better for less.
3. Calculate True Cost of Switching
Factor in migration time, data transfer, custom integrations, and retraining. Sometimes the short-term cost of staying is lower than switching.
4. Budget for Annual Increases
WHMCS has raised prices every year since 2023. Plan for 15-25% annual increases when forecasting costs.
5. Consider Hybrid Approaches
Use WHMCS for automation-heavy products and a simpler billing tool like PayRequest for domains and basic hosting.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much has WHMCS increased prices?
WHMCS prices have increased significantly since 2020. The Plus tier rose from $18.95 to $34.95 (84% increase). Business tiers saw even larger increases — the 5,000-client tier went from $99.95 in 2023 to $284.95 in 2026, a 185% increase in just three years.
Why does WHMCS keep raising prices?
WHMCS is owned by WebPros, a private equity-backed company. Price increases help meet investor return expectations. Additionally, WHMCS dominates the hosting billing market with roughly 80% share, giving them pricing power due to limited alternatives and high switching costs.
What is the cheapest WHMCS license?
As of 2026, the cheapest WHMCS license is the Plus tier at $34.95/month, which supports up to 250 active clients. The Starter tier ($15.95) was discontinued in 2024. There are no longer any sub-$30 options for new customers.
Is there a free alternative to WHMCS?
Yes, FOSSBilling is a free, open-source alternative to WHMCS. It's a fork of BoxBilling and is under active development. However, it's still in beta and has fewer features than WHMCS. For billing-only needs without server automation, PayRequest starts at just €5/month.
Can I migrate away from WHMCS?
Yes, but it's complex. Blesta and HostBill offer migration tools. The main challenges are preserving historical data, recreating custom integrations, and retraining staff. Many providers who attempt migration return to WHMCS due to the effort required.
What happens to my Starter license?
WHMCS discontinued the Starter tier in January 2024. Existing Starter license holders were automatically upgraded to Plus licenses in January 2025. This means a price increase from $15.95 to $29.95 (88% increase).
Will WHMCS prices increase again in 2027?
Based on the pattern since 2023, it's highly likely WHMCS will increase prices again. The company has raised prices every January for the past four years. Budget for 15-25% annual increases to be safe.
Is WHMCS worth the price?
It depends on your needs. If you require deep cPanel/Plesk integration and automated server provisioning, WHMCS remains the most feature-complete option. For simpler billing needs (domains, basic hosting), alternatives like PayRequest or Blesta offer better value.
Need Simple Hosting Billing Without WHMCS?
PayRequest offers invoicing, subscriptions, and a customer portal for hosting resellers — starting at €5/month. Zero transaction fees. OpenProvider and Cloudflare integrations included.
- €5/mo vs $35+ for WHMCS
- Zero % transaction fees
- Customer portal included
- OpenProvider integration