With addition of an optional program, WHM AutoPilot, you can automate account creation and suspension, email notifications, and other tasks. WHM AutoPilot also integrates with common payment gateways and has a helpdesk, an invoice module, and other tools.

H-Sphere

H-Sphere is designed for both Linux and Windows platforms. Moreover, resellers can set up plans for both Linux and Windows and administer sites on different servers from same control panel. The control panel, actually a separate server, also provides administrative access to integrated helpdesk.

The H-Sphere control panel server automates account configuration, credit card processing, domain registration, and email notifications. It also includes a built-in billing module and supports over 20 payment gateways.

From reseller’s point of view, H-Sphere has a higher learning curve than most other control panels because of its numerous features. For example, when setting up a new plan, administrator has two pages of features to choose from, including setup and monthly pricing for optional services.

Beginning webmasters may find H-Sphere too complicated for their needs. More advanced users, however, appreciate features and control that H-Sphere offers end user. A key feature is ability to have control over separate domains with multi-domain hosting.

H-Sphere comes with website builder Site Studio, which guides users through a variety of style choices and stores content separately from layout. No HTML or FTP knowledge is required.

Plesk

Plesk is known for its stability and security. Resellers and end users like its simple navigation, its clean interface, and its professional appearance. It comes in versions for both Linux and Windows platforms.

With Plesk, all users use same control panel but with different levels of control:

• Server administrator
• Client / reseller
• Domain owner
• Mail user

Each level of control panel gives user control of that level and level(s) below it. Email users, for example, can log into their mail user control panel to change their password, add autoresponders, and change other personal settings without having access to domain owner control panel.

Plesk handles SpamAssassin at mailbox level rather than at domain level.

This feature enables users to whitelist or blacklist email for each email address, allowing each email user to have individual settings.

SWsoft, company behind Plesk, also offers Site Builder, a five-step website builder using pre-built templates. SiteBuilder has over 300 templates in different categories to choose from, and users can publish their sites without any HTML or FTP knowledge.

If your Plesk reseller account is with a web host that offers HSPcomplete, you will have some automation available with your account, such as credit card charges and email notification.

4. Search engine optimization – Some free hosting communities are so large and so fluid that it takes some time get new pages into major search engines. People abandon their pages at such a high rate that is hard to keep up with live sites versus abandoned real estate.

Also, any page rank you get goes to hosting provider and not to you that is one of perks of having your own domain name.

5. Tracking – It always helps to know who is coming to your website and how they got there. You might have to search around for some type of free tracking service. This is very important if you plan to make money off your free web hosting account.

My picks Bravenet, Yahoo Geocities and Blogger. I have used all three and I haven’t had time lately to investigate other services. I will add to list in near future.