Install WHMCS with Softaculous
Install WHMCS from cPanel using Softaculous, with the licence and directory choices that are awkward to change afterwards.
Install WHMCS on your hosting account. Applies to reseller, Premium and VPS hosting.
Before you begin
You need a WHMCS licence key. Softaculous installs the software; it does not provide a licence, and WHMCS will not run without one.
Decide two things now, because both are awkward to change later:
- Which domain or subdomain it lives on. A subdomain such as
billing.example.comis the usual choice and keeps it separate from your main site. - The directory. Leave it empty to install at the root of that hostname. A licence is tied to the domain it is issued for.
Install
-
In cPanel, open Softaculous Apps Installer under Software.
-
Search for WHMCS.
-
Select Install.
-
Set the installation URL:
Field Value Protocol https://Domain Your billing domain or subdomain In Directory Leave empty unless you want a subdirectory -
Enter your licence key.
-
Set the admin username and password. Do not use
admin. -
Select Install.
Softaculous pre-fills In Directory on some versions. Leaving it in place
puts WHMCS at billing.example.com/whmcs rather than the root — and your
licence may then not validate against the URL you expected.
After installing
WHMCS ships with setup files that must be removed before it will run in production:
- Delete the
installdirectory from the WHMCS root. - Set
configuration.phpto permissions400. - Move the
cronsdirectory outside your document root if you can, so it is not web-accessible.
Then add the cron job WHMCS needs — it will not send invoices or suspend overdue accounts without one. WHMCS shows the exact command under Utilities → System → System Health; add it in cPanel → Cron Jobs, see Managing cron jobs in cPanel.
Check it worked
Visit https://billing.example.com/admin and sign in. Utilities → System →
System Health flags anything still outstanding — a missing cron, wrong file
permissions, or the install directory still present.