How to Install Softaculous on cPanel/WHM
Softaculous is the leading auto-installer for web hosting control panels. It allows your users to install over 400 applications (WordPress, Joomla, PrestaShop, and more) with a single click. Here is how to install it on your cPanel/WHM server.
Prerequisites
- Root SSH access to your server
- cPanel/WHM installed and running
- ionCube Loader enabled (see our ionCube guide)
Step 1: Enable ionCube
Softaculous requires ionCube Loader. Go to WHM > Tweak Settings, search for "ionCube" and enable it.
Step 2: Install Softaculous via SSH
Log in to your server as root and run the following commands:
wget -N http://files.softaculous.com/install.sh chmod 755 install.sh ./install.sh
Step 3: Verify Installation
After installation completes:
- Log in to WHM and look for "Softaculous - Instant Installs" in the left sidebar.
- Log in to any cPanel account and verify that the Softaculous section appears.
Installing Softaculous Premium
If you have a premium license, the install script will automatically detect it. You can purchase a license from softaculous.com.
Updating Softaculous
/usr/local/cpanel/whostmgr/docroot/cgi/softaculous/cli.php --update
Uninstalling Softaculous
wget -N http://files.softaculous.com/remove.sh chmod 755 remove.sh ./remove.sh
Troubleshooting
- Softaculous not appearing in cPanel: Run
/scripts/rebuildhttpdconf && systemctl restart httpd. - "ionCube Loader" error: Ensure ionCube is properly enabled for the correct PHP version.
- Permission issues: Check ownership:
chown root:root /usr/local/cpanel/whostmgr/docroot/cgi/softaculous/bin/soft
