Comparison

goPanel vs XCTL

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side β€” with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

goPanel

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**Manage Linux servers from iPhone, iPad, and Mac β€” no browser tab, no agent, no control panel installed on your server.** goPanel connects directly over SSH and gives you a full native server control panel for managing websites, PHP, MySQL, domains, SSL, WordPress, cron jobs, firewall rules, logs, and more. A full server control panel experience in a native app β€” without cPanel or Plesk lock-in. ## NO SERVER LOCK-IN Unlike traditional hosting panels, goPanel installs **no permanent dependency layer** on your server. If you stop using the app, **your server keeps running exactly as it was**. Your websites, databases, SSL certificates, configs, and services stay intact. ## AI TERMINAL β€” YOUR SERVER EXPERT Ask things like: * β€œWhy is this server slow?” * β€œWhy is Nginx failing to start?” * β€œWhat’s using all the memory?” * β€œWhy is this site returning 502?” The AI reads your server’s live state β€” CPU, memory, disk, services, logs, and configuration β€” and explains the issue in plain English. It can also suggest safe commands you can run with one tap. No guesswork. No endless SSH digging. No copy-pasting from forums. ## WHAT YOU CAN DO ### Monitor * CPU, memory, disk, load, uptime, and service status * Real-time system overview across your servers ### Host Websites * Add and manage Apache or Nginx virtual hosts * Safe config validation before applying changes ### Manage SSL * Issue, renew, and manage Let’s Encrypt certificates * Keep all your domains secure from one place ### PHP & Web Stack * Switch PHP versions per domain * Support for PHP 7.4 through 8.4 * Multi-version PHP side-by-side installs ### Databases * Create and manage MySQL / MariaDB databases and users * Set permissions without touching the command line ### WordPress * One-tap WordPress installs * Automatic database creation and setup ### Cron Jobs * Create, edit, and manage scheduled tasks ### Firewall * Block and unblock IPs * Works with common Linux firewall setups ### Logs * View Apache, Nginx, PHP, and system logs in real time ### Terminal * Full SSH terminal built into the app * AI-assisted troubleshooting included ## WORKS WITH YOUR INFRASTRUCTURE Supports major Linux server environments including: * Ubuntu * Debian * AlmaLinux * Rocky Linux * Amazon Linux Works with: * DigitalOcean * Vultr * Linode * Hetzner * AWS * self-hosted / bare metal servers ## FRESH SERVER? GO LIVE FAST Set up a production-ready web server in minutes. goPanel can install and configure your stack automatically, including: * Apache or Nginx * PHP-FPM * MySQL or MariaDB * SSL via acme.sh ## PRIVATE BY DESIGN * Direct SSH connection to your server * Credentials stored securely in Keychain * No server agent * No account required * No tracking * No ads AI requests go through a secure proxy. Your server data is not sold or used for advertising. ## PLANS Free, Pro, and Unlimited plans available. End User License Agreement: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

XCTL

Features
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XCTL is the official mobile console for operators who manage their own XCTL deployment. Instead of opening a desktop browser, you can run day-to-day operations and monitoring from your iPhone or iPad. WHO IT’S FOR β€’ Platform administrators with an existing XCTL instance β€’ Teams that need on-the-go visibility into hosts, nodes, and sync jobs β€’ Tenant admins managing users, groups, and business configuration This app is an administration tool only. It does not provide proxy or VPN client functionality. You must have a reachable XCTL console URL and a valid administrator account. OVERVIEW & MONITORING β€’ Dashboard with live platform and host health metrics β€’ Traffic and bandwidth charts to track resource usage over time β€’ Quick visibility into online status, heartbeats, and recent activity NETWORK MANAGEMENT β€’ Logical nodes: create, edit, and bind hosts β€’ Node groups for organizing your infrastructure β€’ Protocol templates and protocol catalog β€’ Config sync queue to track pending and completed pushes HOST OPERATIONS β€’ Server list with status, heartbeat, and connectivity monitoring β€’ Guided provisioning: SSH pre-check, remote install, and configuration β€’ Host groups for batch organization β€’ SSH credentials and certificate management β€’ Online Client upgrades and remote maintenance actions BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION β€’ Tenants, users, and user groups β€’ Role-based access so each account sees only permitted modules SYSTEM & SECURITY β€’ Audit logs and system events β€’ Platform settings and personal account management β€’ Connect via QR scan or manual URL entry β€’ Switch between multiple saved console endpoints β€’ Light and dark appearance, with system-wide or manual theme β€’ English and Simplified Chinese interface PRIVACY & SECURITY Sign-in credentials are stored in the system secure enclave (Keychain). App preferences remain on your device. The app does not collect personal data unrelated to your Master connection. REQUIREMENTS β€’ A self-hosted or privately operated XCTL Master console β€’ Network access to your Master endpoint β€’ Administrator credentials issued by your platform SUPPORT Official website: https://xctl.cc For account or deployment questions, contact your platform administrator or visit the website above.

Screenshots

goPanel4 screens
XCTL4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: XCTL at none against goPanel's 8. XCTL also leads on iOS requirement (15.1 vs 26.0). On price, update cadence, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price Β· Rating Β· Positive reviews Β· Number of ratings Β· Update frequency Β· Ads Β· In-app purchases Β· Monetization Β· Best chart rank Β· Devices Β· Requires iOS

CostPrice Β· In-app purchases Β· Ads Β· Monetization

Both are free to download. goPanel sells 8 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. XCTL asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on November 9, 2026 and November 5, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences Β· 4 level
goPanel versus XCTL: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParametergoPanelXCTL
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsEvery 2 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo β€” better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, MaciPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS26.015.1 β€” better
Further details β€” not scored
Size18 MB32 MB
Age rating9+17+
DeveloperSBM Development SRLSmartBuildGo Inc

In-app purchases

8 purchases

goPanel

Subscriptions4
  • 3 Servers Plan monthly$4.991 Month
  • Unlimited Plan monthly$19.991 Month
  • 3 Servers Plan yearly$34.991 Year
Show 1 more
  • Unlimited Plan yearly$129.991 Year
One-time4
  • AI - 100 actions pack$4.99
  • AI - 250 actions pack$9.99
  • AI - 500 actions pack$16.99
Show 1 more
  • Lifetime$149.00
None

XCTL

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is goPanel free?
goPanel is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is XCTL free?
XCTL is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do goPanel or XCTL have ads?
Neither goPanel nor XCTL shows ads.
Which is updated more often, goPanel or XCTL?
goPanel ships an update every 2 months, and XCTL every 2 months. Most recently, goPanel was updated on November 9, 2026 and XCTL on November 5, 2026.

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