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Blesta Vs Whmcs


Dominick

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Agreed Naja7host mate,

 

WHM**: Launched 1.0.0 in 2005 and built on it, each version's modules are passed onto what it is today. When WHM** 6.x comes out in PDO format (Re-write) they are going to be in the same situation because every single module will need to be re-written in PDO to be compatible with their new requirement... Oh well haha win some loose some.

 

HostBill: Launched 1.0.0 in 2008 and has a bad business model changing prices every week when they feel like it to hit the $4,999.96 price mark for everything included in it. They charge a high price per ticket as-well and doesn't have a community with the developers.

 

ClientExec: Launched 1.0.0 in 2002 and built on it in every version. Still doesn't have everything either.

 

Blesta: Opened in 2007, built on 1.x up-to 2.5 and then decided to re-write Blesta from the bottom up again this time making it modular so you only install want you want and need. It's now 99% opened and has a strong API for any developer to make it (Remember people need to live). Blesta 3 is modern, secure (Still), opened and still growing slowly, not too rapid to loose focus on the main focus "Secure & expandable billing system". - My own words.

 

Blesta 3.0.0 went Beta only on August 2013, a year today and it's grown a lot and the community is bigger.

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Licensecart, that is a good overview of the various billing systems.  Here's some more:

 

AWBS:  Launched in 2001 (or maybe ealier) as DRAMS (Domain Registration And Management System).  Later split into DRAMS "Regular" and DRAMS "Hosting Edition".  Eventually combined into AWBS (Advanced Webhosting Billing System).  Completely closed/encrypted code. Has tons of features and functionality, mostly bug free, and is very well supported.  Sadly, there have been no updates or new releases since early 2013, and is considered abandoned by many license-holders.  (Although support is still fast and excellent.)

 

WHSuite:  As of Sept 2014 it is still in Alpha status.  It is about 95% unencoded, and is created by experienced developers and is built around a modular framework API that is open to everyone. (Similar setup as Blesta.)

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Licensecart, that is a good overview of the various billing systems.  Here's some more:

 

AWBS:  Launched in 2001 (or maybe ealier) as DRAMS (Domain Registration And Management System).  Later split into DRAMS "Regular" and DRAMS "Hosting Edition".  Eventually combined into AWBS (Advanced Webhosting Billing System).  Completely closed/encrypted code. Has tons of features and functionality, mostly bug free, and is very well supported.  Sadly, there have been no updates or new releases since early 2013, and is considered abandoned by many license-holders.  (Although support is still fast and excellent.)

 

WHSuite:  As of Sept 2014 it is still in Alpha status.  It is about 95% unencoded, and is created by experienced developers and is built around a modular framework API that is open to everyone. (Similar setup as Blesta.)

 

True but AWBS is almost dead, and WHSuite looks like a very bad (wannabe copy of Blesta) with less modules as-well so the OP wouldn't have much fun there.

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The bottom line is that there's no 1 software option that's best for everyone. Blesta has a ways to go before it will support all the same gateways and  modules as our competitors, and we prioritize development based on demand. WHMCS has had the advantage, a large customer base and plenty of revenue. Yet, they have gone years now without adding any significant new features. Virtually all of their new features and integrations are sold by Modules Garden, a third party developer who was offered an exclusive deal in order to limit competition in the market. The fact is, WHMCS is in damage control and has been for a long time now.

 

As for Blesta: One release at a time. Out of all the products available, Blesta is the best written, the most stable, and has the best track record on security. That's a solid foundation we continue to build on, and we have a lot of great things planned for the future.

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@Dominic

Rome wasn't build in a day :)

But Blesta has added more functions in one year than WHMCS in 5 years. Thats a lot to think about ;)

If you have asked me or naja7host maybe we builded for free your modules :)

I hope you had maded a good choice and hope WHMCS fill your needs :)

P.S- An advice sleep with one eye open and the other close wen running whmcs ;)

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I just look Whsuite,damn it looks  like blesta copy  :)

I had 3 valid licence seven months ago,first WHMCS which I used before(I have it even now and using for free hosting clients :) ,it is valid till end of year,after that I will move free cliets also)  ,second licence was Blesta and third Client E. ,to be honest didn't look for other billing software and I got Blesta and C.exec VAR licences as addons when buy two dedicated servers,After one month testing  I migrate to Blesta,and it suits all my needs.When it comes to security and reliability there is no better option,I tryed almost every billing software that is worth to look.

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As a developer, and someone who has conversing with you via e-mail, I want to address some things you mentioned.
 

On page one this comments was made: 'all of us developpers will help you and build it'
I contacted several developers and before we made a clear overview of what it would cost to have the essential modules developers, we ready to have a module made,
found out that the general tone isn't to help out the community (Develop the module and make it available (commercially / free) on the forums but they rather keep the modules to themselve,
we contacted 4 developers and they all mentioned this to us.


There's a reason, as expressed via e-mail, that developers don't really like other people reselling their work.  We do the programming and hard work for $xx, and you resell it for $yy (or even free).  Some of us make a living out of developing for Blesta, and some don't.  Whatever the case may be, however, that is still profits that we won't be seeing.  I personally have asked numerous clients for different projects if they would mind me sharing whatever it is I've done for them, and the answer has 99.9% of the time been "no".  Usually with the statement of "we paid you $xx for this, we don't want others to be paying $zz or getting it for free."  That is how it is for us as well.
 
If developers were to start allowing others to resell their work, then there would have to be measures in place such as ionCube encoding and licensing to help protect their IP.  Personally I don't like locking down my code like that.  I'm a firm believer of open source.  Say the person who developed your code for you yesterday is no longer reachable the day after, what are you going to do?  Even worse, then the support goes down the pipe to you to people you resold it to.  It just becomes an ugly mess no matter how you look at it.  I've had other people offer to resell stuff I've made before and I've turned them down stating these reasons.  In some aspects is more of a liability for you than it would be for me.
 

Further more,
the fact that modules garden left to work exclusively for whmcs is never good for business but at least you could absorb the modules (which they handed over) and keep providing updates etc but what I understood from the page it's basically 'as is'. The same principle applies with a lot of the other modules developers here, a lot of them are 'as is'.

 
Its very rare to find a developer who will support someone else's work.  Especially if they're not going to see a profit from it and have a massive work load as it stands.  Heck, I had to modify Blesta's SolusVM for some specific needs a client wanted as the Blesta team was very busy.

 

I'm not speaking on behalf of every other developer out there, as some will do more than another.  But, as a developer business, we are in it to make money.  Freely supporting products we didn't create essentially takes a separate team since coding style alone is never the same.

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You make some good points. I'm also a developer and what I have sometimes done is told the client they can get the extension developed for $100 and own the IP, or for 20% less I will own the IP. Then I can sell it myself if I want to make some extra money. I work primarily with OpenCart and as far as I know not one extension is ionCube encoded. But I know this won't work everywhere.

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You make some good points. I'm also a developer and what I have sometimes done is told the client they can get the extension developed for $100 and own the IP, or for 20% less I will own the IP. Then I can sell it myself if I want to make some extra money. I work primarily with OpenCart and as far as I know not one extension is ionCube encoded. But I know this won't work everywhere.

If you can handle completely signing over your IP that's fine.  But then you still have to content with how/if you're going to provide support.  You can either be truthful and say the IP is yours, so its up to you to maintain it, or you can charge an extra fee for any upgrades to the code base.

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The money is in the support subscription. You sometimes set an upfront cost so that your product doesn't look cheap.

 

Let's say someone finally releases a registrar module which supports ccTLDs (for Netim per example), I wouldn't have a problem paying for a yearly subscription, knowing that all changes made in the API would be reflected in the module. Of course, I would prefer it if it was included in Blesta itself, but they can't support all modules. The other option is getting the extension to get written by the registrar itself, but they're just not interested in new platforms.

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We as Company, can say that we are in Buisnesse since 1998, we manage serveral thousands Servers and Domains we have since 2004 went to:

 

WhmAutoPilot (2004-2006)

AWBS (2006-2009)

WHMCS (2009-2014)

(We have tested also in 2014, Hostbill, ClientExec and BoxBilling)

Blesta(2014-...)

 

Im not going to convice you by telling that WHMCS is Better or Worst, each client decide freelly :) but what can I say is this:

 

1º- Is there any outher software in this market that as almost every file open to make changes?

Blesta is the only One, so if Blesta dosent support some function or you whant to change something, you can do it without any problems. No other software in this buissness do this :)

 

2º- How many people use Blesta?

There maybe thousands, and its beginnig to grow every day, and with this latest 3.2 Version, and the upcomming 3.3, Blesta will became one fo the Best coded scripts out there for a Hosting Buisness :)

 

3º- Can I sleep at night with Blesta?

That we know, there isnt any flaw for now, like has appen with WHMCS in the last 2 years, (thats one of the main reasons why we have decided to try outher scripts)

 

Our Veredict:

 

  • WHMCS = Good Design, Good Support, Lots of Modules, Bad Coding (there are bugs still present since 2010), No Open to Changes, Files Not Decoded, Price ok
  • BoxBilling = Good Design, Bad Support, No Open to Changes, Files Not Decoded, Dont Like the Price Model
  • ClientExec = Good Design, Good Support, Lack Some Modules and Feautures, Open to Changes but not quickly enought, Files Not decoded, Price ok
  • HostBill = Good Design, Bad Support, No Open to Changes, Files Not Decoded, Very Expensive
  • Blesta = Good Design, Good Support, Open to Changes, Files Decoded, Price Very Cheap for what is offered. (Dont forget that you can ask for a module or plugin that you need, and Blesta and all of us developpers will help you and build it ;) )

Think for your self, "what do I need that Blesta dosent have?" than if something is missing for you, tell us :)

 

I hope that helps you to dicide what is better for your case :)

 

I totally agree. I transferred from clientexec to blesta and I'm dreaming about an affiliate module. Will you guy develop it?

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Hello!

I know it's an old post, but I just wanted to know what are the main arguments why I should choose Blesta over WHMCS (besides the fact that it's open source)?

I'm currently with WHMCS and cPanel, but since the story with Oakley Capital (price increase), I'm thinking of switching to Blesta and DirectAdmin.

I strongly want to migrate to Blesta, but there are no recent features comparisons between Blesta and WHMCS. Or did I miss a source?

Thanks!

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