Addon Domains vs Subdomains vs Aliases in cPanel

One cPanel account can run more than one website, and it can answer to more than one domain name. That flexibility is great, but the terms used for it – addon domains, subdomains and aliases (once called parked domains) – confuse a lot of people, especially because newer versions of cPanel have merged them all into a single Domains page. This guide explains what each type actually means, when to use it, and how to create it in the current Jupiter interface.

The quick answer

All three are ways of attaching an extra name to your hosting account. The difference is which files that name shows:

• Addon domain – a completely separate domain (for example mysecondsite.in) that shows its own, separate website from its own folder.
• Subdomain – a prefix in front of a domain you already have (for example blog.example.com), usually showing its own separate website or app.
• Alias – a different domain that shows exactly the same website as your main domain (for example example.in showing the same site as example.com).

Type	Example	Own website?	Document root	Typical use
Main (primary) domain	example.com	Yes	public_html	Your main website
Addon domain	mysecondsite.in	Yes	Its own folder, e.g. mysecondsite.in	A second, unrelated website
Subdomain	blog.example.com	Yes	Its own folder, e.g. blog.example.com	Blog, shop, staging copy, help desk
Alias	example.in	No – mirrors main site	Shares public_html	Extra extensions, common misspellings, old brand names

Understanding each type in more detail

The primary domain

Every cPanel account has one primary domain, chosen when the account was created. Its files live in /home/username/public_html. You cannot remove the primary domain from inside cPanel; changing it normally needs your hosting provider or WHM access.

Addon domains

An addon domain is a domain name you have registered separately, which you want to host as an independent website inside the same cPanel account. It gets its own document root (the folder that holds its files), so you can install WordPress or any other application on it without affecting your main site. Behind the scenes cPanel also creates a matching subdomain of your primary domain for it, but you never need to use that.

Addon domains share the account’s disk space, bandwidth, email limits, and CPU and memory limits with every other site in the account. If one site gets very busy or is hacked, the others can be affected, so keep this in mind before stacking many important sites in one account.

Subdomains

A subdomain is a “child” of a domain you already have in the account, such as shop.example.com or staging.example.com. You do not need to register anything extra – if you own example.com, you can create as many subdomains as your plan allows. Each subdomain normally has its own folder, which makes them perfect for a separate blog, an online store, a test copy of your site, or a support portal.

Aliases (formerly parked domains)

An alias is an additional domain that points to the same document root as your primary domain. Visitors who type the alias see the same website. Businesses commonly use aliases to capture the .in and .co.in versions of a .com name, or to keep an old brand name working after a rebrand.

Tip: For SEO it is usually better to redirect an alias to your main domain rather than showing duplicate content on two names. After adding the alias, use the Redirects tool in cPanel, or your application’s settings, to send visitors to the main domain with a 301 redirect.

How the modern Domains page works

In older cPanel versions you had separate icons called Addon Domains, Subdomains and Aliases (or Parked Domains). In current cPanel with the Jupiter theme, these are combined into one tool: Domains, found in the Domains section of the cPanel home page. Depending on your server’s version and your host’s settings you may still see some of the old icons, but the Domains page is the recommended place to manage everything.

The key setting on this page is the checkbox labelled Share document root. It decides what kind of domain you are creating:

• Checked – the new domain shares public_html with your main domain. This behaves like an alias.
• Unchecked – the new domain gets its own document root folder. This behaves like an addon domain (if it is a separate domain) or a subdomain (if it ends in one of your existing domains).

How to create an addon domain

First make sure the domain is registered and that its nameservers or A record point to your hosting server. You can add it in cPanel before DNS is pointed, but the website will not load until DNS is updated.

1. Log in to cPanel and click Domains in the Domains section.
2. Click Create A New Domain.
3. In the Domain field, type the new domain, for example mysecondsite.in (without www or https://).
4. Uncheck Share document root.
5. cPanel suggests a Document Root such as mysecondsite.in. Keep it or change it to a folder name you prefer. Avoid putting it inside public_html of another site if you want the sites to stay cleanly separated.
6. Click Submit. cPanel creates the folder and the DNS zone for the domain.
7. Upload your website files to the new folder with File Manager, or install an application with your host’s installer.

How to create a subdomain

1. Open Domains and click Create A New Domain.
2. Type the full subdomain, for example blog.example.com.
3. Uncheck Share document root so the subdomain gets its own folder.
4. Check or edit the suggested Document Root, such as blog.example.com.
5. Click Submit.

Because the parent domain’s DNS zone is already on your server, a subdomain usually starts working within minutes. If the parent domain’s DNS is managed somewhere else (for example at your registrar or a third-party DNS service), you must also add an A record for blog pointing to your server’s IP address there.

How to create an alias

1. Point the alias domain’s nameservers to your hosting, or set its A record to your server IP (for example 203.0.113.10).
2. Open Domains and click Create A New Domain.
3. Type the alias domain, for example example.in.
4. Leave Share document root checked.
5. Click Submit. The alias now shows the same files as your main domain.

Managing and removing domains

The Domains page lists every domain in your account along with its document root. From here you can:

• Click Manage next to a domain to change its document root or remove it.
• Use the Force HTTPS Redirect toggle to send all visitors to the secure version of the site, once an SSL certificate is installed.
• Search the list when you have many domains.

Removing a domain from cPanel does not delete its files. The folder stays in your home directory, so you can delete it yourself in File Manager once you are sure you no longer need it. Email accounts on a removed domain stop working, so move or back them up first.

Which one should you choose?

• You bought a second domain for a different business or project → addon domain.
• You want a blog, store, test site or app under your existing brand → subdomain.
• You bought extra extensions or spellings of your main domain → alias (plus a redirect).
• You want a section of your main site, such as example.com/blog → none of these; just create a folder or use your CMS.

Common problems and fixes

“The domain already exists” error

The domain may already be added in another cPanel account on the same server, perhaps an old account. Ask your host to remove it from the other account before you add it again.

The new domain shows the main website

You probably left Share document root checked, which turned it into an alias. Click Manage and change the document root to its own folder, or remove it and add it again with the box unchecked.

The domain shows a default page or “site not found”

Either DNS is not pointed yet, or the document root is empty. Check the nameservers at your registrar and upload an index.html or index.php file to the correct folder. Remember that DNS changes can take from a few minutes to a few hours, and occasionally up to 24–48 hours.

Frequently asked questions

Do addon domains get their own email accounts?

Yes. Once an addon domain is added you can create addresses such as info@mysecondsite.in under Email Accounts, just as you do for the main domain.

Can I install a separate SSL certificate on a subdomain?

Yes. Most cPanel servers issue free AutoSSL certificates automatically for every domain and subdomain once DNS points to the server. You can check status under SSL/TLS Status.

Will a subdomain affect my main site’s SEO?

Search engines generally treat a subdomain as a separate site. That is fine for a staging copy (which you should block from indexing) or a different service, but for blog content many site owners prefer a folder on the main domain.

Conclusion

Addon domains host separate websites, subdomains host separate sections or apps under your existing brand, and aliases make another domain show your main site. In the modern cPanel Domains page, the Share document root checkbox is what decides between them. Pick the right type, point your DNS correctly, and one cPanel account can comfortably manage several web projects for you.