This guide assumes you’ve installed AreaWP and completed the setup wizard. If not, start with the Installation Guide.
Step 1 — Deploy a WordPress Template
Templates (Blueprints) let you package a full WordPress setup and make it available for deployment. Go to Services → Templates (/templates) → Manage → Add Blueprint.
Go to Services → Templates → Manage
In the sidebar, navigate to Services → Templates, then click the Manage button and select Add Blueprint.
Upload your WordPress files
Provide the template contents. Two options:
Fill in the template name, description, category, and version.
| Option | What to upload |
|---|---|
| wp-content | A wp-content.zip + a .sql database dump |
| Full site | A full site .zip + a .sql database dump |
Step 2 — Configure Site Settings
Go to Settings → Site Settings to configure platform-wide options for your installation.Platform Mode
Choose how the platform operates:| Mode | Description |
|---|---|
| SaaS | General hosting — clients subscribe and manage their own sites |
| WaaS | WordPress-as-a-Service — optimized for WordPress site deployments with marketplace |
General Toggles
| Setting | Description |
|---|---|
| Registration | Allow new users to register publicly at /register |
| Dev Mode | Enable development-only features in the sidebar |
| Support Center | Show the built-in support ticket system in the sidebar |
Site Configuration
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Default Domain | The primary domain for the panel (e.g. panel.yourcompany.com). Changing this redirects you to the new address after saving. |
| Default Language | UI language for new users |
| Session Timeout | Auto-logout after inactivity (minutes) |
SSL Certificate
SSL is provisioned during the initial setup wizard. This section only needs revisiting if you change the panel domain or need to redeploy the certificate for a new domain. The Force WWW Redirect toggle redirectswww.yourdomain.com to the apex domain (or vice versa) automatically.
Company Info
Used on invoices and billing documents:| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Currency | Billing currency (USD, EUR, GBP, and more) |
| Company Name | Your business name |
| Company contact email | |
| Phone | Company phone number |
| Address, City, Postal Code, Country | Full billing address |
| VAT ID | Tax registration number |
Tax Management
Enable the Tax toggle to add tax to all invoices:- Tax Name — label shown on invoices (e.g. VAT, GST)
- Tax Amount — percentage rate (e.g.
20for 20%)
Support Center Links
When the Support Center is enabled, add quick-access links shown on the client dashboard — each link has a label, description, and URL. Useful for pointing clients to your knowledge base, community forum, or external support portal.Step 3 — Set Up Email
Outgoing email is required for registration confirmations, password resets, billing invoices, and renewal reminders. Without it, clients receive nothing from the platform.Enter your SMTP credentials
| Field | Example |
|---|---|
| SMTP Host | smtp.sendgrid.net |
| SMTP Port | 587 (STARTTLS) or 465 (SMTPS) |
| Username | Your SMTP account username |
| Password | Your SMTP account password |
| From Email | noreply@yourplatform.com |
| From Name | Your platform or brand name |
Send a test email
Click Send Test Email. AreaWP sends a verification message to the admin address. Check your inbox to confirm delivery before going live.
Step 4 — Set Up Billing
Create a Pricing Plan
Go to Administration → Pricing Plans → New Plan. Set name, price, billing period, and resource limits.
Enable a Payment Gateway
Go to Administration → Payment Gateways. Enable Stripe, PayPal, Tap, or Bank Transfer and enter credentials.
Step 5 — White-Label the Platform
Set brand name and logo
Enter your brand name, upload your logo (light and dark variants), and choose your primary color.
What’s Next?
Server Fleet
Agent Fleet, fleet monitor, cloud provisioning (Hosted plan only)
Set Up Monitoring
Thresholds, alerts, and public status pages
Configure Backups
Automated schedules and S3 storage
Explore Docker
Containers, Compose stacks, and live metrics