Get it fixed
Server Admin by the Hour: cPanel, DirectAdmin and Linux
A working server administrator for cPanel, DirectAdmin and Linux jobs: $39 an hour in 15-minute steps.
Short answer: for jobs that do not fit a fixed-price fix, you can book a working server administrator by the hour: $39 an hour, prepaid, used in 15-minute steps, with a written report of every change and unused time refunded on request. It covers cPanel and WHM, DirectAdmin and plain Linux servers, and work usually starts within one business day.
Book hours: $39/hour You see the price and scope before anything starts. Nothing is charged without your OK.
What people book hours for
| Job | Rough estimate |
|---|---|
| Diagnose an error, a crash or a service that will not start | 1 hour |
| Stuck mail queue or mail delivery problem | 1–2 hours |
| Slow server or high load: diagnosis and first fixes | 1–2 hours |
| Firewall review and hardening (CSF, Imunify360, firewalld) | 1–2 hours |
| PHP version upgrade for a set of sites, with checks | 1–3 hours |
| Move a few sites or mailboxes to another server | 2–4 hours |
| Backups set up or tested, including a restore test | 1–3 hours |
These are rough estimates, not promises. We give you an estimate after the first look and stop before using more time than you bought.
How it works
- Choose “Server work by the hour” on the Get it fixed page, pick the number of hours and describe the job.
- We confirm the scope by email and reply within one business day (within four business hours with priority start). Business hours are Monday to Friday, 09:00–18:00 UTC.
- You give us a temporary SSH key or panel login. Never send passwords by email or in the order form.
- We do the work, recording the time in 15-minute steps.
- You get a written report: what we found, every command or setting we changed, and anything we recommend next.
Rules that protect your server
- Backups or snapshots are checked before risky changes, and we tell you before anything that could cause downtime.
- We do not install software from untrusted sources or leave our own access behind: keys and logins are removed at the end.
- Work outside the agreed scope only happens after you say yes.
- Everything we change is written down, so you or your next administrator can see exactly what was done.
Platforms we cover
cPanel and WHM, DirectAdmin and plain Linux (AlmaLinux, Rocky Linux, CloudLinux, Ubuntu and Debian), with Exim, Postfix, Dovecot, Apache, Nginx, LiteSpeed, MariaDB, MySQL, PHP-FPM, CSF and Imunify360. For other platforms, ask first through the contact page.
Fixed price or hourly?
If your problem is one of the common ones, a fixed price is usually cheaper: email going to spam ($79), IP blacklisted ($69), SSL not working ($59) and hacked site cleanup ($149). Hourly work suits everything else, such as stuck mail queues and slow servers. For ongoing management or a full migration, see server management and server migration.
Book hours: $39/hour You see the price and scope before anything starts. Nothing is charged without your OK.
Frequently asked questions
What happens to unused hours?
Unused time is refunded on request within 90 days of purchase. After that it stays available as credit for 12 months. Time already spent is not refundable, because you paid for the time rather than a result; the details are in the refund policy.
What if the job needs more hours than I bought?
We stop before using more time than you bought, tell you what is left and roughly how long it takes, and only continue if you add hours.
Do you offer emergency support?
Priority start (an extra $25) means we begin within four business hours. We do not offer a 24/7 emergency line.
Who does the work?
A working server administrator who runs the same kind of cPanel, DirectAdmin and Linux servers the guides on this site are tested on.
Do you need root access?
For most server jobs, yes, through a temporary SSH key you can remove afterwards. Some jobs can be done with a panel login. We never need your passwords by email.