Install PrestaShop from Softaculous Apps Installer in cPanel. It automates the setup steps so you don't need to upload anything over FTP or run the web-based installer by hand.
Install PrestaShop with Softaculous
- Open cPanel from your service page.
- Find
Softaculous Apps Installerand search forPrestaShop. - Click Install, then set the protocol, domain, and install directory. Leave the directory blank to install at the domain root.
- Fill in the store name, admin username, admin password, and admin email.
- Click Install and wait for the confirmation screen with your store URL and admin login path.
PrestaShop's admin folder gets a randomized name during setup (something like admin739fetza2). Write it down. If you lose it, you can find the current folder name by opening File Manager and checking the store's root directory, since renaming it is a common hardening step PrestaShop recommends after install.
Pick the right PHP version
PrestaShop 8.x wants a specific PHP range, and running the wrong version is the most common cause of a blank white screen after install. Our servers default to PHP 8.2, but PrestaShop compatibility shifts between major versions, so check PrestaShop's own requirements page for the release you're installing before you commit.
Switch PHP per domain from the PHP Version tile in the portal. If PrestaShop needs a specific extension enabled or disabled (common ones: intl, gd, soap), those toggles live in cPanel's Select PHP Version tool, not the portal tile. If you hit upload size errors on product images or bulk CSV imports, raise upload_max_filesize and post_max_size in cPanel's MultiPHP INI Editor.
Why it runs fast here
PrestaShop's product pages, category listings, and search results are database-heavy, so server and cache layer both matter. Read how we make your site fast for the full breakdown of the server and edge layers.
PrestaShop doesn't ship the same cache plugin ecosystem WordPress has, so if you want page caching to actually apply to your store, check whether the theme or a caching module is configured to work with server-side caching (some PrestaShop caching modules integrate with it directly, others cache at the application layer). Session-tied pages like checkout and cart typically aren't good candidates for page caching, so confirm how your caching module handles them before relying on it.
After the install
Set up your store's SSL certificate check before going live. Certificates auto-issue through Let's Encrypt once your domain's DNS points here, but PrestaShop needs its SSL setting under Shop Parameters > General switched on to force HTTPS on the storefront, or you'll get mixed-content warnings on product pages with hardcoded image URLs.
If you're moving an existing PrestaShop store to us rather than starting fresh, our team migrates it for you at no charge, and the old site stays live while we do it. Details are in our free transfer process, reachable from the portal sidebar.
When to contact support
Softaculous installs fail occasionally due to a stale database left over from a previous attempt, or a directory that isn't actually empty. If an install fails partway or you get a database connection error that doesn't clear after a retry, open a ticket from Support in the portal. It goes to a real person, not a bot, who can help you investigate the failed install.