Honest comparison · 2026

BeAdmin vs BlueOnyx

BlueOnyx is a stable, free platform — the descendant of Cobalt RaQ, with mature mail, brute‑force protection and multi‑server GUI monitoring. But it runs only on the RHEL family. BeAdmin keeps a free core, adds modules à la carte — Docker, five VPN protocols — runs on 512 MB of Debian or Ubuntu, and ships a modern UI. Below — where the two really differ, said plainly.

See docs

Free core · 512 MB RAM · Debian & Ubuntu

OS family

Broader
BeAdmin
Debian/Ubuntu
BlueOnyx
RHEL only

Minimum RAM

Lighter
BeAdmin
512 MB
BlueOnyx
1 GB+

Built‑in VPN

Only BeAdmin
BeAdmin
5 protocols
BlueOnyx
None

Interface

Newer
BeAdmin
Modern
BlueOnyx
Legacy
01 — differences

Key differences

Debian and Ubuntu, not RHEL only

BlueOnyx installs only on the RHEL family — AlmaLinux and Rocky 8/9/10. BeAdmin targets the Debian and Ubuntu images most VPS providers default to, so there is no OS family to switch to.

A free core plus modules

BeAdmin keeps a free core and lets you add modules à la carte — Docker, five VPN protocols, and more from $1/mo. BlueOnyx ships a fixed legacy feature set instead.

Five VPN protocols, zero plugins

Xray, WireGuard, OpenVPN, Outline and Amnezia are modules in the same UI. BlueOnyx ships no VPN — that part you would build and run yourself.

A modern interface

BlueOnyx carries the RaQ‑era “virtual sites” model and a functional but dated UI. BeAdmin is a modern panel with first‑class dark mode, built for today’s VPS.

02 — features

Feature comparison

Values pulled from each panel’s public docs. BlueOnyx is mature and stable for its niche — strong mail, brute‑force protection and 2FA; BeAdmin is lighter, Debian‑native, modular and ships a VPN. We mark each row plainly, including the ones BlueOnyx wins.

Foundations
7
  • Supported OS
    BeAdmin Debian, Ubuntu
    BlueOnyx AlmaLinux, Rocky 8–10
  • Min RAM
    BeAdmin 512 MB
    BlueOnyx 1 GB+
  • Min disk
    BeAdmin 10 GB
    BlueOnyx 10–20 GB
  • Architecture
    BeAdmin x86_64
    BlueOnyx x86_64
  • Pick‑and‑mix modules
    BeAdmin Yes
    BlueOnyx No
  • Multi‑server from one UI
    BeAdmin Yes
    BlueOnyx Partial
  • Site limit
    BeAdmin Unlimited
    BlueOnyx Unlimited
Web & runtimes
6
  • Nginx
    BeAdmin Yes
    BlueOnyx Partial
  • Apache + Nginx hybrid
    BeAdmin Yes
    BlueOnyx Yes
  • Multiple PHP versions per site
    BeAdmin Yes
    BlueOnyx Yes
  • Node.js / Python / Ruby (managed)
    BeAdmin No
    BlueOnyx No
  • WordPress one‑click
    BeAdmin Yes
    BlueOnyx Partial
  • Docker (managed module)
    BeAdmin Yes
    BlueOnyx No
Data & mail
6
  • MariaDB / MySQL
    BeAdmin Yes
    BlueOnyx Yes
  • PostgreSQL
    BeAdmin Soon
    BlueOnyx No
  • phpMyAdmin built‑in
    BeAdmin Yes
    BlueOnyx Yes
  • Self‑managed mail server
    BeAdmin Yes
    BlueOnyx Yes
  • Webmail
    BeAdmin Yes
    BlueOnyx Yes
  • DKIM / SPF / DMARC autoconfig
    BeAdmin Partial
    BlueOnyx Yes
Security
6
  • Let’s Encrypt automation
    BeAdmin Yes
    BlueOnyx Yes
  • Brute‑force login shield
    BeAdmin No
    BlueOnyx Yes
  • 2FA for SSH and GUI
    BeAdmin Partial
    BlueOnyx Yes
  • Built‑in VPN modules (5 protocols)
    BeAdmin Yes
    BlueOnyx No
  • Web application firewall
    BeAdmin No
    BlueOnyx No
  • Admin / user roles
    BeAdmin Yes
    BlueOnyx Yes
Operations
6
  • Provisioning API
    BeAdmin Yes
    BlueOnyx Yes
  • Built‑in site backups
    BeAdmin Yes
    BlueOnyx Yes
  • Dark mode
    BeAdmin Yes
    BlueOnyx No
  • WHMCS billing out of the box
    BeAdmin No
    BlueOnyx Partial
  • Forever‑free core
    BeAdmin Yes
    BlueOnyx Yes
  • Modern UI
    BeAdmin Yes
    BlueOnyx Partial
03 — why beadmin

Why pick BeAdmin over BlueOnyx

DEBIAN & UBUNTU

Runs where most VPS images do

BlueOnyx installs only on the RHEL family — AlmaLinux and Rocky 8/9/10. BeAdmin runs natively on the Debian and Ubuntu images most providers default to, with no OS switch required.

MODULAR CATALOGUE

A free core you extend

BeAdmin keeps the core free and lets you switch on only the modules you need, from $1/mo — Docker, the VPN family and more. BlueOnyx ships a fixed legacy feature set with optional Nuonce add‑ons.

VPN INCLUDED

Privacy stack out of the box

Xray, WireGuard, OpenVPN, Outline, Amnezia — turn any of them on with a single click. BlueOnyx has no VPN at all; you would build and maintain that part yourself outside the panel.

MODERN UI

Built for today, not the RaQ era

BlueOnyx carries the “virtual sites” model and a functional but dated interface from its Cobalt RaQ lineage. BeAdmin is a modern panel with first‑class dark mode and runs comfortably on 512 MB.

04 — pros & cons

What each panel does well — and where each gives ground

BlueOnyx is mature and stable, with a genuinely strong mail and brute‑force stack for its RHEL niche; BeAdmin is lighter, Debian‑native, modular and ships a VPN. Synthesised from public docs and our own usage — your mileage may vary.

BeAdmin

Strengths

  • Native on Debian and Ubuntu — the default VPS images
  • Free core plus modules from $1/mo
  • Five built‑in VPN protocols (Xray, WireGuard, OpenVPN, Outline, Amnezia)
  • Docker as a managed module
  • Runs comfortably on 512 MB RAM
  • Modern UI with first‑class dark mode

Trade‑offs

  • No bundled Fail2Ban or out‑of‑the‑box 2FA maturity yet
  • PostgreSQL not yet a managed module
  • No native WHMCS provisioning
  • Smaller install base and shorter history than BlueOnyx
  • No Node.js / Python / Ruby runtimes

BlueOnyx

Strengths

  • Mature mail stack — Postfix/Sendmail switch, autoconfig, OpenDKIM
  • Built‑in brute‑force protection plus 2FA for SSH and GUI
  • Long, stable history as the Cobalt RaQ descendant
  • Provisioning API v2 and per‑site SSL
  • Strong fit for RaQ migrations and multi‑server monitoring
  • Free open‑source core

Trade‑offs

  • RHEL family only — no Debian or Ubuntu
  • Dated “virtual sites” model and legacy UI; no dark mode
  • No built‑in VPN and no Docker
  • No PostgreSQL and no modern app runtimes
  • Narrow, niche audience
05 — pricing

Free core vs a free legacy platform

Both keep a free core. BlueOnyx ships a fixed legacy feature set with optional paid Nuonce add‑ons; BeAdmin bills only for the modules you switch on.

BeAdmin — free core + modules

Free core

0 € forever, no account required
  • Nginx, MariaDB, PHP, CRON
  • Mail server
  • File manager, users, roles
  • Backups, scheduler, monitoring

Add modules à la carte

From 1 €/mo. Enable only what you need, disable any time — no site cap. The VPN family lives here.

BlueOnyx — free core
  • Core

    Free

    open source

    • Web, mail, DNS
    • ·
    • Fixed feature set
  • Add‑ons

    Paid

    from Nuonce

    • Optional modules
    • ·
    • Themes
  • Support

    Paid

    from Nuonce

    • Commercial support
    • ·
    • Optional

The BlueOnyx core is free and open source. Optional commercial modules, themes and support are sold by Nuonce.net; exact prices are not published on the features page.

BlueOnyx licensing from blueonyx.it. BeAdmin module pricing from beadmin.com.

06 — requirements

System requirements

The smallest VPS each panel will comfortably run on. BlueOnyx does not publish a hard RAM floor; figures are approximate for the EL stack.

  • Minimum RAM
    BeAdmin 512 MB
    BlueOnyx ~1 GB
  • Recommended RAM
    BeAdmin 1 GB
    BlueOnyx ~2 GB
  • Minimum disk
    BeAdmin 10 GB
    BlueOnyx 10–20 GB
  • CPU
    BeAdmin 1 core
    BlueOnyx 1 core
  • Architecture
    BeAdmin x86_64
    BlueOnyx x86_64
  • Supported OS
    BeAdmin Debian, Ubuntu
    BlueOnyx AlmaLinux, Rocky 8–10

Source: blueonyx.it. BeAdmin requirements from internal documentation.

07 — migration

Migrating from BlueOnyx

BlueOnyx runs on the RHEL family, so the move means a fresh Debian or Ubuntu box. The old panel stays up until you retire it.

01

Install BeAdmin on a Debian or Ubuntu server

BlueOnyx only runs on AlmaLinux or Rocky, so plan a fresh Debian or Ubuntu box — there is no in‑place OS switch. One apt command brings up the free BeAdmin core; run it alongside BlueOnyx and switch over only when ready.

02

Move sites, databases, and mail

Transfer site files, databases (mysqldump) and mailboxes manually or with your own scripts. BeAdmin does not import BlueOnyx “virtual sites” directly — that is an honest gap, not a marketing trick.

03

Switch DNS, watch the traffic

Flip DNS when you are comfortable. If anything looks off, revert DNS to the old server — the rollback is just one record change.

08 — questions

Frequently asked questions

BlueOnyx is a solid, free platform, and for RaQ migrations or multi‑server monitoring on RHEL it is a genuine fit. The case for BeAdmin is OS and modernity: native Debian and Ubuntu instead of RHEL‑only, a free core plus modules from 1 €/mo — Docker, five VPN protocols — 512 MB, and a modern UI with dark mode. If those matter, the comparison above shows the differences plainly.

No. BeAdmin is Debian and Ubuntu only. BlueOnyx is the opposite — it installs only on the RHEL family (AlmaLinux, Rocky 8/9/10), as the descendant of Cobalt RaQ. If your fleet is standardised on RHEL, that is a real reason to weigh BlueOnyx; BeAdmin targets the Debian and Ubuntu images most VPS providers default to.

No. BlueOnyx ships no VPN, so you would set one up and maintain it yourself outside the panel. BeAdmin includes five protocols — Xray, WireGuard, OpenVPN, Outline and Amnezia — as modules in the same UI, each enabled with a single click.

BlueOnyx ships built‑in brute‑force protection and 2FA for SSH and the GUI out of the box, and that is a genuine strength. BeAdmin does not bundle those yet. Its differentiators are the Debian/Ubuntu base, the modular catalogue and the built‑in VPN — not security maturity. We say so plainly.

Not automatically. BlueOnyx stores “virtual sites” in its own structure, and the move also means a fresh Debian or Ubuntu box. Plan a manual transfer of site files, databases and mailboxes — there is no one‑click importer, and we would rather be honest about that than promise a tool that does not exist.

Start managing infrastructure the way you actually want to

The panel core is free. Pay only for the modules you connect.

How to install