If your website is hosted on a shared hosting plan or even on a VPS with cPanel, you’ve probably seen a section called “Resource Usage” in your control panel. But what does it actually mean? Why should you care if CPU or memory usage is high? And how do you interpret those charts and warnings?
In this article, we’ll break it down in simple terms so website owners and hosting clients can understand exactly what’s going on without needing to be a server expert.

What Is cPanel Resource Usage?

The Resource Usage feature in cPanel (often powered by CloudLinux’s LVE Manager) monitors and shows how much of your server’s allocated resources your account is using. Think of it like checking the fuel, speed, and engine temperature in your car it’s how you know things are running smoothly or when something needs attention.

Here are the main metrics you’ll typically see:

• CPU Usage

• Memory Usage (RAM)

• Entry Processes

• Number of Processes

• I/O Usage

• Faults/Failures

Why It Matters

If your website exceeds the limits set by your hosting provider, several issues may occur:

• Your website may slow down

• Visitors may see 500 errors

• Background tasks may fail (like cron jobs or plugin updates)

• Your hosting account might get throttled temporarily

That’s why keeping an eye on your usage is essential, especially for high-traffic sites or those using plugins or scripts that require more processing power.

How to Access Resource Usage in cPanel

1. Log in to cPanel

2. Scroll to the Metrics section

3. Click on “Resource Usage”

You’ll land on a page that shows you a summary like:

“Your account has not been limited in the past 24 hours”
or
“Your site has been limited within the past 24 hours”

Click on “Details” to view usage charts and logs.

How to Interpret Key Stats

🔸 CPU Usage

• What it is: The amount of processing power your website uses.

• Where to find it: A graph showing usage as a percentage of your allowed CPU.

• Why it spikes: High traffic, heavy plugins, poorly coded scripts, or too many concurrent visitors.

Ideal: Under 50% for most small-to-medium websites
Warning: Consistent spikes over 80% may lead to throttling

🔸 Memory Usage (Physical Memory)

• What it is: How much RAM your website is using.

• Where to find it: Listed in MB or as a graph with your limit.

• Why it spikes: Multiple scripts running at once, caching issues, large image processing, or inefficient themes.

Ideal: Keep average usage below 75% of the limit
High Usage: Can lead to internal errors or slow page loads

🔸 Entry Processes

• What it is: The number of active PHP scripts or connections at one time.

• Limit impact: Each browser visit or bot crawl can count as one process.

• Why it spikes: Sudden traffic surge, bots, or slow-loading scripts.

If your entry process limit is hit, new visitors will get errors until older processes finish.

Good Range: Below 10 for low-traffic sites
Problem: Constantly maxing out (e.g., 20/20 processes) means it’s time to optimize or upgrade

 I/O Usage (Disk Input/Output)

• What it is: The speed at which your site reads from or writes to the server disk (like uploading, image rendering, backups).

• Measured in: KB/s or MB/s

• Why it matters: High I/O can freeze your site during backup runs or large uploads.

 Tip: Frequent spikes during backup jobs are normal, but consistent I/O bottlenecks can affect performance.

🔸 Number of Processes

• What it is: Total number of all active tasks running for your account, including cron jobs, scripts, and backend jobs.

• Limit impact: Exceeding this limit may kill background jobs like plugin updates.

Should stay comfortably below your hosting plan’s threshold

What to Do If You’re Hitting Resource Limits

If you regularly see warnings or limitations in your cPanel resource usage, here’s what you can do:

1. Disable Heavy Plugins

Some plugins consume excessive CPU and memory. Try disabling them one by one to identify the culprit.

2. Use a Caching Plugin

Plugins like LiteSpeed Cache, W3 Total Cache, or WP Super Cache can significantly reduce CPU and RAM usage by serving static content.

3. Optimize Images

Large image files increase memory and I/O usage. Use tools like Smush or TinyPNG to compress them.

4. Block Bad Bots

Malicious or unnecessary bots can generate hundreds of requests. Use .htaccess rules or security plugins to block them.

5. Use Fewer Cron Jobs

Too many scheduled tasks can increase process and memory usage. Consider consolidating or spacing them out.

6. Upgrade Your Plan

If your site has genuinely outgrown the limits (e.g., due to high traffic or WooCommerce), a higher hosting tier might be required.

Best Practices for Clients

Common Myths About Resource Usage

Conclusion

Understanding your cPanel resource usage can help you maintain a fast, stable, and accessible website. Even if you’re not a tech expert, the Resource Usage tool gives you clear insights into how your site behaves under the hood.
By interpreting CPU, memory, and process stats correctly, you’ll be in a better position to fix performance issues, plan for growth, and avoid unexpected downtime.
If you’re not sure what’s causing your high resource usage, don’t hesitate to reach out to our support team they’re there to help you figure it out.