A Control Panel is a web-based interface using which you can control various aspects of your online presence. For example, you could set up or change website files, create and check e-mail messages, manage databases, check visitor statistics etc. Those things are carried out using buttons and menus in an internet browser and the Control Panel could also be called ‘back office’, i.e. the admin area associated with your hosting account. Most of the Control Panels out there will allow you to control all hosting-related matters, but you shall usually require a different system to handle payments or to get a new domain name when the company offers domain registrations. Depending on the platform they utilize, you could be able to use the billing account to open a support ticket to ask a question or to troubleshoot an issue also, or you might have to use a third system.