Create WaaS
A 'Website as a Service' (WaaS) or as few call it - SaaS is a way to offer ready made templates combined with a hosting service. This is typically used by agencies to automate the process of provisioning websites on demand by their customers.
InstaWP allows you to build WaaS (a great source of recurring revenue) by creating pre-built templates and setting all related hosting settings, letting your customers create their own websites.
Creation of a WaaS involves the following steps:
- Create a shared template
- Monetize the template
- Connect a hosting account or use our Live partners like InstaWP Live.
- Build the WaaS with all the options we support (explained below).
In this documentation, we will explore the steps to create a new WaaS in your InstaWP account.
Let’s get started 🚀
Using the demonstration below, let's try to create a new WaaS.
Step 1: Go to WaaS and click on the Add WaaS button.
Step 2: Enter a WaaS name, select a single or multiple template, and click Next.
Step 3: An Options dialog will appear, asking you to enable/disable the following options:
- Skip InstaWP demo site creation: When switched off, a demo/trial site will be created on InstaWP before going live.
- Ask for payment in the beginning: By default, we will ask for credit card details and charge the card during the setup. This option is only available when the above option is switched off.
- Skip steps for choosing template or hosting: If only one hosting or template is available, skip that step in checkout.
- **Use InstaWP Payments in WaaS Checkouts: **InstaWP offers WaaS integration for payouts. The WaaS Checkout system is integrated with Surecart and other e-commerce. More details here.
- **Allow Public Access to the WaaS: **This option allows you to limit public access to your WaaS.Turn this off when 3rd Party checkouts or unique links are in use.
- **Language: **A language chooser feature that benefits your English, Spanish, German, French, Brazilian Portuguese, Japanese, Italian, Swedish, Czech, Slovak, Finnish, and Dutch customers can help you reach a worldwide audience.
After enabling options, click Next.
Step 4: A Hosting Settings dialog will appear, asking you to enter the values in the following fields:
Options | Description |
|---|---|
Plan Name | Edit hosting plan name. |
Type | Hosting Type is Free or Paid, choose Free when you are using your own Payment Gateway. |
Plan Price | On choosing Paid type plan configure frequency with Monthly or Yearly option. |
Template Price | Price from Add to price or Waived off (to waive off the template price if the user buys the hosting). |
WP User Role | This enables you to assign user roles to customers when selling WaaS and gives you control over user permissions, which ensures security and access management. By default, an administrator is named. |
Server Alias | Select a hosting from your connected hosting providers. |
Sub Domain | Select a sub domain name from your connected hosting provider. |
Pack | Select the pack from the followings: Lite (25 GB Disk, 2 CPU) - $ 18/mo), Boost (25 GB Disk, 3 CPU) - $ 20/mo), etc. |
More Options | Depending on the hosting provider, you will be asked several options. |
There is another window named Features, asking you to enter values for the following fields:
Options | Descriptions |
|---|---|
Descriptions | Add details and descriptions of your WaaS in this field |
Features | You can add features of your WaaS by clicking the Add Features option. |
Fill out all the options according to your preference.
👉 Note: You can create and save new plans for further use from the Add More option.
Step 5: A Branding dialog will appear, where you can make your WaaS look unique by personalizing the following available options:
Options | Description |
|---|---|
Logo | Upload a logo image (png, jpg, jpeg, or svg) for your shared template from your local storage. |
Brand Color | Change your brand's primary, secondary actions and background colors. |
Custom CSS | Customize the design to match your style and make them look really unique, matching perfectly with your branding. |
Custom Support Link | Provide support to your customers on your own, by adding a Custom Support Link. |
Customize Email | Customize your default email's subject and body text using more variables. |
For more information, you can refer to the Shared template: Branding document.
👉 Note: If the user is using a premium paid plugins on some of their templates, then the license keys for the plugins be transferred as a part of purchase for others.
Step 6: A review window will show up. Make a review and click Finish button to complete making your WaaS.
WaaS Landing Page
InstaWP gives you access to the WaaS landing page, which is visible to the users with whom you have shared your WaaS link. Users can create their own site using WaaS, which offers ready-made templates combined with a hosting service.
Using the demonstration below, let's try to create a site from WaaS with InstaWP Live hosting.
👉 Note: There are some options that can only be available on your landing page when they are enabled while creating WaaS, such as asking for payment at the beginning or skipping steps for choosing a single template or hosting plan.
Step 1: Locate your site and click on the preview link or copy the link and share with your user to paste the link. It'll open a new window.
Step 2: Enter name, email and domain name and click Continue to proceed.
Step 3: Click Proceed from the confirmation window.
The site will be created using the selected shared template and hosting service. Site credentials and magic login will be there to proceed to to the created site. The credentials will be sent to the provided email also.
👉 Note: If you have the white-label domain addon, the suffix domain can be customized. If not, custom subdomain will be created over an InstaWP domain (.instawp.app).*
Manage Site
Once the site is created, the user can find the options to manage their site such as map domain, contact support link or cancel plan.
👉 Note: If the user has created WaaS by disabling the "Skip InstaWP demo site creation" option, then, they can Go live from their site's WP Admin panel.
Step 1: Locate WaaS and click on the edit icon.
Step 2: Disable Skip InstaWP demo site creation option and click Next > Next > Next > Finish.
Now create the demo site following the previous step and go to WordPress Admin Panel. Click the Go Live button to make the site live.
Updated on: 18/04/2025
Thank you!