The Business Case
Hosting providers already absorb the cost of DDoS attacks: null-routed IPs, support tickets, customer churn. Turning DDoS protection into a paid service means you recover that cost and create a new revenue line at the same time.
The math is straightforward. Per-node DDoS detection costs $9.99/month wholesale. Most hosting providers charge $5-15/month per VPS or $15-30/month per dedicated server for "DDoS Protection" as an addon. On a 100-server fleet where 40% of clients opt in, that is $200-600/month in additional revenue with healthy margins.
More importantly, DDoS protection reduces churn. Clients who experience an unmitigated DDoS attack on their VPS are significantly more likely to leave. Clients who see "Attack detected, mitigated in 0.8 seconds" in their portal stay.
Pricing Strategies
Option 1: Per-server addon
The simplest model. Create a WHMCS configurable option group called "DDoS Protection" and add it to your VPS and dedicated server products.
Configurable Option: DDoS Protection None - $0.00/mo Basic (Alerts) - $4.99/mo Pro (Alerts+Auto) - $9.99/mo
Basic gives the client real-time alerts and attack history. Pro adds automated firewall rules and PCAP forensics. The tier structure lets budget-conscious clients start small and upgrade after their first incident.
Option 2: Bundle it into premium plans
Include DDoS protection in your mid-tier and premium plans at no visible extra cost. Raise the plan price by $3-5 to cover the cost, and use "DDoS Protected" as a differentiator on your order page. This approach drives clients toward higher-margin plans without requiring a separate purchase decision.
Option 3: Standalone product
Sell DDoS protection as a standalone product in WHMCS. Clients purchase it and link it to any server they host with you. This works well for dedicated server clients who already have a server and want to add protection later.
Setting Up the Product in WHMCS
Create a new product group called "Security Services" or add to your existing group. Then create the product:
- Go to Setup > Products/Services > Products/Services
- Create a new product, type "Other"
- Under Module Settings, select "Flowtriq"
- Configure your Flowtriq API server (see the module installation guide)
- Set pricing under the Pricing tab
- Enable auto-provisioning under Module Settings
When a client orders this product, the Flowtriq WHMCS module automatically provisions a monitoring node, generates a deploy token, and makes the protection dashboard available in the client area.
White-Label Configuration
Most hosting providers want DDoS protection to feel like a native part of their platform, not a third-party integration. The Flowtriq WHMCS module supports full white-label:
- Custom branding: Replace "Flowtriq" with your company name throughout the client area
- Custom domain: Point a subdomain (e.g., protection.yourhost.com) to the Flowtriq dashboard
- Email templates: DDoS alert emails come from your domain with your branding
- Status pages: Client-facing status pages use your logo and colors
White-label setup takes about 15 minutes. Add your logo, set your colors, configure the sender domain, and your clients never see "Flowtriq" anywhere.
Marketing the Addon
The most effective way to sell DDoS protection is to make it visible at checkout. Add a DDoS protection badge to your order pages and server listing templates. When prospects see verified protection before they buy, it builds trust and makes the addon purchase feel like the obvious choice.
Other tactics that work:
- Post-incident upsell: After a DDoS incident, email affected clients with an offer for protection. Conversion rates on these emails are high because the pain is fresh.
- Knowledge base: Write an article explaining what DDoS attacks are and how your protection works. Link to it from support ticket responses.
- Server listing sites: Mention DDoS protection in your listings on LowEndTalk, WebHostingTalk, and hosting directories. It is a genuine differentiator.
Tracking Revenue and Usage
The Flowtriq admin panel in WHMCS provides reporting on:
- Total nodes provisioned and active
- Monthly revenue from DDoS protection services
- Incidents mitigated (useful for marketing: "We stopped 47 attacks this month")
- Client adoption rate across your server fleet
These numbers help you refine pricing and identify opportunities. If you see 80% of your game server clients buying protection but only 10% of your web hosting clients, you know where to focus your marketing.
FAQ
What if a client is already under attack when they order protection?
The ftagent starts monitoring immediately after installation. If an attack is already in progress, it will detect and classify it within seconds of the agent coming online. Automated mitigation (if enabled) kicks in immediately.
Can I offer different protection tiers?
Yes. Use WHMCS configurable options to offer tiered service: basic alerting, alerting with automated mitigation, or full protection with PCAP forensics and priority support.
Do I need to manage the Flowtriq infrastructure?
No. Flowtriq is a SaaS platform. The only component you install is the lightweight ftagent on each monitored server. The dashboard, API, alert routing, and data storage are all managed by Flowtriq.
Start selling DDoS protection today. Get the Flowtriq module from the WHMCS Marketplace, configure your products, and start generating revenue from DDoS protection. Free 14-day trial with all features included.