A Control Panel is a web-based user interface through which you can manage numerous aspects of your online presence. For example, you may create or change website files, set up and check e-mails, handle databases, check visitor stats and so forth. Those things are executed via buttons and menus inside a web browser and the CP could also be called ‘back office’, i.e. the admin area associated with your web hosting account. Most of the Control Panels out there will enable you to control all hosting-related matters, but you shall normally need a different system to manage payments or to get a new domain name when the company offers domain registrations. With respect to the platform they employ, you can be able to use the billing account to open a support ticket to ask a question or to troubleshoot and fix a problem as well, or you might have to use a 3rd system.