Most website hosting packages run on Linux servers, and it's easy to understand why: the operating system is fast, reliable, secure, and free, with an impressive software ecosystem that includes some of the best applications. existing websites. For all these benefits, Linux won't be the right setup for everyone. If your site is based on Microsoft technologies such as ASP.NET or .NET, or if you want to run Exchange, Microsoft SQL Server, or another Microsoft Stack product, you should choose a Windows plan. Choosing Windows hosting doesn't limit you to Microsoft products. Most plans offer easy one-click installation of popular apps like WordPress, Joomla, Drupal, PrestaShop, phpBB, and more. There's no cPanel, but something similar (like Plesk) will make it easier to view your website's status, create email accounts, adjust settings, and general administration of your site. plan. Select a VPS or dedicated hosting plan and you can also use Remote Desktop to manage the server from your own desktop. Windows hosting has some issues. You won't get the same choice of apps as on Linux. There is less help available for troubleshooting apps like WordPress on the Windows platform. You also have to pay for a license from Microsoft, so it's a bit more expensive than the Linux packages. In general though, if you have to take advantage of Microsoft technologies, Windows hosting can provide a great service at a surprisingly low price. Read on to discover the top five Windows hosting providers.
1. 1 & 1 IONOS
High value packages for Windows hosting beginners. Comprehensive plans Low price Uses Windows Server 2016 Windows hosting has a reputation for being expensive, but the 1&1 IONOS shared Windows range shows that this is not necessarily the case. Prices start at €1 (€1 for the English page) per month for the first year, to €7.99 after that (€5 for the English page), but even the most basic plan is better specified than some of the competitors from linux You get 1 website, 100 GB of web space and unlimited bandwidth, as well as 25 email accounts with 2 GB of storage per account, as well as daily backups, 24/7 phone support and an email service email 24/7. Free domain and SSL certificate. Windows-specific features include five Microsoft SQL databases of 1 GB each, ASP.NET 4.7, ASP.NET Ajax, and MVC 3, 4, and 5. Support for SQL import, 39 pools, dedicated applications, and SSI, runs. on Windows Server 2019 (many hosts still use 2012). 100 databases (1 GB SSD), 100 email accounts, a dedicated IP address, regular malware scanning, and a built-in CDN based on Cloudflare. Again, it's good value at just €1 (€1 for UK page) per month for the first six months, €10 (€7 for English page) thereafter. These are shared packages that don't give you full control over the server, but more flexible VPS and dedicated packages are also available at very low prices, and opting for Windows over Linux will cost an additional €14 per month. . Considering the one-month trial and 1&1 IONOS could be a smart choice for beginners who want to experience Windows hosting with minimal risk.
2.A2 Hosting
Run ASP.NET, PHP 7, WordPress and more on the same Windows server Accelerated CDN and Anycast DNS Decent price PHP 7.x A2 Hosting is a successful provider with a wide range of packages from basic shared products, WordPress email managed, reseller plans, cloud VPS and dedicated servers. Windows A2 deals include a high-performance Swift package priced at €5.88 ($3.76) per month initially, or €11.99 ($7.66) on renewal. It's a shared product, but hey, with an unlimited number of websites, subdomains, email addresses, databases, etc. Highlights include free site migration, standard SSD storage, virus scanning, automatic backups, free SSL encryption, Anycast DNS, and free Cloudflare CDN for an average load of pages 200% faster. . Your site will be hosted on Windows Server 2012, although you can choose Windows Server 2016. Windows Server 2016 has introduced many new features: Nano Server support, containers, ReFS, Linux Secure Boot, but it is not. You will not use these functions on a shared memory. hosting plan. With the Swift plan, you benefit from support for a large number of current and legacy Microsoft products and standards: ASP.NET 2.x, 3.x and 4.x, ASP Classic, .NET Core 2.2, ASP.NET MVC 4 . or 5, IIS 8.5, and Silverlight 4 or 5. And if your needs are more cross-platform, PHP 5.6, 7.0, 7.1, or 7.2 support, phpMyAdmin, and one-click installers for PrestaShop, WordPress, Drupal, and more. If shared hosting isn't enough, A2 also provides managed Windows VPS plans. These are well specified and reasonably priced from €32.99 (£25.99) per month at first, then €49.99 (£39.39) on renewal, which is decent value. for the features and support you get.
3. Hostwinds
Flexible mid-range hosting for cash-intensive users. Compatible with Windows Server 2008, 2012 and 2016. Excellent technical support Good quality Although there are many low-cost shared Windows hosting packages, they are not the best option for everyone. We believe that many users who need a Windows website will also need more speed and functionality than the average customer, and that hosting on a budget may not cut it. Hostwinds Windows VPS hosting offers no less than 10 plan configurations, making it extremely easy to find and purchase the precise level of service you need. The basic specification is impressive. Each plan offers free site migrations, SSD storage, and 1 Gbps network connectivity (100 Mbit/s is common to other plans). You can also use Windows Server 2008, 2012 or 2016, as well as fast response times for all support issues (30 seconds for chat or phone, 5 minutes for tickets) and a guaranteed 99,999% availability. The Tier 1 Starter plan offers relatively limited resources, with one processor core, 1 GB of RAM, 30 GB of disk space, and 1 TB of traffic per month. But it's also good value at $9.89 ($7.6) per month for the first quarter, $10.99 on renewal. These prices are also for a monthly billing cycle; no lengthy contract is needed. Going to a higher level gives you more power. The mid-tier Tier 5 offers four processor cores, 8GB of RAM, 150GB of disk space, and 3TB of bandwidth for $45.89 ($35.20) per month initially, $50.99 ($39.1) a month longer late. Optional supplements are reasonably priced. For example, you can add cloud backups for €1 (€0,70) per month, and spending €5 on basic server monitoring will allow Hostwinds to monitor your system and automatically generate a support ticket in the event of a breakdown. . Put it all together and these hosting plans look well designed, powerful, configurable, great support, and a 60-day money-back guarantee. If basic Windows hosting isn't enough, Hostwinds is worth a try.
4. Host Gator
From simple shared plans to complete dedicated servers. Few limitations or restrictions. Very low starting price Shared plans have outdated software. Many web hosts offer some level of Windows support, but this is often limited to a specific set of products, such as dedicated servers. This could become a problem if you decide to upgrade or downgrade your hosting later, so it makes sense to look for hosts that offer more flexibility. HostGator offers a range of Windows packages that cover personal and professional shared hosting, as well as highly specified dedicated servers that can run just about anything. Most of these products are clearly short of limits and restrictions. The Personal Starter Personal Plan can support only one website, but you are allowed to use an unlimited number of subdomains, emails, MySQL and Microsoft SQL Server databases, in addition to your own. 39, unmetered bandwidth and disk space. The price is €2.64 per month if you sign up for the three-year plan, or €6.95 for renewal, which is less expensive than equivalent Linux packages from some providers. Relatively outdated HostGator software has potential drawbacks: Windows Server 2008 R2, IIS 7.5, MSSQL Server 2008 R2 Web Edition, Access Databases 2007, 2010, ASP.NET on 4.5, PHP 5.2.17, and PHP 5.3. This won't affect everyone, but please check the Windows technical requirements before signing up. HostGator's dedicated plans are a bit more up-to-date, though they lag behind some competitors: Windows Server 2012 R2, IIS 8.5, SQL Server 2014 Express, and ASP.NET 2.0 to 4.6. Nominal pricing is reasonable, with Value Server packages starting at €119 ($85) a month and occasional specials starting at €79.99 ($57) for legacy servers. Be sure to carefully review the fine print, though: you may need to sign up for three years to get these prices, and deep introductory discounts mean you could pay more than double for renewal.