Best Windows Hosting

Windows hosting is becoming an increasingly popular hosting option. If you are looking for the best Windows hosting providers, you have arrived at the right place.

Windows hosting uses a server-based version of the Windows operating system. Which host a vast array of services and applications.

Like other forms of hosting, it comes in all kinds of flavours. They range from basic, shared accounts to more complicated enterprise-level plans. It does not limit windows hosting to a specific use case.

Windows hosting is a specialist market. This means that individuals who buy it have a defined list of required features. It is these requirements that compel users to go for this hosting over its more popular counterpart–Linux.

What is Windows hosting used for?

A hosting solution based on Windows has a whole range of applications. This is true for individuals who need to use tools specific to the Windows environment.

For starters, they use Windows hosting for any application that involves the .NET framework.

If you are dealing with anything written in Active Server Pages (ASP) scripts, this is the hosting you will need.

Windows hosting is also used in the domain of Visual Basic (VB). It will enable you to get integrated with any products in the Microsoft stack.

This includes popular tools like Exchange and Sharepoint.

For instance, if you want to design content using Sharepoint Designer and need a hosting plan, Windows hosting is the one you should go for.

This is also the form of hosting that will support your FrontPage or SQL extensions. If you are working on an MS Access database or using an SQL server, Windows hosting is the service you should use.

There are also applications where Windows hosting will prove useless. If you are using languages like PHP, Python, and Perl, Linux is a much better option.

If you are working with WordPress, you are once again much better off with Linux. This is because Linux has a more significant amount of support and documentation for WordPress.

Finally, if you plan to rely on SSH, a Linux-based solution will be much more useful for you.

So, we use Windows hosting where you work with Microsoft tools and programs.

How did we pick the best Windows hosting?

Selecting the best Windows hosting providers involves analysing various factors.

For starters, we look at the performance. This includes a thorough analysis of load speeds and storage space.

The faster the servers associated with a hosting plan, the better its performance. Faster page load times are better because they deliver a higher quality of user experience.

The amount of space and bandwidth on offer are also significant metrics. Again, more is better for you. But the exact amount still depends on your specific requirements.

A plan that offers 25GB of storage space and 1TB of bandwidth sounds excellent. Do you need these specs for your work though?

It’s always sensible to gauge your requirements and budget before you choose plans based on space and bandwidth.

We look at accessibility. This is where an analysis of control panels, interfaces, and operating systems comes in.

While Linux-based plans rely on the cPanel, Windows-based plans have Plesk. Both these control panels have their fair share of pros and cons, so it comes down to what you are comfortable with.

Plesk is more user-friendly, while cPanel is a more natural option for Linux users.

We also look at reliability. Uptime guarantees are a significant indicator. If a site goes down because of hosting maintenance issues, your business will suffer.

Thus, you want to make sure that your hosting provider has immense uptime guarantees. The leading web hosting providers in the market offer uptime guarantees of up to 99.9%.

The CPU usage is also a critical consideration in reliability assessments.

This metric represents the amount of CPU time needed to run your site scripts. It gives you a sense of the server load generated by your website. The lower the CPU usage offered by a hosting service, the more reliable it is.

Cost is yet another thing we consider when selecting the best hosting plans. This is because the web development process can get very expensive.

If you are a client, you might have to hire web developers on a full-time or freelance basis. This won’t be cheap for you, especially if you have tremendous quality requirements.

Even as an independent developer, you want to make sure that your initial costs are as low as possible. Thus, affordability is a crucial metric for us in selecting web hosting providers.

Finally, a web hosting provider’s customer support also makes it stand out. The more avenues for communication with the company, the better.

The best hosting services allow customers to contact them 24/7. This communication happens via live chat, phone, and email.

Why do I need Windows hosting?

It’s a mistake to assume that only huge businesses and companies need web hosting services. Even if you operate a small business or startup, Windows hosting can help you.

For one, dealing with downtime is an issue for every business. A website that goes down results in immense losses for the company. Customers get frustrated with poor performance.

The company’s reputation takes a big hit. If you want to ensure high levels of customer satisfaction, you need Windows hosting.

Windows hosting will provide security and protection for your websites. It is common knowledge that systems are always vulnerable to attacks.

These attacks could come from viruses, malware, and hackers. Such malicious actions can cause the deletion of valuable data. This makes it difficult for your business to operate.

If you need to safeguard your company from these attacks, you need to invest in Windows hosting.

Windows hosting offers 24/7 support. This is crucial for every business out there. Every step in building a web company is a struggle, so it helps to have a reliable customer support team.

The moment your site runs into a problem, you can access the support provided by Windows hosting to fix it.

Finally, if you need to improve your site’s SEO ranking, you need to use Windows hosting. It will boost your page load times. This will make it more attractive for your users and will also make your site more visible to the search engine.

If your organisation has always used the Windows system, you need to get Windows hosting. It would be a natural choice for you. You won’t have to build anything from scratch. Plus, it will work well with your existing technology.

What should I look for when buying Windows hosting?

Once you’ve settled upon Windows hosting, here is a list of features you need to look out for. This is crucial when you are looking for web hosting services to buy.

For starters, your Windows hosting provider must be compatible with your Windows-based software. It must be compatible with critical programs like ASP. NET, Visual Basic Development, and C#. Microsoft Exchange and SQL Server are also two crucial programs it must support.

If your business relies on any of these, you need to make sure that your web hosting plan supports them. Web hosting companies will usually provide compatibility information on their website. In case of confusion, you can always contact their sales team.

You need to look out for stability. Windows hosting is less stable as compared to its Linux-based counterpart. What you need to check for are uptime guarantees. This is a guarantee of the time for which your website will be up and usable by your customers.

Yet another feature to consider is security. This is something that is a priority for every website. This is also the most crucial feature to look out for since the stakes are immense.

You want to ensure that your site is safe from malicious attacks that could cause the loss of precious data.

Thus, look out for providers that use firewalls and provide SSL certificates. If they provide extra security services, that makes them even better.

The reputation of the web hosting provider is also an important thing to look out for. A hosting service stands for nothing if it has no status in the industry. This is irrespective of the services it offers or promises it makes.

You can check for a provider’s reputation by analysing third-party reviews.

Finally, you need to ensure that your web hosting plan has excellent customer support. Customer service is critical when you want to fix a flaw in your website’s operation.

If Windows hosting plan includes 24/7 customer service, consider it. The more the communication channels, the better.

Does Windows hosting cost more?

Linux hosting is also a significant player in the web hosting field. Thus, it is worth comparing the affordability of Windows hosting to that of Linux.

Windows hosting costs more than its Linux-based counterpart. This is because Linux is an open-source system. Thus, web hosting providers need not pay any licensing fees for using it.

This is not the case for Windows, hence why it’s more costly.

Even among Windows hosting plans, the cost depends on your specific use case. A shared Windows web hosting plan, for instance, is going to be cheaper than a dedicated one.

Since the latter features a higher bandwidth and storage space, it costs more.

Windows hosting pros and cons

If there’s one thing that should be clear by now, it’s that Windows hosting isn’t for everyone. It offers a unique set of features that make it more compatible with some businesses than others.

As with every service out there, Windows hosting has its pros and cons.

Things like familiarity and ease of use make it ideal for some organisations. These businesses have been using Windows tools and software for a long time.

But it also has downsides like lack of security and poor stability. These flaws can make Linux look like a much better option. Let’s consider these pros and cons in greater detail.

Windows hosting Pro’s & Con’s

Pros

Windows hosting runs on an operating system that is the most familiar in the world. The current version of Windows has over 400 million users. This is easy to believe since it is the one operating system that everyone can identify.

Familiarity makes Windows web hosting easy to use. It also makes it a more natural fit for someone who plans to work on the server user interface directly.

Thus Windows offers a more intuitive experience than the Linux-based option.

A significant advantage of Windows web hosting is its compatibility.This makes it work well with other Windows tools and programs.

This is the main reason some businesses go for this web hosting. They have always been relying on the Windows system.

For instance, if your website uses ASP.NET, you must access a Windows server. Any business that relies on the MS SQL database service will also need to go with Windows web hosting.

If your company uses Microsoft Sharepoint, this is the option you should go for because it’s the best fit.

The more your reliance on Windows tools, the more useful Windows web hosting will be for you. Your website will be compatible with your environment.

Plus, whenever your Windows OS gets an update, you don’t have to worry about functionality issues. This is because all the programs are compatible with each other.

Finally, Windows hosting comes with the Plesk control panel. This panel is straightforward to use. You can always use the Windows hosting interface.

Yet, using Plesk will make it easier for you to update and change your website. This control panel is intuitive and straightforward, and it makes it seamless for you to create and manage domains.

Cons

First off, Windows hosting is not as secure as Linux hosting. Businesses have reported a higher frequency of ransomware attacks when using Windows hosting.

This frequency is terrifying for any business. You can invest in the right Windows web hosting that offers a suite of security features.

Windows hosting is more expensive than Linux hosting. Linux-based plans start at USD 2.75 per month. Meanwhile, their Windows-based counterparts begin at USD 4.76 per month.

Thus, businesses low on cash and haven’t been relying on Windows would be better off with Linux.

Finally, Windows-based hosting is less reliable and stable as compared to Linux-based hosting. But this alone shouldn’t dissuade you from purchasing Windows hosting.

This is because providers like HostGator offer 99.9% uptime guarantees. Hence, you can find reliable options for Windows.

Conclusion

Windows hosting could be ideal for your organisation in several scenarios. If it has been relying on the Windows environment for a very long time, this hosting type is a natural choice. If it can afford its plans, it won’t hurt to go for Windows hosting.

Linux hosting is a popular option because of its stability and affordability. But Windows is a good alternative because of its familiarity. It is easy to use, because of the Plesk control panel. Plus, it supports critical Microsoft programs and tools.

When all is said and done, it all comes down to your requirements and budget. Once you have a good sense of both, you can make the right decision for your business.