Linux vs Windows hosting: which should you choose?

The short answer

The Linux vs Windows hosting decision has nothing to do with the computer on your desk. It depends on the technology your website is built with. If your site runs on WordPress, PHP, Python or Node.js, choose Linux. If it is an ASP.NET Framework application, uses Classic ASP or depends on other Windows only components, choose Windows.

Most websites in India, including nearly all WordPress sites, run on Linux. Windows hosting is a specialist choice, and that is fine: if you need it, nothing else will do.

Linux vs Windows hosting at a glance

Factor	Linux hosting	Windows hosting
Typical languages	PHP, Python, Node.js, Perl, Ruby	ASP.NET Framework, ASP.NET Core, Classic ASP; PHP is possible
Typical web server	Apache, Nginx or LiteSpeed	IIS (Internet Information Services)
Typical database	MySQL or MariaDB	Microsoft SQL Server (MSSQL), sometimes MySQL
Configuration files	.htaccess	web.config
File names	Case sensitive (Logo.png and logo.png differ)	Not case sensitive
Typical control panel	cPanel, Plesk or similar	Plesk
Availability	Offered by almost every host	Offered by fewer hosts

Choose by your stack, not your PC

Ask your developer, or check your project, for these clues.

You need Linux hosting if:

• You use WordPress, Joomla, Drupal, Magento, Laravel or CodeIgniter.
• Your files end in .php, or your app uses Python (Django, Flask) or Node.js.
• Your database is MySQL or MariaDB.

WordPress itself recommends Apache or Nginx as web servers, alongside current PHP and MySQL or MariaDB versions, which is why WordPress hosting is almost always Linux.

You need Windows hosting if:

• Your files end in .aspx, .asmx or .asp.
• The project was built in Visual Studio on ASP.NET Framework 4.x, for example Web Forms or MVC 5.
• It relies on Windows only components such as COM objects or specific IIS modules.

If you are unsure, look for a web.config file and .aspx pages (Windows) or .htaccess and .php files (Linux).

ASP.NET Framework vs ASP.NET Core: the detail many guides miss

"ASP.NET needs Windows" is only half true. Microsoft has two server side implementations:

• .NET Framework (up to 4.8) is a Windows component. ASP.NET Web Forms, ASP.NET Web Pages and some older services such as Windows Workflow Foundation are only available here, so these apps need Windows hosting.
• .NET (formerly .NET Core, now .NET 5 and later) is cross platform. Microsoft describes ASP.NET Core as a cross platform framework, and its guidance on choosing between the two says .NET apps can run on Windows, Linux and macOS.

So a modern ASP.NET Core app can run on a Linux VPS. On shared hosting, though, the practical path for any ASP.NET site is still Windows with Plesk, because Linux shared plans built around cPanel are designed for PHP sites rather than long running .NET processes.

ODHOST note: ODHOST's published hosting plans come with a control panel and are built for PHP, WordPress and similar sites. If your project needs Windows or ASP.NET, contact ODHOST with the .NET version and database it uses before you plan a migration. Existing Windows customers can follow our guide on deploying an ASP.NET site in Plesk.

MySQL vs Microsoft SQL Server

Your database often decides the platform.

• MySQL and MariaDB are open source, have no licence fee, and are the default on Linux hosting. They also run on Windows.
• Microsoft SQL Server is the usual partner for ASP.NET applications. It has historically been a Windows product, but Microsoft documents that SQL Server has run on Linux since SQL Server 2017.

On shared hosting, the database engine is whatever the host provides. If your application depends on SQL Server, confirm that the host includes it, and which version, before you order.

Why Windows hosting costs more

The price gap is mostly licensing. Linux distributions used on servers are commonly free to license, while Windows Server is a paid Microsoft product licensed per processor core, according to Microsoft's pricing page. Hosts pass part of that cost on, and the gap usually grows as you move from shared hosting to a VPS, where a whole Windows Server licence sits behind each virtual machine.

A SQL Server licence, where the application needs one, adds to the cost again. Our guide to web hosting cost in India shows the price ranges observed for Linux and Windows plans across Indian providers in October 2026.

When you compare quotes, check three things:

• Whether the Windows Server licence is included in the monthly price or billed separately.
• Which database engines are included, and whether SQL Server is a paid add on.
• Whether the renewal price is the same as the first term price.

Linux VPS vs Windows VPS

On a VPS the same stack rule applies, with a few extra considerations:

• Access. Linux servers are usually managed over SSH from a terminal. Windows servers are usually managed through Remote Desktop with a graphical desktop. Confirm the licence and Remote Desktop arrangements with any provider before ordering.
• Memory. Windows Server with a graphical desktop uses more RAM for itself than a minimal Linux install, so a 2 GB Windows VPS leaves less room for your application.
• Cost. Because of the licence, a Windows VPS usually costs noticeably more than a Linux VPS with the same RAM, CPU and storage.

If your ASP.NET Core app can run on Linux, a Linux VPS is usually the better value. If you need IIS, .NET Framework or a desktop application on the server, you need a Windows VPS; at ODHOST, contact the team to discuss Windows requirements.

Developer notes: moving a site between platforms

If you ever move a site from Windows to Linux or the other way, these are the usual sources of trouble:

• Case sensitivity. A link to Images/Logo.PNG works on Windows even if the file is images/logo.png. On Linux it breaks. Run a link checker after the move.
• Rewrite rules. URL rules in web.config (IIS) must be rewritten as .htaccess rules (Apache or LiteSpeed), or the other way round.
• Paths. Hard coded paths such as C:\inetpub\wwwroot or /home/username/public_html must change.
• Line endings and scripts. Shell scripts saved with Windows line endings may fail on Linux.
• Database differences. Moving between Microsoft SQL Server and MySQL is a data conversion, not a copy, because the SQL dialects differ.

Budget testing time for any cross platform move, even for small sites.

Is Windows shared hosting hard to find in India?

It is less common. In ODHOST's review of large hosts serving India, observed in October 2026, Hostinger, GoDaddy India and Bluehost India did not sell Windows shared hosting; GoDaddy India's Windows hosting address redirected to its Linux hosting page, which pointed ASP.NET users to a Windows VPS. Others, including BigRock and MilesWeb, did offer it. If you need Windows shared hosting, check that a host actually sells it today before you plan a migration.

At ODHOST, the published shared hosting plans, from Spark at ₹99 a month to Elite at ₹799 a month, come with a control panel and suit PHP and WordPress sites. Customers who need Windows or ASP.NET should contact ODHOST with their requirements. For a closer look at the two most common panels, read cPanel vs Plesk.

Which should you choose?

• A clinic website on WordPress with an appointment form: Linux shared hosting.
• A Tally integrated billing portal built years ago in ASP.NET Web Forms: Windows shared hosting, or a Windows VPS if it needs more resources or custom components.
• A new ASP.NET Core API built by your developer: a Linux VPS, unless your team prefers to manage Windows.
• A school site in plain HTML: either works. Choose Linux for the lower entry price.