The Top Windows Hosting Providers – Which is Best for You?
Linux has the ruling spot in the world of housing, with very few providers offering a Windows service, and even fewer offering good quality. However, Windows does outperform Linux in some areas, and for many website owners, can be the most logical choice. It might not be easy to find a reliable hosting provider that handles Windows well, but your hard work can certainly pay off.
To help you find the right Windows hosting provider for you, we’ve reviewed some of the best Windows hosting companies that are currently in the market. The providers that we’ve listed below can help you set up a solid and robust server for hosting your website, running your company network, and more.
How We Ranked the Best Windows Hosts
- Examine the Offer
- Check the Reputation:
- Buy a Plan
- Get Support:
- Read the Terms of Service
- Compile a Report
1.The Best Windows Hosting Providers of 2021-Hostwinds
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About:
A relative newcomer to the hosting industry, Hostwinds has already built an excellent reputation for quality services at excellent prices.
Specs:
Features:
Hostwinds only currently supports Windows Server 2016, which may not be the best option for anybody who is looking for Windows Server 2019. The unmanaged VPS plans offer a range of useful features including monitoring solutions, nightly backups, and free website migrations. You can install whatever you need thanks to superuser-level access that is available on all plans. On the managed VPS plans, you have access to even further feature options including speed optimisation, general troubleshooting, malware scanning, firewall management, custom server configuration setup and much more.
The dedicated plans allow you to enjoy the same features as the managed VPS plans, with the additional benefit of being able to choose your type of RAID configuration from 0, 1, 5, 6, and 10. You can also get a datacentre license or add up to twenty-eight IP addresses, which allows you to resell Windows hosting.
Reviews:
Most of the reviews for Hostwinds are positive, citing efficient support and a fast platform. There are some negative reviews out there, which are mostly regarding billing since many users assume that the discounts offered for the first term are the regular price. This may cause confusion, but it’s a standard practice in the hosting industry and Hostwinds is clear about it on their website.
Support:
Support is available through email, phone, and live chat. You can usually expect a quick answer to your query and agents are usually able to solve most problems, although they do tend to refer customers to the knowledge base quite a lot. This is not a massive problem since the knowledge base is very extensive with access to over a thousand guides, including many that are Windows hosting-related.
Conclusion:
This provider is one of the most affordable options for both managed and unmanaged VPS and dedicated Windows hosting plans. Despite being fairly new to the game, it has grown to become one of the best Windows hosting providers available and is able to handle requests of any size.
2.Kamatera
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About:
An Israeli host and one of the big cloud infrastructure performers, Kamatera is a popular choice among businesses and developers. It offers a large selection of Windows web services.
Specs:
Kamatera is able to work for pretty much any app type, with blank servers that can be setup completely customised with what you install or request. Licensing is available for various Windows Server variants from 2008 to 2019. You can also get Plesk set up.
Managed services are available with support setting up and configuring the OS and web server, and the rest is up to you. For additional management, you can sign up for extended support, which includes having the entire server configured to your specs.
Daily backups to offsite storage are available for $4/month and specialist services for Microsoft business apps are provided.
Reviews:
This provider has a stellar reputation, especially with developers. There are very few negative reviews other than it’s a high-end option that’s not very suitable for first-time website owners who want to start small.
Support:
You can choose various levels of support from Kamatera. Whichever you go for, you can expect fast responses and support agents who do their job very well.
Conclusion:
If you want a powerful platform that is maintained by experts, Kamatera could be ideal for you.
3.AccuWeb Hosting
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About:
An independent provider of fifteen years with a great reputation, AccuWeb Hosting offers a range of managed hosting plans.
Specs:
Features:
The shared hosting includes everything you’d expect from an ASP.NET hosting provider including one-click installs for various apps, Plesk control panel, daily backups, website migrations, CloudFlare CDN and more. They offer solid solutions and are one of the best providers despite bandwidth being limited.
VPS plans allow you to enjoy all the benefits of shared hosting but with more flexibility. Be aware that only weekly backups are free and daily backups incur an additional charge. While the bandwidth caps might cause issues for traffic-heavy apps, the dedicated servers are much more powerful and offer maximum reliability and security.
Reviews:
The platform gets mostly positive reviews about its uptime, speed, and efficiency. It’s worth noting that AccuWeb offers free WordPress hosting but asks for reviews in return.
Support:
Support is available through all the standard channels and a one-hour response time is guaranteed for email tickets. Support does tend to answer almost straight away and the agents are skilled at resolving issues. The help centre offers over five hundred articles on Windows hosting and many more on other topics.
Conclusion:
An all-round excellent option, this provider allows you to take advantage of some of the best Windows hosting in 2021 as long as you keep an eye on the resources.
4.Liquid Web
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About:
Liquid Web started out offering shared hosting, but over time have moved towards offering higher-end solutions. Liquid Web is the ideal option for users who prefer VPS or dedicated platforms for their Windows applications.
Specs:
Three Windows VPS plans available:
- Four CPU cores, 100GB SSD storage, 4GB RAM, 10TB bandwidth, $74/month
- Eight CPU cores, 150GB SSD storage, 8GB RAM, 10TB bandwidth, $94/month
- Eight CPU cores, 200GB SSD storage, 16GB RAM, 10TB bandwidth, $169/month
All prices include a Windows license and Plesk control panel. Any level of management that you need is provided at no additional charge.
Various dedicated servers are available with a lot of customisation allowed.
Server specs for the starter bundle are:
Liquid Web does not charge for full setup, although you can pay $250 upfront to save $25 on your monthly subscription.
Features:
Windows VPS from Liquid Web come complete with several useful features including a security pack, DDoS protection, backups, Akamai CDN, email hosting and more. The VPS management also includes migrations, security upgrades, PCI-compliance help, and more services.
You are free to choose the level of management that you need from handling it all yourself to handing the reins to the tech support. The plans have root access so you can install whatever you need at any time. The plans start quite big and $74/month is quite affordable considering what’s included.
You can customise hardware during setup and purchase premium software licences or get a custom server chassis. However, it’s important to keep your eye on the outbound bandwidth since 8TB may be too low for some demanding apps, and extra bandwidth charges apply.
Reviews:
The reviews are mostly positive, with most customers praising the support team for being excellent. Like all providers, there are some negative reviews but nothing to be concerned about. The provider also regularly responds to customer reviews and tries to make things right for users who aren’t satisfied.
Support:
Liquid Web is all about support, offering one of the best support teams in Windows hosting. You get 59-second response times with phone and live chat and 59-minute responses to emails. The agents can handle anything from simple questions to huge requests and are clearly experts in what they do.
Conclusion:
If you need mid-range or high-end managed Windows hosting, Liquid Web is a customisable solution that is definitely worth considering.
5.EverLeap
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About:
The high-end sister company to DiscountASP.NET, Everleap is designed to be a step to the next level from Windows ASP.NET shared hosting while remaining affordable and easy to use.
Specs:
Features:
Everleap is careful to ensure that all the latest technologies are included in its platform. The account control panel is straightforward allowing you to easily monitor things like resource spending, purchase additional services and resources, or upgrade your plan. Various features are included including CDN, SSL services, cloud backups, domain names and more.
Everleap also offers management services for a range of popular ASP.NET platforms such as nopCommerce, BV Commerce, DDN, Orchard and more. It also supports WordPress along with the necessary technologies, with a free trial to allow you to try it out before committing.
Everleap offers a one-month free trial to all new customers. However, bear in mind that you do need your credit card to sign up, so you’ll have to remember to cancel if you don’t want to continue using this hosting provider after the trial period is up.
Reviews:
Everleap gets mostly positive reviews, with most users praising the intuitive, straightforward interface. They also report that support does an excellent job of solving their issues and queries. Some users did complain about the need to cancel their plans via email, which can be annoying, but Everleap does this since it’s safer than automated cancellations due to the variety of services that they offer.
Support:
The support is one of the best in the Windows hosting world. They offer email, live chat, and video calls. Tech support agents are highly experienced in the cloud and Windows hosting, and provide efficient, personalised help and support for all queries. However, the knowledge base could be improved as it’s quite basic.
Conclusion:
One of the best ASP.NET hosting providers out there, with a highly scalable platform ideal for those looking to move up from shared hosting.
6.DiscountASP.NET
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About:
Specialising in ASP.NET web hosting and other Windows-based dev technologies, this platform offers a cutting-edge service and has won several awards.
Specs:
Features:
DiscountASP.NET runs Windows Server 2008, 2012 and 2016. You can get MySQL and MSSQL for an additional fee, along with multiple versions of IIS to choose from. Databases are run on separate servers with their own resources, which has some advantages such as potentially better performance and fewer security risks.
The expert team can provide you with free website migration which is handy for those looking to switch Windows hosting providers. Cloud backups cost $1.75 monthly for 5GB storage, with data stored off site securely.
While you get a domain name with this host, it’s quite expensive and therefore worth doing so with a different provider. The shared Windows Server hosting covers various technologies including several versions of ASP.NETT and more.
The fact that this provider is a Microsoft Silver Partner is a major advantage. It is also in the MS TAP Early Adopter Program, meaning that they get access to testing new technologies before the official release.
Reviews:
Most reviews are overwhelmingly positive with most coming from long-term customers that have enjoyed excellent service for several years. Most issues are one-off problems.
Support:
The support team is available 24/7 and usually responds quickly. While you can only use live chat or tickets when you are logged in, the support is excellent, and agents have streamlined training since the provider specialises in this type of hosting. Engineers can manage the most complex of tasks and maintain the platform to keep it in the best shape. On the downside, the knowledge base has limited tutorials and could be improved.
Conclusion:
With a specialist environment, the latest features and excellent support, this provider is a great choice. However, it is quite expensive, so worth considering if it’s in your budget.
7.InterServer
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About:
Despite being a smaller provider, InterServer are fairly loud about the services they offer, and have gained and maintained an impressive reputation.
Specs:
Features:
Shared plans run on Plesk and support all standard technologies. You can also request additional module installation if needed. Plans offer a range of features including speed optimization, CloudFlare CDN, weekly backups, free SSL and more. You can get a discounted domain name registration.
Reviews:
Generally, users are satisfied with the service and say that it is fast, affordable and reliable, with a good support team. There’s a handful of negative reviews, but nothing that raises concerns.
Support:
InterServer offers one of the best Windows hosting support teams, offering helpful and informative interactions with clients. On the downside, they don’t offer live chat support.
Conclusion:
This is a great option to consider if you are affordable, shared, VPS or dedicated Windows hosting from a reputable provider.
8.1&1 IONOS
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About:
Despite the fact that you won’t see much in the way of marketing from this company, it is the fourth largest hosting provider worldwide. While it might be one of the early names in hosting, it is definitely up to date with current technologies.
Specs:
Features:
Shared plans run on Windows Server 2019. 1&1 implements new technologies quickly and wildcard SSL is included with shared hosting along with daily backups, a free domain name, tight security and more free perks and extensions. Shared Windows hosting prices are quite fair considering everything that is included, and the initial discount makes getting your site started easy.
Both the VPS and dedicated Windows servers are unmanaged solutions, meaning that although you get full root access, you will have to build everything from the ground up. 1&1 offers various security features including a managed firewall along with backup solutions for VPS. You can also get a Plesk license for $5 per month when running Windows Server 2016.
Reviews:
Most reviews are positive, but there are some negative ones that might cause concern. Most of the complaints are regarding being charged for expired services, and the provider does have some issues with billing. The terms of service state that while you can cancel a product, it is only deemed to be cancelled once you’ve received written confirmation. In theory, this means that customers could be charged forever.
Support:
Support is available through email and phone. Live chat is only available for sales. The support is efficient and fast, along with being available whenever you need it.
Conclusion:
Overall, 1&1 is a respectable, affordable Windows Server hosting provider for both shared and dedicated plan users. Be careful with VPS hosting – server management is left completely up to you.
9.Bisend
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About:
This Hong Kong-based hosting provider was established in 2011 and has grown to 200,000 customers and has partnerships with big names like Plesk and Alibaba Cloud.
Specs:
There are three ASP.NET web hosting plans to choose from:
Standard: One website, 10GB storage, 50GB bandwidth, 2GB database, 256MB RAM, starting at $3.95/month
Pro: Five websites, unmetered storage, unmetered bandwidth, 4GB database, 512MB RAM, starts at $5.95/month
Business: Unlimited websites, unmetered storage, unmetered bandwidth, 8GB database, 758MB RAM, starts at $13.95/month
Features:
Shared servers run on Windows Server 2016 and Windows Server 2012 R2. The provider offers standard IIS and Plesk control panel, which covers one-click installation, backup and website restoration. They also offer free SSL and an antivirus solution.
The Windows-based web hosting supports various databases including:
- ASP.NET
- 1-4.5
- ASP Core 1.0/1.1
- MVC 4/5/6
- PHP 5.4-7X
- Node.js
Available databases include MySQL 5.5+ and MSSQL 2012/2014/2016. Remote database management is supported. Bisend also offers free domain registration. Overall, the Windows hosting plan is decent but rather basic.
Reviews:
Most reviews have a lot of praise for the provider, and any complaints tend to be about slow support.
Support:
Support is available in both English and Chinese, and the entire site can be read in both languages. The support team is helpful but rather slow, including the fact that despite claims, it does not seem to be available 24/7. That being said, the hosting engineers can easily handle anything. The knowledge base is quite buggy, with the search tool not always working.
Conclusion:
One of the best options in Hong Kong if you’re looking for servers there. Plans are quite basic, but ideal for ANP.NET-based CMSs.
10.Hostgator
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About:
One of the biggest names in web hosting, Hostgator is often associated with WordPress hosting, but it also offers a Windows hosting service including some interesting plans.
Specs:
Features:
The shared plans include all the technologies that you would expect such as Classic ASP, ASP.NET, .NET Core and modules such as AJAZ, ASP MVP and Curl. The plans include Plesk, email features, a free SSL certificate and various script installers. The multi-domain plan also comes with a dedicated IP address and a free upgrade to Positive SSL. Overall, they offer reliable ASP.NET hosting.
Reviews:
It’s fair to say that Hostgator gets mixed reviews. In 2021 it was acquired by EIG, which caused several issues including outages. While this damaged their reputation, the provider has resolved many problems since then and is dedicated to upgrading its technologies.
Support:
Support at Hostgator is outsourced, with frontline agents that can be slow and sometimes have issues with communicating. While tech support can get the job done, the process is not as efficient as some competitors. Despite having enough positive qualities to make it onto the top ten, Hostgator’s support is lacking. On the upside, the knowledge base is updated frequently and includes many useful guides.
Conclusion:
Hostgator is a decent solution, offering a respectable service for mid-size companies or ASP.NET developers located in the US.
Windows Special Features:
Windows offers a solid website hosting foundation, especially in a corporate environment. Windows Server has a great deal of features and technologies that are designed specifically to help organizations. This makes Windows the ideal choice for tens of thousands of companies around the world. Here’s some of the main uses for a Windows-based server:
Most companies begin email operations with something basic. But after a while this can be quite restrictive as employee numbers grow and it can get very unreliable. A Windows hosting service is often the best way for these companies to set up their own email server and avoid these problems. This can be done using Windows Exchange Server, which is an excellent mailing and calendaring software that works with Windows Server. It can be used to let users store, send, and receive email and set up custom rules.
Anybody who has worked on a group project will know that getting people to work together can be tricky. SharePoint works with Windows Server and can help to organize the workflow, keep documents together in a central place and make it easier for employees to collaborate on projects. Since everything happens on the server, there’s much less room for human error.
Most organizations that use computers will benefit from a computer network. Windows is the go-to solution with the ability to easily deploy a client or server network and allow connected users to access all its benefits.
Windows Vs Linux:
Windows vs Linux hosting is a debate that’s never likely to go away, and it can be difficult to talk about one option without comparing it to the other. Both platforms have supporters, although Linux is more popular. But both platforms have their advantages:
One of the main listed advantages of Windows Server is that it’s more straightforward and easy to use, although this is not absolute. In reality, if you are looking for the easiest option then you should choose the OS that you are most familiar with. Since most users are already used to Windows due to using it on their home computers, it makes sense that you might find Windows Server easier to use. In addition, Windows does a better job of laying out options and helping you choose what you need compared to Linux, which leaves you to build solutions from the ground up.
Linux-based servers typically run on CLI, while Windows allows you to choose between CLI and GUI. Having a wider range of choices is always a better option, so Windows wins here.
While you can now get various technologies for both Windows and Linux, it’s worth noting that most technologies are easier to implement and will usually work better when in their native environment. Linux is intended for many of the most popular CMSs including WordPress, which makes it more popular for website hosting. On the other hand, due to technologies like SharePoint, Windows is preferred in a corporate environment.
While there’s a lot that can be said about the security pitfalls of both Linux and Windows, both are very secure when in the right hands. That being said, Windows does fall prey to malware more often than Linux.
In general, Linux distributions tend to be more reliable compared to Windows Server, which usually means that Windows needs rebooting now and again. On the other hand, Linux allows you to make a huge mess and can run for years without needing a single reboot.
Most Linux distributions are open-source, which means it’s often cheaper. On the other hand, Windows Server requires a license, which makes it a more expensive option in comparison.
Which One to Choose:
There’s no clear winner between Windows and Linux, and as with most things in hosting, it’ll depend on your specific needs when it comes to deciding which one will work best for you. A Windows-based server is definitely more ideal for beginner server admins and corporate environments, while Linux is an ideal choice for website building and for anybody who wants the cheapest option.
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