Those who are starting a site for their company may have run into the conundrum that so many others before them have found. Which type of hosting should they use? Should they choose Windows or Linux Hosting? You will find many great hosting companies available that can offer one or the other, and some can offer both. How are you going to choose? Is there even a difference?

Both Windows and Linux Hosting have benefits that you will be able to appreciate, but choosing the right for your needs depends on several factors. How much do you have to spend? How familiar are you with hosting and running your site? What type of site do you want to have?

Why Choose Linux?

One of the biggest reasons that many choose Linux hosting is because of the cost. The services and software that you need to use the platform are free of cost, and you will have a lot of control over how you use the software. Those who are using PHP will find that it will run better on a Linux server than on a Windows server. The hosting plans through most of the companies are generally a bit less for Linux than they are for Windows. However, they do not have full compatibility with Microsoft applications, and you will not have quite as many features.

Why Choose Windows?

You will find that many of the popular script languages, such as ASP are not available with Linux. They work wonderfully for Windows though. If you are using ASP for your site, then you will need to use a Windows server. You will have access to databases, and you will find much more functionality with the different applications from Microsoft. It is easy to use, and you will find it easy to manage your site. For many, these are reasons enough to choose Windows over Linux.

Ultimately, the choice you make will be based on your site design and perhaps your budget. You should not let your budget be the deciding factor though. With the costs of web hosting coming down, develop the site that you need for your business, and you will be able to find a host that you can afford, regardless of the platform. No matter what you decide, you will be able to find a number of great hosting companies that will be able to get your site up and running quickly and smoothly.