Best Windows and ASP.net hosting: which one to choose?

Using Windows-based web hosting has many advantages, especially for those of you who want to have access to certain programming languages, or not use an administration panel like cPanel.

But which host should you choose to host a site/application requiring Windows and ASP.NET? The choice is not as important aswhen looking for Linux hosting. We have tested quite a few players on the market to help you in your research.

You will therefore find below our favorite web hosting which is fully compatible and optimized for Windows.

The best hosts with Windows/ASP.net hosting (2023)

To create this ranking of the best Windows hosting, we compared and tested several dozen different plans. In addition to this, we took into account the reviews that were available online (from customers of the service).

Here are the five hosts who have done well in 2024.

1) Infomania

According to our tests, the host who currently offers the best Windows hosting offer is Infomaniak.

Although this is clearly not the most affordable offer (see the lower prices), it will give you access to a premium and unmanaged service.

Thanks to this last statement, you will be able to choose the version of Windows that will be installed on your server by the Infomaniak teams. On the other hand, on the programs and applications side, the host will not intervene. This will be your responsibility. Infomaniak will only take care of the hardware part.

In terms of the characteristics of Infomaniak's Windows (and ASP.NET) hosting offer, you will have access to: unlimited traffic, 99.99% reliability, and of course Remote Desktop access. Speaking of stability, know that the Infomaniak data center is located in Switzerland (in Geneva) and is built according to the Tier 3 standard.

Otherwise, you will be able to configure your hosting to order so that it best meets your needs.

Discover Infomaniak accommodation

Basic, you will have access to: 2 CPUs, 6 GB of RAM, and 100 GB of disk space. In this regard, the storage of your Windows hosting will be 100% SSD to guarantee excellent performance.

On the customer support side, having dealt with him on numerous occasionsduring our Infomaniak test, we can assure you that it will bring you complete satisfaction. Whether by online chat, telephone, or by opening a ticket, you will be able to obtain rapid and satisfactory answers, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Better yet, you will be able to count on a substantial knowledge base which will allow you to obtain answers and solutions to your problems so that you can manage independently.

One last thing, by opting for Windows hosting from Infomaniak, you will have the choice between Windows 10 Professional, Windows Server 2016, or Windows Server 2019 (in Standard, Datacenter, or Essential editions for Server versions).

2) LWS

LWS is aweb host based in Franceand more precisely in Paris.

Unlike many hosts, LWS has chosen to offer plans that rely on Windows and ASP.NET.

And the least we can say is that they are extremely affordable. Compared to Infomaniak, the first plan offered by LWS is available from €2.49/month.

If you are new to creating sites/applications and want cheap Windows hosting, this is perfect!

You will have at least access to 30 GB of disk space, unlimited traffic, a free domain name, as well as 10 email addresses. You can alsobenefit from free SSL certificatesfrom your Plesk admin panel.

Visit the LWS website

Obviously, ASP, ASP.NET, and Silverlight are supported by all LWS Windows compatible hosting offers.

To make things easier for you, LWS will also provide you with an application auto-installer so that you can easily and quickly benefit from more than 100 free applications. This includes for example WordPress, Drupal, Joomla, phpBB, PrestaShop, etc.

What about the performance offered? We invite you to take a tour of ouravis LWSin order to have our feelings on the subject. Overall, you will have access to good performance and almost maximum availability (99.9%).

For customer support, LWS gives you access to technical support available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week via ticket, email, telephone, and live chat.

In addition, unlike the best Windows host (Infomaniak), LWS offers a 7-day money-back guarantee. The latter will allow you to obtain a full refund.

3) VAT

OVH is also a French web host. It is certainly the best known in France. That said, our tests allowed us to see that it did not offer the best web hosting on Windows.

And this despite more than attractive prices with its Windows VPS plans (details are available a little further down).

Indeed, as specified inour opinion on OVHcloud, we find that the service is good (from a specificity and performance point of view), but that the technical support is not up to par. You can also find this almost “general” opinion by browsing customer reviews posted on the Internet.

By taking the “Value” Windows VPS plan (entry level), you will have access to 1 vCore (virtual CPU), 2 GB of RAM, as well as 40 GB of NVMe SSD drive. The traffic is unlimited (both incoming and outgoing).

Discover OVHcloud offers

Despite somewhat disappointing support, we must leave OVH to the fact that its Windows hosting is scalable. This is also what makes it so high in our comparison of the best options for 2024.

You will be able to add resources at any time from your customer area. Thus, your Windows hosting will be able to evolve at the same time as your application/site. You can also automate backup tasks using external storage.

Are you interested in the OVH offer? Do you want to use this host to set up your own Windows-based web hosting? In this case, find out the rates that apply to the suite. Note that by clicking on these, you will be redirected to the comparison of the different plans offered by OVH.

One more thing: no satisfied or refunded guarantee is made available by OVH.

4) IONIC

IONOS is a European web host(and even global), which obviously offers hosting compatible with Windows and ASP.NET.

This is clearly not a surprise to us as IONOS from 1&1 has a countless number of different offers.

Through its different plans, it is good to note that IONOS supports ASP.NET 4.8 and .NET Core 3.1.

Despite very low prices (but which will increase upon renewal), be aware that the host will give you a free domain name (for 1 year) as well as a Wildcard SSL certificate.

Via the “Essential” plan, which is the most affordable, you will have the right to at least 100 GB of disk space, the possibility of creating up to 5 MS SQL databases, or even creating a professional email address.

Visit the IONOS website

We invite you to click on the button or the prices available below in order to have more details concerning the configuration of its Windows and ASP.NET hosting.

Regarding IONOS customer support, it has the merit of being reachable 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. This is truly one of the most important criteria for us to determinewhat are the best hosts.

The IONOS technical teams can be reached both by telephone and by email.

What about IONOS data centers? Where are they located? Almost everywhere in Europe, but more precisely in Germany and the United Kingdom, which will guarantee you a certain proximity.

5) Ikoula

Ikoula is a French web host, like LWS and OVHcloud. If it is in our ranking of the best Windows hosting, it is because the quality/price ratio offered through its different plans is more than interesting.

Of our top 5, Ikoula indeed offers the most affordable offers (from €0.99/month). Now, although its Windows hosting is not very expensive, it turns out to be a little behind from a performance point of view (which was to be expected).

Nothing too bad though. You just need to be aware of it before committing.

Thanks to Ikoula's different plans (ASP.NET and SQL Server compatible), you will be entitled to a free domain name, at least 10 GB of disk space, as well as unlimited speed.

Ikoula will also provide you with free Let's Encrypt SSL certificatesso you can secure your site(s).

You can also rely on its tools allowing rapid installation of applications and CMS. This will allow you, for example, to put a blog online quickly and without any hassle.

As for the programming languages ​​supported by Ikoula's Windows hosting, here is a non-exhaustive list: PHP 7.3/7.4/8.0, .NET 4.5, ASP 8.5, Silverlight 5, Python 2.6.5, etc. If you want to find the details, do not hesitate to click on the button below.

Before presenting the prices charged in detail, you should know that Ikoula has its own data centers in France, as well as 24×7 technical support.

About Ikoula data centers, the host located in France only uses energy that comes from renewable sources. This way, you will reduce the impact that your Windows hosting and your site will have on the environment.

What is Windows web hosting? Is it suitable for WordPress?

As its name suggests, Windows hosting is a hosting offer that is powered by a Microsoft operating system.

In 2024, virtually all websites and applications run on Linux hosting if there is no mention of the operating system used.

Hosting on Windows is mainly aimed at people who want to use certain technologies or platforms like ASP.NET or SQL Server.

That being said, although it is possible tomake a WordPress siteon Windows hosting, this is not the most recommended thing.

If you are in this specific case, we advise you to opt for web hosting running on Linux. For what reasons? We will detail the main ones in the rest of our comparison.

In the meantime, if you are convinced that you want to use Linux hosting rather than Windows for your WordPress site, we advise you to go to the site of the host Hostinger (it is the reference in the field):

Go to the Hostinger website

Windows vs Linux Hosting: Quick Comparison

The purpose of our article is not to make a detailed comparison between Windows and Linux hosting. However, we will allow ourselves a quick comparison so that you can make the most interesting and suitable choice for your project.

• Prices and quality/price ratio:This is not a general truth, but most of the time, web hosting running on Linux will be more affordable than web hosting running on Windows. We detail the reasons for this price difference in the FAQ that follows.
• Control and administration panel:the administration panel that you will have the opportunity to use will be different depending on your choice of OS. In the case of Linux, you can rely on the well-known (and recognized) cPanel. Whereas with Windows you will have to use Plesk, for example.
• Different configuration:if you want to put a site running on WordPress online, the configuration will differ from one OS to another. It's up to you to judge your own abilities to carry out such an installation. While keeping in mind that overall, it will surely be a bit more complicated by opting for Windows hosting. In addition, WordPress is optimized for use on Linux, which will guarantee you better performance.

To summarize, unless you need access to Windows-specific technology (ASP.NET or SQL Server, for example), it is better to go with one of the best hosts listed above.

On the other hand, if you simply want to create a site on WordPress, then Linux will be much more suitable.

Windows Web Hosting FAQ

Now that you know which are the best hosting options for Windows/ASP.NET, we will still answer some questions that come up regularly.

We hope that this subject will no longer hold any secrets for you. If this is the case despite the FAQ that follows, do not hesitate to leave us a comment with your question.

Why is hosting on Windows more expensive than on Linux?

For several reasons. The first is because Windows is a paid operating system while Linux (regardless of the distribution) is open-source AND free. The second reason why Windows hosting is more expensive than Linux hosting is that Windows OS requires more resources. This also applies to RAM, the number of CPUs, and even disk space. These are two main reasons why Windows hosting generally costs more. Now, this price difference may be worth it if you need access to particular technologies like ASP.NET or SQL Server.

Why is Linux hosting more common?

Because it’s more powerful, accessible, and above all free. Additionally, a huge number of scripts and applications have been developed specifically for Linux. This is for example the case of the cPanel administration tool which has become a reference in the field of web hosting over the years. For these reasons, Linux hosting has become “the norm”, so to speak. If after reading our guide on the best Windows hosts you prefer to turn to a Linux solution, we advise you to look atHostinger.

Is it possible to use cPanel on Windows?

No, it is simply impossible to use cPanel and WHM on web hosting running on Windows. Other alternatives will have to be used. The most widespread remains Plex.

Should you purchase a Windows license in addition to web hosting?

The cost of the Windows license will be included in the price of your web hosting. Which also explains why they are generally more expensive. To clearly answer the question: no, you will not need to purchase a Windows license in order to install the operating system on your Windows web hosting. It's included in the package (at least for the best hosts that we were able to list during our comparison).