The Best Microsoft Web Hosting

Our review list consists of three hosts that offer “Window web hosting” plans. They come with multiple account extras, like advertising credits and money-back guarantees, that you won’t find in many other places. Each of these hosts supports:

• ASP/ASP.NET
• Access Databases and MSSQL
• ColdFusion
• PHP, CGI/Perl, MySQL and Microsoft FrontPage 2000/2002/2003

If you need a Windows shared hosting plan, we recommend IX Webhosting. They have the most complete Windows website hosting service we have seen, as well as excellent customer support and real-world uptime. Additionally, their Windows VPS Hosting is the best we have seen.

Microsoft Web Hosting Ratings
Host Name	Plan	Unlimited						Uptime	Money Back	Web Host Ratings
	Unlimited Pro $9.95/mo							99.9%	30 Days
	ProLogic $5.95/mo							99.9%	30 Days
	ProPlan $5.95/mo							99.9%	30 Days
Click Here for our Detailed Web Host Comparison

Why Choose Windows Website Hosting?

One might make the natural assumption that since you run Windows on your personal computer or laptop, you must have a “Window web hosting” account. This is definitely not the case. Website host access is typically obtained through a control panel interface or FTP, both of which are designed to be platform independent. The vast majority of webhosts use Linux as their server operating system for shared, reseller, VPS and dedicated server hosting accounts. There are many reasons for this, namely cost, since Linux is open-source and Windows is owned and licensed by Microsoft Corporation.

If you were to search the web for Windows vs. Linux hosts, you would find hundreds of articles. Unfortunately, most of them are written by people with strong opinions about one platform or another. This is not to say they aren’t informative, but they certainly don’t help you make a choice. Deciding which host to use should be based on your needs and nothing else. While using a Linux host is generally less expensive and comes with more features and applications, “Window web hosting” has specific functions that Linux does not. But, do you need them?

Windows website hosting allows you to use Microsoft-specific scripting languages and database tools. Those include ASP / ASP.NET, .NET, Windows Streaming Media, Microsoft Access, Microsoft SQL (MSSQL) and Microsoft ODBC (Open Database Connectivity) / DSN (Database Source Name). Adobe ColdFusion is also often supported primarily on Microsoft web hosting accounts. Webhosts typically run Windows Server 2003 or 2008 and use the Plesk or vDeck control panels for account and website administration. Just like Linux platforms, Windows website hosting supports CGI scripts / Perl / SSI, PHP, MySQL, website statistics, shopping carts, blogs, SSL secure server, POP3 mail, etc.

With that information, choosing between Linux and “Window web hosting” gets much easier. It basically comes down to a single question: Will you be using ASP.NET, MSSQL, ColdFusion, etc.?

• Yes: If you do need support for Windows-specific applications or ColdFusion, there are great Windows hosting accounts that give you the usability and support you need to get – and stay – up and running.
• No: A Linux host would be the better choice because they are more common and cost less than Windows hosts. Linux plans usually provide more flexibility and the free scripts that come with the account are made for the LAMP platform (Linux, Apache, MySQL, PHP).
• Not Sure: If you are not sure or are just starting out, chances are you will not be using Microsoft proprietary languages to design and run your website. Remember, most website applications are open-source (like blogs, forums, shopping carts, mailing lists) and are written in PHP/MySQL or Perl (in the form of CGI scripts) for Linux.