When it comes to website hosting, whether it’s a simple business page or an E-Commerce site, many users choose VPS. VPS, or Virtual Private Servers, is the perfect middle ground between shared and dedicated hosting. It’s not as expensive as buying or renting out a machine for your server, and you get all the resources you need to accommodate traffic and growth. When choosing this hosting service, one must decide between Linux and Windows VPS. A significant difference between the two is that they run on different Operating Systems, Linux and Windows respectively. But there are other ways they differ, and the end choice will depend on your specific preferences and needs.
Cost
Besides the OS, the price is another obvious difference. Many Linux-based plans are cheaper as Linux is an open-source operating system that is free to use for everybody. Meanwhile, Windows is a commercial operating system with various licensing feeds, though servers based on this OS are more suited for specialized tasks. Because of these extra capabilities, Windows VPS hosting costs a bit more.
For those working on a smaller budget or if their systems don’t require much in terms of functionality needs, Linux VPS is a great choice. If you’re planning on running various demanding tasks and such, then Windows VPS would be more suitable.
Technical Considerations
Another thing users should take into consideration is what kind of software they’re using to run their websites. Naturally, Windows-based servers run Microsoft programs and offer a broader base of support with regular, seamless updates. If you’re developing in ASP or ASP.NET, then Windows is the go-to choice as it’s environment is perfect for the integration of these programming scripts. The same logic applies to those that use a MS SQL database.
If you run tasks on open source software, such as PHP, then Linux VPS is a great option. Linux OS also offers many different distributions, such as Ubuntu, Debian, and CentOS, which is perfect for those that want a specific one for distinct needs.
Ease of Use
Your knowledge or running servers is important. If you’re a beginner that doesn’t have any additional support from IT, then Windows VPS is more convenient as it has an intuitive Graphical User Interface (GUI) and a remote desktop. Users can manage their systems from one place without the need to know much about commands and such.
Linux VPS requires a bit more technical expertise as it is managed through SSH and a command line. There’s a bit of extra work as users have to ensure that everything is set up properly to run the system effectively. If you have the knowledge, or someone from your team does, then Linux is great for server management. Some may argue that controlling the environment with Linux is much easier than with Windows.
Difference Overview
One can also look at the OSs in a simplified way. Windows VPS:
- costs a bit more,
- gets regular, seamless updates, and official support,
- has an easy to use GUI,
- can handle more demanding tasks.
Compared to this, Linux VPS:
- is open source, thus the price is lower,
- requires more technical knowledge,
- is great for simpler tasks,
- has plenty of community support for tech things.
When it comes down to choosing one or the other, you should consider what you’re already working with, your budget and your needs. Windows VPS costs more, but it is generally much easier to handle as it offers a simple user interface, gets more official support and can handle demanding requirements. On the other hand, Linux VPS is cheaper and has plenty of online support, but you have to have at least some technical knowledge to run things effectively.
