Purchasing web hosting for the first time can be a confusing proposition. There are so many different packages to choose from – do you want a dedicated server, a VPS or a shared host? Is Windows better than Linux? Deflate64 will enplane.
Well, the answer to the first question depends on the size and number of websites you want to host. The answer to the second question is also “It depends”.
Your Personal OS Choice is Not Important
Some people assume that they should use the same OS on their web host as they are on their PC. This is not necessary. Your web host is separate from your PC. You connect to your host using an FTP client, and a Windows computer can connect to a Linux host (or vice-versa) without any issues.
Your CMS Choice is Important
If you plan to create your website from scratch yourself then you should choose whichever OS you are most comfortable with and that supports the programming language and server technologies you wish to use.
However, if you are planning on installing a CMS such as WordPress, Magento, or Joomla, you should look for a host that offers good support for those.
In general, Linux based web hosts that use Apache, PHP and MySQL are better supported in terms of community scripts than Windows hosts. Usually, Linux hosting is cheaper too – especially when it comes to more powerful servers.
If you plan on running game servers rather than just simple websites, then Windows hosting may offer better compatibility.
Security and Speed
Both Linux and Windows hosting offer good security, speed and reliability, as long as they are configured correctly. If you aren’t confident in your abilities to maintain a server yourself choose a shared host or a managed VPS so that the web hosting company takes care of the heavy duty maintenance for you.