Windows hosting providers enable you to build and maintain websites with ASP.NET or MSSQL Server, which Linux hosting won't run. Using a Windows hosting provider can be useful if you already use Windows on your PC and/or server, as this reduces the learning curve by providing a consistent environment with familiar tools.
So, if Linux servers aren't for you, then you may be looking for the best Windows web hosting providers. Luckily for you, we’ve compiled a list of the top 5 Windows hosting providers to save you having to look through site after site to find what you're looking for. We’ve looked at the pros and cons of each provider, and assessed the uptime, features, scalability and more. Plus, we’ve then compiled all of this useful data into a table to help you easily compare between providers.
Tip: Check out our comparison blog post – Linux VPS vs Windows VPS – to find out more about what differentiates the two operating systems.
Windows hosting or Windows VPS?
Windows Hosting is an ideal choice if your website has been built using Microsoft tools. It runs on Windows operating systems, like Windows Server 2019 or 2022, and specifically supports websites, apps and databases that rely on Microsoft technologies, such as:
- ASP.NET / .NET Core
- MSSQL
- IIS
A Windows VPS (Virtual Private Server) benefits from its own isolated virtual environment on a physical server. This comes with dedicated CPU, RAM and storage reserved just for you, full control to run scripts as you wish, remote desktop access and superior performance and security. A Windows VPS is the ideal choice if you require more power, control, or flexibility than shared hosting.
For more information, check out our guide explaining everything you need to know about Windows VPS.
Who are the top Windows hosting providers?
1. Fasthosts
Fasthosts is a UK-based provider, offering affordable shared web hosting, VPS hosting and dedicated servers, with solid Windows support. Featuring easy-to-use management tools, a strong uptime guarantee and an abundance of features included, Fasthosts are one of the best UK Windows hosting providers you can find.
Pros:
- Supports latest Windows versions
- Strong SSD performance
- Free SSL
- 99.99% uptime guarantee
- Daily backups
- Scalable tiers
Cons:
- Price increase after 6 months
2. IONOS
IONOS offers a range of Windows VPS and dedicated servers, with support for ASP.NET, .NET Core, IIS, and MS SQL, making it a practical choice for Windows-based applications or sites requiring flexible server resources.
Pros:
- Custom firewalls
- DDoS protection
- 99.99% uptime SLA
- Automatic backups
- Easy scalability
Cons:
- Price doubles after 6 months
- Some manual setup needed
3. OVHcloud
OVHcloud offers Windows-compatible VPS and dedicated servers with custom ISO support, allowing installation of Windows Server editions and deployment of ASP.NET or IIS applications.
Pros:
- MSSQL/MySQL support
- DDoS protection
- Flexible VM resizing
- Good VPS performance
Cons:
- Lower uptime than others
- Backups optional
- User-managed security
4. Contabo
Contabo is known for offering quality VPS and dedicated servers that support Windows Server installations. Suitable for ASP.NET, IIS, and RDP access, Contabo provides developers and businesses a reasonably priced option for Windows hosting with high resource limits.
Pros:
- Easy scaling
- Free DDoS protection
- Good developer stack
Cons:
- No formal SLA – 99.9% uptime stated but not backed by compensation
- Limited support channels
- MSSQL requires your own license
- Paid backups only
5. GoDaddy
One of the most well-known hosting providers, GoDaddy provides Windows shared, VPS, and dedicated hosting plans with Plesk control panel support, pre-configured environments for ASP.NET and IIS, and options including MS SQL Server – aimed at individuals or businesses needing an easy way to host Windows-based websites or apps.
Pros:
- Shared plans scale up to VPS/dedicated easily
- DDoS protection
- 24/7 phone and live chat
- Good for beginners/inexperienced users
Cons:
- Lower uptime than others
- Higher cost than other providers
- Backup restores cost extra
- Overloaded shared plans
The best Windows hosting services compared
We know how important choosing a Windows hosting provider is, and all the different elements that need to be considered when making this decision. We’ve created this helpful comparison guide to help you get all the information you need in one place for the 5 best Windows VPS hosting providers:
|
Fasthosts |
IONOS |
OVHcloud |
Contabo |
GoDaddy |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Server OS version |
2019, 2022 |
2019, 2022 |
2019, 2022 on VPS and dedicated |
2019, 2022 on VPS and dedicated |
2019 |
| Technologies |
ASP.NET, .NET 8, IIS |
ASP.NET, .NET Core, full RDP access |
Compatible with MS stacks—ASP.NET |
ASP.NET, .NET Core, IIS, RDP |
ASP.NET, .NET Core, IIS, PHP |
| Performance |
SSD + caching, excellent SLA |
NVMe SSD, custom CPU/RAM |
Good VPS benchmarking; SSD performance strong |
NVMe SSD, high RAM/CPU |
SSD storage; shared plans have resource limits |
| Control panel |
Plesk |
Plesk |
OVH panel (+Plesk opt) |
Optional Plesk (paid), Contabo panel |
Plesk Onyx/Obsidian |
| Security |
Free SSL, ISO 27001-certified UK data centres, DDoS protection |
Custom firewalls, DDoS protection |
DDoS protection, user-managed firewall |
Free DDoS protection, user-managed firewalls |
Free SSL (select plans), DDoS protection, monitoring |
| Database support |
MS SQL Server (inc. 2022), MySQL |
MS SQL, MySQL |
MS SQL via custom install, MySQL |
MS SQL (customer license), MySQL |
MS SQL 2012/2014/2016, MySQL 5.6+ |
| Uptime |
99.99% guarantee |
99.99% SLA |
99.9% |
99.9% (no formal SLA) |
99.9% guarantee |
| Support |
24/7 UK phone/chat |
24/7 + consultant |
24/7 (support tiers vary by plan) |
24/7 email/ticket, limited phone hours |
24/7 phone & chat |
| Pricing (ex. VAT) |
From 49p/month (£8 p/m after 6 months) |
From £4/month (£8 p/m after 6 months) |
From £3.99/month |
From £12.32/month |
From £7.49/month |
| Backup |
Daily/nightly |
Automatic daily backups included |
Optional snapshots/backups, not always included |
Paid snapshots optional |
Optional paid backups |
| Scalability |
Shared → VPS → Dedicated |
Shared → VPS → dedicated/cloud, seamless upgrades |
Virtual machine resizing; dedicated upgrade |
Easy upgrades from VPS to dedicated |
Shared → VPS → dedicated |