It is one of the most common questions when buying hosting for the first time — and behind it is nearly always the same confusion.
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The mistake that costs money. The server’s operating system does not have to match your computer’s. Working on Windows at the office does not require Windows hosting. The overwhelming majority of the world’s websites — built and managed on Windows computers — are hosted on Linux, and work perfectly.
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What actually decides: the site’s technology
The right question is not "what system do I use?", it is "what language was the site built in?"
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Linux hosting |
Windows hosting |
| Language |
PHP, Python, Node |
ASP.NET, classic ASP |
| Database |
MySQL, MariaDB, PostgreSQL |
MS SQL Server, Access |
| Web server |
Apache, LiteSpeed, Nginx |
IIS |
| Typical panel |
cPanel |
Plesk |
| What runs there |
WordPress, Joomla, Drupal, Magento, Laravel, PrestaShop |
.NET applications, links to Microsoft systems |
| Cost |
No licences to pay — cheaper |
Windows licence included in the price |
In two questions
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Is the site WordPress, or built in PHP? Then it is Linux. That covers the overwhelming majority of cases.
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Was the site built in ASP.NET, or does it need an MS SQL Server database? Then yes, it is Windows.
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If you cannot answer, ask whoever built the site — or send us the address and we will tell you.
What does not change either way
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The domain. A .co.mz works the same on both.
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E-mail. Mailboxes on your domain work on both, and are set up the same way in Outlook and on your phone.
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The visitor. Nobody visiting the site notices any difference, on Windows, Mac or a phone.
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One technical difference that catches people out
Linux distinguishes upper from lower case in file names; Windows does not. A site built on Windows where the image is called Logo.PNG while the code asks for logo.png works there — and shows broken images once it moves to Linux. That is not a hosting fault: it is a slip Windows used to forgive.
What we offer
We have both. You do not need to pick a provider based on the system:
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Linux hosting with cPanel — for WordPress, online shops, company websites and anything PHP. It serves the overwhelming majority of cases.
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Windows hosting with Plesk — for ASP.NET sites and anyone who needs MS SQL Server or already works in the Plesk panel.
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If you are not sure which you need, send us the current site address and we will tell you — faster than guessing, and it avoids buying the wrong plan.
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Still deciding the type of plan? Choosing between shared, VPS, Cloud and dedicated is a different decision, and comes before this one — see the comparison of all four .
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Not sure what your site was built in? Send us the address and we will check.
Talk to our team
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