Windows or Linux on VPS: Which to Choose
On MultiHOST VPS, both Linux and Windows Server are available. Both run on the same KVM infrastructure but solve different tasks. Here is when to choose which.
Linux — the universal web standard
Ubuntu, Debian, Alma Linux — free distributions with no license fees. Ideal for PHP, Node.js, Python, Docker, Nginx. Most CMS platforms and DevOps tools target Linux first.
Windows Server — when you cannot do without it
Choose Windows if you need:
- Remote Desktop (RDP) for a remote desktop environment;
- 1C and other Microsoft ecosystem products;
- ASP.NET, MSSQL, IIS — enterprise .NET applications;
- Active Directory and Windows-specific software.
On MultiHOST, the Windows Server license is included in the Windows VPS plan — no separate purchase required.
Quick comparison
Linux — lower cost, more flexibility for web and open-source stacks. Windows — compatibility with Microsoft business software and RDP. CPU/RAM performance is the same; the limit is software, not the hypervisor.
Can you combine both?
Yes. Many companies run the website on Linux VPS and 1C or SQL on a separate Windows VPS at MultiHOST. This simplifies scaling and isolates workloads.
Check VPS/VDS plans and select your OS at checkout — installation is automatic.