Web hosting services can be broadly categorized into two types, namely, Windows and Linux hosting. You will find both these hosting services with most of the hosts offering reseller hosting plans. Let’s find the difference between Linux Reseller vs Windows Reseller Hosting.
The purpose of this article is to throw some light on these hosting types, discuss their advantages and disadvantages, and bring out the differences between the two. Let’s first talk about Linux reseller hosting in our next section.
What is Linux Reseller Hosting?
A reseller hosting plan allows you to rent out your server resources to other users.
A Linux reseller hosting plan uses a server that runs on the Linux operating system which happens to be the most used operating system in the world.
Linux powers more than 90% of servers in the world.
What are the Benefits of Linux reseller hosting?
Linux reseller hosting comes with numerous benefits:
Budget-friendly
The biggest advantage of Linux reseller hosting is that it is budget-friendly. Linux is open-source and your hosting provider can use it free of cost. So the Linux reseller hosting plans are cost-effective since they do not include the cost of the operating system.
Easy to customize
Linux reseller hosting provides you with many customization options. It comes with an easy-to-use cPanel that makes website management extremely easy.
The admin panel offered by Linux makes it perfectly suitable for developers and website owners with advanced technical knowledge who want more control and customization options for their websites. It also makes it easy to handle multiple websites from a single platform.
Excellent security
Securing your website from online attacks is very important to protect your valuable data. When you are in reselling business, offering good protection to your clients from a security breach becomes even more important.
Linux reseller hosting comes with some of the most reliable security defenses. Since it is open-source, your hosting provider can offer more security tools available on the market.
Supports multiple languages
Linux reseller hosting comes with multiple language support, so you can choose the one you prefer. Whether you want to use the CGI script, PHP, Python, Ruby, C++, Java, or Perl; Linux supports them all.
Additionally, it is compatible with multiple web hosting billing platforms, including the famous WHMCS.
Here is a good article showing a list of some cheap reseller hosting that actually offers this billing system for free with their reseller plans.
Flexible and stable
Linux reseller hosting is flexible since it is open source and, therefore, adapts to any environment. So you can experiment with it however you want. Additionally, this type of reseller hosting offers stability to the end user. One can develop and update it regularly without any issues.
Optimum performance
Linux reseller hosting is super-efficient in optimizing disk space to provide you with optimum performance. It helps your end-users run multiple applications simultaneously.
Since Linux is the most used operating system, it has global community backing. Whenever you face any issues with Linux reseller hosting, you can turn to this huge community for support.
Here’s a useful link to the official Linux community website where you can get support for your Linux reseller hosting: https://www.linux.org/forums/
Supports different applications
Linux reseller hosting supports a wide variety of applications, including WordPress. Whether the hosting end-users want to create a small blog or an international brand/online store, Linux provides them with a smooth experience.
Disadvantages of Linux reseller hosting
Along with the many benefits, Linux reseller hosting also carries some disadvantages:
Difficult to migrate
It is quite difficult to migrate Linux reseller hosting from one server to another because of the presence of multiple compartments in its processing system. Your hosting clients will face difficulties during shifting due to the time it takes when migrating.
Lacks compatibility with many applications
Though Linux is compatible with a lot of applications, there is still a long way to go. Many applications are difficult to run on Linux like Active Sync.
Limited addresses
Linux reseller hosting comes with a limited number of IP addresses. It further restricts the number of websites that can be hosted by your clients.
Incompatible with Windows
Linux reseller hosting is not compatible with Windows. So if you or any of your clients plan to create a website using the Windows application, Linux reseller hosting will be of no use.
What is Windows reseller hosting?
Similar to Linux reseller hosting, Windows reseller hosting also allows you to rent out your server resources to other users. A Windows reseller hosting plan uses a server that runs on the Windows operating system and allows you to create different Plesk panels for your clients.
Source: Plesk
What are the Benefits of Windows reseller hosting?
You will get the following benefits with Windows reseller hosting:
Ease of setting up
The biggest advantage of Windows reseller hosting is its simple setup. You can easily configure the operating system to your server without much technical knowledge. Configuring takes only a few minutes in the case of a Windows reseller hosting plan.
Excellent compatibility with .NET applications
.NET allows you to develop web applications on your reseller hosting plan. Microsoft is one of the original authors of .NET and knows Windows inside out.
The support libraries of .NET were originally optimized for Windows, so Windows offers excellent compatibility with .NET applications. You can develop .NET applications quite quickly over a Windows reseller hosting plan.
Source: Wikipedia
Easier navigation
If you are fond of using Microsoft’s products like FrontPage or Expression Web for creating and managing websites, Windows reseller hosting is the best choice for you. You will experience easier navigation with Windows when working with different files and extensions.
Updated technology
Windows is always one step ahead of others when it comes to technology. It performs automatic updates regularly for the smooth running of your websites. Additionally, you can expect automatic security updates for your windows reseller hosting.
Compatibility with Microsoft applications
Since Windows is owned by Microsoft, a Windows reseller hosting plan offers superb compatibility with Microsoft applications and software. It becomes easy to develop websites with well-designed features and a variety of apps offered by Windows.
Excellent support
Windows being one of the most popular operating systems offers support for a variety of its components. So if you ever face any difficulty while managing your Windows reseller hosting, you can expect to receive excellent support.
Disadvantages of Windows reseller hosting
Windows reseller hosting also carries some inherent disadvantages that are listed here:
Expensive
Unlike Linux, Windows is not an open-source operating system. Your hosting provider will have to bear the costs of installing it on the server.
So a Windows reseller hosting plan will be expensive because of this operating system cost. Additionally, you might also have to pay for the additional Windows features that you will choose.
Here is an example of the price difference between Windows and Linux reseller hosting. Check out the cost of different plans from a US-based reseller hosting provider AccuWebHosting:
Consumes more resources
Windows reseller hosting needs a variety of resources to operate efficiently. So you will require a lot of disk space and RAM on your server for the smooth functioning of your client websites.
Speed issues
Windows reseller hosting is not a great option for fast-loading websites. Since a Windows server requires a lot of resources to function, it delivers only an average performance.
Limited language support
Windows reseller hosting does not offer much variety when it comes to language support. It is mainly restricted to Microsoft’s ASP.NET.
Limited customization options
Windows reseller hosting offers limited customization options for admins and developers. Though you will find some level of flexibility with Windows, if you have the advanced technical knowledge and are looking for complete control over your server, Windows reseller hosting might not be the best choice for you.
Linux Reseller VS. Windows Reseller Hosting
| Basis | Linux Reseller Hosting | Windows Reseller Hosting |
|---|---|---|
| Price | It is cheaper because Linux is a free and open-source operating system. | It is expensive since Windows is not a free operating system and your hosting provider will have to purchase a license for its use. |
| Setting up | Configuring Linux is a little less simple than Windows. It takes about a few hours to configure. | Configuring Windows is quite simple and easy. You can expect this configuration to finish within a few minutes. |
| Customization | It offers more customization features. If you are a developer or admin requiring complete server control, Linux is your best option. | It offers limited customization. Windows is not suitable for you if you are looking for admin-level controls. |
| .NET compatibility | It is not fully compatible with .NET applications. | It is fully compatible with .NET applications allowing you to develop these applications faster. |
| Resources consumption & performance | It consumes lesser resources and delivers excellent performance. | It consumes more resources and delivers average performance. |
| Stability and flexibility | It offers more stability and adapts to any environment. | It offers less stability and flexibility as compared to Linux. |
| Website speed | It offers faster website speed due to the efficient optimization of resources. | It offers average website speed due to inefficient resource optimization. |
| Language support | It supports quite a lot of programming languages. | It supports a limited number of programming languages. |
| Security | It offers advanced security features for your reseller hosting business. | It is secure but offers lesser security features than Linux. |
| Compatibility with Microsoft applications | It is not compatible with Microsoft applications. | Being a Microsoft product, it is compatible with all Microsoft applications. |
| Compatibility with other applications | It is compatible with a large variety of applications since Linux is open source. | It is compatible with a lesser number of applications when compared to Linux. |
Is Reseller Hosting Profitable?
Yes, reseller hosting is a profitable business because of the following reasons:
Because of all the above factors, your investment remains quite low in a reseller hosting business, leaving you with a good profit margin.
If you are already in the web development business and receive regular queries or have fixed clients, you can benefit instantly from this business. In such a case, you will not have to invest your time or money in acquiring new customers for your reseller hosting venture.
Conclusion – Linux Reseller Vs Windows Reseller Hosting
Both Linux and Windows reseller hostings are reliable options but offer different advantages. Choosing Windows or Linux depends on your current requirements and preference.
When should you choose Linux reseller hosting?
Go for Linux reseller hosting when:
When should you choose Windows reseller hosting?
Choose Windows reseller hosting when:
Whatever operating system you choose, you can make your reseller hosting business profitable with consistent hard work. Once your business grows, you can purchase a larger reseller hosting plan with more server resources to fulfill the additional demand.
This way, you can make gradual investments as you grow.
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