If you’re setting up a WordPress website, your first decision is whether to host it on Linux or Windows. The short answer: Linux is almost always the better choice for WordPress. Here’s why — and the one scenario where Windows might be relevant.

Why Linux is Better for WordPress

• WordPress is built for Linux: WordPress was developed on and for Linux/Apache/MySQL/PHP (LAMP). Its official documentation, community guides, and plugins all assume a Linux host.
• Lower cost: No Windows Server licensing means Linux plans consistently cost less for the same resources.
• cPanel availability: cPanel — the most popular WordPress-friendly control panel — runs only on Linux.
• Better performance: Nginx and LiteSpeed (the fastest web servers for WordPress) are Linux-native.
• More WordPress hosts: The overwhelming majority of managed WordPress hosts — WP Engine, Kinsta, SiteGround, Cloudways — all run Linux.
• Larger ecosystem: Most WordPress server tutorials, Docker images, and deployment scripts assume Linux.

The One Case for Windows Hosting with WordPress

If your WordPress site integrates with a Microsoft SQL Server database or an ASP.NET application running on the same server, Windows hosting may be necessary. In all other cases, Linux is the correct choice.

Linux vs Windows for WordPress: Summary