What Is ASP.NET Hosting?

Category: Hosting Basics · Updated 2026-10-30

ASP.NET hosting is a hosting plan configured to run applications built with Microsoft's ASP.NET framework, which usually means Windows Server, the IIS web server and a matching version of the .NET runtime already installed. It differs from the Linux-and-PHP stack that most shared hosting uses by default, so it is sold as its own plan type or requires a Windows-based server.

What makes hosting "ASP.NET hosting"

ASP.NET is a web application framework created by Microsoft, used to build dynamic sites and APIs in languages such as C# or VB.NET. Unlike PHP, which almost any Linux shared hosting plan can run, an ASP.NET application needs a server with the .NET runtime installed and, for most setups, Microsoft's IIS (Internet Information Services) web server to receive requests and hand them to the application. Because that stack is not the default on most budget hosting, providers advertise "ASP.NET hosting" or "Windows hosting" as a distinct plan.

Some newer ASP.NET Core applications can also run on Linux, since the modern .NET runtime is cross-platform, but the hosting market still mostly associates ASP.NET with Windows Server.

Windows Server, IIS and the .NET runtime

A typical ASP.NET hosting plan includes Windows Server as the operating system, IIS configured to serve .aspx or ASP.NET Core requests, and one or more installed versions of the .NET runtime. Control panels for Windows hosting, such as Plesk, let you pick the application pool and .NET version per site, similar to how a PHP version selector works on Linux cPanel hosting. A database is usually Microsoft SQL Server, though some ASP.NET apps are built to work with MySQL instead.

ASP.NET hosting vs. PHP hosting

	ASP.NET hosting	PHP hosting
Operating system	Windows Server (ASP.NET Core can also run on Linux)	Linux, almost always
Web server	IIS	Apache, Nginx or LiteSpeed
Typical database	Microsoft SQL Server	MySQL or MariaDB
Availability on budget shared hosting	Less common, often a separate plan	Default on almost all shared hosting
License cost	Windows Server licensing is usually bundled into the plan price	No license fee for the stack itself

ASP.NET Core vs. the older .NET Framework

Older ASP.NET applications (ASP.NET Web Forms, MVC on the classic .NET Framework) require Windows and IIS specifically. Modern ASP.NET Core applications run on a cross-platform .NET runtime and can be hosted on Linux behind Nginx acting as a reverse proxy to the built-in Kestrel web server, or on a VPS with Docker. If you are starting a new project, ASP.NET Core gives you more hosting flexibility than the legacy framework.

# A minimal command to run a published ASP.NET Core app on Linux
dotnet YourApp.dll --urls=http://localhost:5000

When you need ASP.NET hosting

Your application was built in C# or VB.NET using ASP.NET or ASP.NET Core.
Your development team already works in the Microsoft ecosystem and uses SQL Server.
You are deploying an internal business application built on Windows-specific libraries.
Your software vendor explicitly requires IIS or Windows Server.

If your site is WordPress, a general CMS or a typical small business site, standard Linux and PHP hosting is simpler and usually cheaper.

Frequently asked questions

Does ASP.NET hosting have to run on Windows?

Classic ASP.NET and Web Forms applications require Windows Server and IIS. Modern ASP.NET Core applications use a cross-platform runtime and can run on Linux as well, though many hosting providers still market ASP.NET plans as Windows hosting.

Is ASP.NET hosting more expensive than PHP hosting?

It is often somewhat more expensive, mainly because Windows Server licensing and sometimes SQL Server licensing are built into the plan price, while the Linux and PHP stack has no license fee.

Can I run WordPress on ASP.NET hosting?

WordPress is written in PHP and needs MySQL, so it runs on Linux-and-PHP hosting, not on an ASP.NET stack. Some Windows hosting plans also include PHP support, but it is not the typical setup for WordPress.

What database does ASP.NET hosting use?

Microsoft SQL Server is the most common choice because it integrates closely with the .NET ecosystem, though some ASP.NET applications are built to connect to MySQL or PostgreSQL instead.

Can I host an ASP.NET Core app on a VPS?

Yes. ASP.NET Core can run on a Linux VPS with the .NET runtime installed and Nginx or Apache acting as a reverse proxy in front of the application's built-in server, giving you full control over the environment.

What is the difference between ASP.NET and ASP.NET Core?

ASP.NET (including Web Forms and classic MVC) runs only on the Windows-only .NET Framework. ASP.NET Core is the newer, cross-platform rewrite that runs on Windows, Linux and macOS and is the version Microsoft actively develops.