Windows or Linux on a VPS: Which to Choose for Your Workload

The choice of operating system comes down not to habit but to what you plan to run. In most cases the workload itself points to the answer.

When you need Windows

• 1C in client-server mode and terminal access for employees.
• .NET Framework applications and services that require a Windows environment.
• MS SQL Server.
• Specialized industry software released only for Windows.

When Linux is enough

• Websites and online stores: WordPress, 1C-Bitrix, Laravel, Django.
• Web services and APIs, Telegram bots, task queues.
• PostgreSQL, MySQL and MariaDB databases.
• Docker and everything container-related.
• File servers, VPN, proxies and monitoring systems.

What to consider

Windows needs noticeably more memory for the system itself: a comfortable minimum is 4 GB, whereas Linux runs smoothly from 1 GB. With the same price per resource, this means you’ll need a more powerful configuration for Windows.

Check licensing separately: the Windows Server license and the client access licenses for terminal access are purchased separately.

Which Linux distribution

Ubuntu is the most widespread, with the largest number of ready-made guides. Debian is more conservative and stable, a good fit for long-lived servers. CentOS and Fedora are chosen where a company’s internal practices are built around them.

You install and reinstall the system yourself from the panel, and you can attach your own installation image if needed.