Most people who create a website do so on Linux web servers, but you shouldn’t pick just any hosting provider. See which hosts offer the best features and values.
By: Johnathan BellWeb Hosting and Site Reliability Engineer
Reviewing hosts is our business, and we’ve gone over more than 1,500 plans, selecting only the ones offering Linux hosting.
We then pared down the list, keeping only the hosts that offer great performance, high levels of uptime, and responsive customer service.
Finally, we asked real users via our massive database of over one million words of genuine customer reviews to give us their thoughts.
What Is Linux?
Linux is the most popular operating system (OS) used by web hosting providers, with origins dating back to 1991. This versatile and powerful alternative to Microsoft Windows is available in a variety of free, “freemium,” and commercial iterations.
Many hosts — particularly shared hosting providers — default to Linux for hosting packages, so it’s by far the market leader. It’s also the operating system used by Google to run its vast banks of servers: more than 15,000 and counting.
How To Choose Linux Web Hosting
Choosing a Linux web host won’t be hard. This is because of its popularity among web hosting providers. Almost any shared hosting plan that you come across will likely be Linux-based.
Find out about the bandwidth and disk space options, control panels, email features, and ecommerce functionality. Consider these factors when making your choice:
Uptime guarantees: Many companies that offer Linux hosting will have an uptime guarantee. This is usually between 99.9% and 99.98%.
User-friendly control panel: Linux hosting options often include a customized version of the cPanel control panel to select tools, manage their websites, view statistics, and conduct numerous other important tasks. cPanel will also give you access to your e-mail accounts.
Domain registration: Most web hosting companies offer domain registration. If not, a hosting company will likely give you the option to purchase one separately.
Why it’s best: Has many included features and great support
SiteGround is the best option for hosting if you’re looking for many included features and fantastic support. Their cheapest plan even includes free daily backups, unlimited email accounts, unlimited bandwidth, and unlimited MySQL (My structured query language) databases.
Their unique version of cPanel will make it simple for anyone to manage their hosting plan and access numerous useful tools.
With an uptime guarantee of 99.9%, you also know their servers are reliable.
Pros and cons of SiteGround
Pros
Customer satisfaction rate is impressive
Cons
No dedicated servers or VPS
Some packages limit disk space
What customers are saying about SiteGround
SiteGround is a reliable web hosting company with fast speeds, a user-friendly interface, and solid customer service. Some customers are not thrilled with the price increase and back-end support.
With InMotion Hosting, your website will run on speedy Linux SSDs (solid state drives).
And with a 90-day money-back guarantee, you can try out their hosting services to the fullest extent without risking being locked into a full-year plan. The company also has some fast and affordable VPS (virtual private server) plan options.
Pros and cons of InMotion Hosting
Pros
Reliable uptime
Cons
Servers are only in the U.S.
Automatic backups aren’t free
What customers are saying about InMotion
InMotion Hosting’s high-performance hosting, support team, features, and customer service are well-liked. Prices are fair, but can fluctuate.
Why it’s best: 20 times faster loading speeds than competitors
A2 Hosting is another reliable hosting provider with a 99.9% uptime guarantee. Their shared plans also include unlimited bandwidth and disk space. With their highest level of shared hosting, your website will be hosted on a high-performance turbo server.
Pros and cons of A2 Hosting
Pros
Outstanding refund policy
Cons
Price increase after introductory offer
What customers are saying about A2 Hosting
A2 is a reliable, affordable hosting company that has fast speeds. The customer service is generally responsive but could use more updated tutorials and documentation.
Frequently Asked Questions About Linux Web Hosting
What is Linux?
Linux is a computer operating system. There are different types of Linux, called distributions, with their own brand names. Most Linux distributions are free.
Is Linux hosting difficult to use?
No. With Linux hosting, you don’t usually need to actually use the operating system, particularly if you’re a beginner. Most of your hosting management will be done through a control panel, which is designed to be easy to use.
What does a Linux hosting package typically offer?
With a shared hosting package on a Linux server, you’ll usually get a chunk of server space and a set bandwidth limit. Your host will give you access to the software you need to upload and publish a basic site. In addition, you can install approved scripts for things like CMSs (content management systems), forums, and wikis.
Does it matter which Linux distribution I have on my web hosting plan?
In most cases, it doesn’t matter. Basic web hosting functions work the same way on all Linux distributions. The biggest noticeable difference between distributions is the GUI (graphical user interface) on a desktop computer, but you never see this on a web hosting account anyway.