Answer on this question can be obvious to the experienced webmaster but it can put beginner into a blind alley.

Below there is a comparison of these two most popular platforms - UNIX, and Windows ®, supported by a lot of providers.

One of the biggest misconceptions among beginners - that you should place the site on that platform, which was used in the design, i.e. if you want to place the project on a server for UNIX, then you should develop it on a machine with UNIX. This is not true. Operating System, with which you work on your computer (when you build a website), can be arbitrary.

Accessibility
In recent years, providers have made maximum efforts to facilitate for their clients the administration of sites for UNIX, and forWindows. Today there is no difference between these platforms with respect to the ease and simplicity of use. If you are an experienced user and prefer to use the shell, then you select UNIX. However, if you’re a beginner, you will find on both platforms control panel (friendly for user) with Web-interface.

Reliability
Experts agree that UNIX is more reliable. Reliability is one of the features characterising consumer’s buing activity. However, my personal experience of 3 years of operation IIS 3.0 with Windows NT 4.0, shows that the reliability of the Windows platform can be significantly closer to UNIX. Much greater influence usually are made by degree of the professional level of staff. This means that you can make a decision when you choice a platform, taking in account given differences in the characteristics of other platforms.

Speed
There is no any significant difference between these two platforms during the performance tasks of hosting.

Features
This is the factor, that make this two platforms really different. But there are not many tasks that can be Completed on one platform, and which can not be completed on the other. The main difference is in efforts for achieving this result. For example, if for your site you use a database, you can use either a bundle of PHP / MySQL for UNIX or ASP / MS SQL for Windows. There is tendency in developing solutions that will be supported on both platforms. For example, Microsoft FrontPage, and supported on UNIX and Windows.

The cost of hosting
Here, UNIX still is more favourable due to the fact that, firstly, the majority of software products for UNIX are distributed under a free license, and secondly, on UNIX it is much easier to achieve the same level of reliability and efficiency than on Windows.

If you definitely do not plan to use technology and solutions, supported only by platform Windows, then most likely it makes sense to choose platform UNIX.

Before you purchase any web site hosting, you need to go through the hosting reviews routine. Surely you need to be realistic and be aware of the fact that now every cpanel hosting will be unbiased. But if you go through the nice number of web hosting unlimited sites - you will see the true picture.