WinHost — Windows Hosting Built Around ASP.NET
- Four plans from $4.95 to $44.95 a month, each with SQL Server and MySQL databases
- Full Trust, an isolated application pool per site and IIS Manager remote access on every plan
- .NET 10.x down to 5.x, ASP.NET 4.8.x and MVC 6 on Windows Server 2019 and 2016
Who WinHost Is For
WinHost is a Windows-only host: its About page says Windows hosting is its only focus. If your project runs on ASP.NET, .NET or Classic ASP, you want a plan built around IIS and SQL Server instead of a Linux host with a Windows add-on.
This review covers what WinHost publishes about its four plans, its Windows and .NET stack, databases, backups, support and terms. It is based on published information, not a hands-on test: we have not run a WinHost account, so we make no speed or uptime claims.
Everything here was read on winhost.com on 2026-10-27, including the terms of service. Where WinHost does not publish a detail, we say so and list it under what to check before you buy.
WinHost is a low-cost, ASP.NET-focused shared host: $4.95/month on Basic and $9.95/month on Max, with SQL Server and MySQL included, Full Trust and an isolated application pool on every plan.
It is a good fit for developers who want current .NET versions, IIS Manager access and a 30-day money-back guarantee to test a project before committing. We have not tested it hands-on, and WinHost does not publish an uptime guarantee or a renewal price, so confirm those with its sales team before you buy.
Comparing Windows hosts? See our best ASP.NET hosting guide for WinHost next to InterServer and DiscountASP.NET.
Quick Specs
| Quick Specs | WinHost |
|---|---|
| Focus | Windows hosting only: ASP.NET, .NET, Classic ASP, PHP |
| Plans | Basic $4.95/month, Max $9.95/month, Ultimate $19.95/month, Power $44.95/month (1-year payment) |
| Server software | Windows Server 2019 and 2016, IIS 10.x |
| Trust level | Full Trust and Medium Trust; an isolated application pool per site |
| Databases | SQL Server 2022, 2019 and 2017; MySQL included on every plan |
| Control panel | WinHost's own web-based ASP.NET control panel, with a live demo |
| Backups | Daily backups available as a $2.95/month add-on |
| Support | 24/7 through a support portal, knowledge base and forum |
| Refund | 30-day money-back guarantee on first-term hosting fees |
| Billing | Prepaid billing cycles that renew automatically for the same period |
| Operated by | Host Marketing Solutions, Inc. (per WinHost's privacy policy) |
| Best for | ASP.NET and .NET developers, small business sites, nopCommerce stores (the Power plan is labelled for nopCommerce on winhost.com) |
Plans and Pricing
WinHost sells four shared plans. Basic is the entry plan, Max removes the disk and bandwidth limits, and Ultimate and Power raise the database allowances.
| Plan | 1-year payment | 3-month payment | What is included |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic | $4.95/month | $5.95/month | 3GB disk, 50GB bandwidth, 500MB SQL, 500MB MySQL |
| Max | $9.95/month | $11.95/month | unlimited disk and bandwidth, 2GB SQL, 2GB MySQL |
| Ultimate | $19.95/month | $21.95/month | unlimited disk and bandwidth, 5GB SQL, 5GB MySQL |
| Power | $44.95/month | $49.95/month | unlimited disk and bandwidth, 10GB SQL, 10GB MySQL |
WinHost lists free setup on every plan and free website migration on every plan. Databases: one SQL database on Basic and unlimited SQL databases on Max, Ultimate and Power, within each plan's storage allowance.
Check WinHost Plans and Pricing →
Billing, Renewal and Refunds
WinHost's terms treat your billing cycle as the contract term. Hosting renews automatically for the same period unless you cancel or change the billing cycle, so pick a cycle you are comfortable repeating.
The 30-day money-back guarantee is a 30-day refund on first-term hosting fees: terminate within 30 calendar days of sign-up and request immediate termination for a full refund of the hosting fees. Setup fees and domain registrations are not refundable, and the guarantee does not apply to a renewal term or a plan or period change.
WinHost does not publish a renewal price. Ask its sales team for the rate after your first term before you choose a billing cycle.
The ASP.NET and Windows Stack
WinHost runs on Windows Server 2019 and 2016 with IIS 10.x. Every plan includes IIS Manager remote access, so you can manage your site with Microsoft's own tool instead of opening a ticket for each change.
Each site is hosted in an isolated application pool per site with Full Trust and Medium Trust control. The control panel includes an ASP.NET pipeline mode selector (Integrated or Classic) and an application pool recycle tool.
For frameworks, WinHost lists .NET 10.x, 9.x, 8.x, 7.x, 6.x and 5.x, .NET Core 3.x and 2.x, and ASP.NET 4.8.x, 4.7.x, 4.6.x, 4.5.x, 3.5 and 2.0. Its Max plan page also lists WebSockets, WCF, Blazor and Classic ASP, with MVC 6, 5, 4, 3, 2 and 1.
The Max plan page shows a 300 MB site memory allocation. Check the allocation for the plan you want before you deploy a memory-heavy application.
Databases: SQL Server, MySQL and Access
Every plan includes SQL Server and MySQL. WinHost offers SQL Server 2022, 2019 and 2017 on shared SQL servers, and says it never hosts websites and databases on the same server.
Database storage grows with the plan: 500MB SQL and 500MB MySQL on Basic, 2GB SQL and 2GB MySQL on Max, 5GB SQL and 5GB MySQL on Ultimate and 10GB SQL and 10GB MySQL on Power. You get DBO rights, full-text search and stored procedures, and you can manage databases remotely with SQL Server Management Studio.
If you want a SQL Server that no other customer shares, WinHost sells a Private SQL Server as an add-on. Microsoft Access is supported as well.
Backups, FTP and Control Panel
Daily backups are available as a $2.95/month add-on. WinHost's SiteBackup covers website files, SQL databases and MySQL databases, keeps multiple versions and restores with one click; plans are 10GB at $2.95/month, 30GB at $6.95/month and 60GB at $12.95/month, billed annually.
The hosting plans themselves include a SQL backup and restore tool. Add SiteBackup if you want scheduled off-the-server copies of your files as well.
For file transfer, WinHost lists FTP over SSL and a secondary FTP address so you can upload and test your site before pointing your domain. It does not state SFTP support on the pages we read, so ask first if your workflow needs it.
The control panel is WinHost's own web-based ASP.NET control panel, with a live demo you can open before you sign up.
Support
WinHost says it provides around-the-clock support through its Support Portal, with a knowledge base and community forum alongside it. Sales questions go to a sales email address or contact form.
WinHost does not publish a response-time target, so we do not quote one. Open a pre-sales question before you buy if fast answers matter to you.
About WinHost and Its Relationship to DiscountASP.NET
WinHost's privacy policy says Winhost.com is owned and operated by Host Marketing Solutions, Inc. Its servers are Dell hardware that WinHost says it owns and manages, with web, SQL, email and stats on separate servers.
In 2009-2010, WinHost staff said it is a separate company from DiscountASP.NET, whose parent, Host Collective, Inc., served as its consultant. Host Collective's website does not list WinHost among its brands, though both companies list the same Monrovia, CA address.
Choose WinHost If
Choose WinHost if
- You want a low-cost Windows plan with SQL Server and MySQL included
- Your app needs Full Trust, its own application pool or a current .NET version
- You like managing IIS yourself through IIS Manager
Plan ahead if
- You need a published uptime guarantee: ask WinHost first
- You want backups included: budget for the $2.95/month add-on
- You need SFTP or a support response target: confirm before ordering
How to Choose Your WinHost Plan
For a small site or a test project: Basic is $4.95/month with 3GB of disk space and a single SQL database. The 30-day refund on first-term hosting fees gives you time to try your application.
For a production ASP.NET app: Max is $9.95/month with unlimited disk space and bandwidth and 2GB SQL and 2GB MySQL, and its plan page lists WebSockets and WCF. Move up to Ultimate or Power when your SQL data grows.
Weighing WinHost against other Windows hosts? Our best ASP.NET hosting guide compares it with InterServer and DiscountASP.NET.
Try WinHost With the 30-Day Refund →
Frequently Asked Questions
Does WinHost offer a money-back guarantee?
WinHost offers a 30-day refund on first-term hosting fees. Per its terms of service, the full hosting service fees are refunded if you terminate within 30 calendar days of sign-up and request immediate termination; setup and domain registration fees are not refundable, and the guarantee does not apply to the renewal term or to plan or period changes.
Which .NET versions does WinHost support?
WinHost lists .NET 10.x, 9.x, 8.x, 7.x, 6.x and 5.x, .NET Core 3.x and 2.x, and ASP.NET 4.8.x, 4.7.x, 4.6.x, 4.5.x, 3.5 and 2.0 on its ASP.NET hosting page. It also lists ASP.NET MVC 6, 5, 4, 3, 2 and 1, Blazor and Classic ASP.
Does WinHost support Full Trust and a separate application pool?
Yes. WinHost says each site is hosted in its own isolated application pool, and its Windows hosting page lists Full Trust and Medium Trust control. The Max plan page also lists a 300 MB site memory allocation.
Does WinHost include backups?
Backups are an optional add-on. WinHost's SiteBackup runs daily backups of website files, SQL and MySQL databases from $2.95 a month for 10GB of backup storage, billed annually. A SQL backup and restore tool is part of the hosting plans.
Is WinHost the same company as DiscountASP.NET?
In 2009-2010, WinHost staff said on WinHost's own forum that it is a separate company from DiscountASP.NET, whose parent, Host Collective, Inc., served as its consultant. Host Collective's website does not list WinHost among its brands, though both companies list the same Monrovia, CA address. We found no source that states common ownership.
Bottom Line
WinHost gives ASP.NET developers a focused, low-cost Windows environment: current .NET versions, Full Trust, IIS Manager access and databases included on every plan. We have not tested it hands-on, so use the 30-day refund window to check performance with your own application.
Before you order, ask WinHost for its renewal price, its uptime commitment and its SFTP and backup retention details, since those are not published.