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Is Apache better than IIS?

Author

John Castro

Published Mar 14, 2026

Is Apache better than IIS?

According to some tests, IIS is faster than Apache (though still slower than nginx). It consumes less CPU, has better response time and can handle more requests per second. NET framework on Windows, while Apache is usually running PHP applications on Linux operating systems).

Keeping this in view, what is better IIS or Apache?

Determining which one to use is determined by several factors: IIS must be bundled with Windows but Apache does not have big-name corporate support, Apache has excellent security but does not offer IIS's excellent . NET support. And so on.

Conclusion.

FeaturesIISApache
PerformanceGoodGood
Market share32%42%

Secondly, what is the difference between Apache and IIS? Apache is free while IIS is packaged with Windows. 2. IIS only runs on Windows while Apache can run on almost any OS including UNIX, Apple's OS X, and on most Linux Distributions. IIS has a dedicated staff to answer most problems while support for Apache comes from the community itself.

Similarly, you may ask, which is more secure IIS or Apache?

The real answer, of course, is that both IIS and Apache, if installed as directed by the developers, are relatively secure. Most malicious Web site infections are the result of administrative mistakes and buggy applications -- not the underlying Web server software.

Why would you use Apache?

Apache HTTP web servers are used by over 67% of all web servers in the world. Apache web servers are easy to customize environments, they're fast, reliable, and highly secure. This makes Apache web servers a common choice by best-in-class companies.

Why do we need IIS?

Most commonly, IIS is used to host ASP.NET web applications and static websites. It can also be used as an FTP server, host WCF services, and be extended to host web applications built on other platforms such as PHP. There are built-in authentication options such as Basic, ASP.NET, and Windows auth.
Apache HTTP Server

It is one of the most popular web servers around the world. As of April, 2021, Apache holds 34.1% of the market, according to W3Techs and 25.98% according to Netcraft. Apache is highly flexible and customizable; functionalities can be easily turned on and off.

Which Web server is owned by Microsoft?

Internet Information Services
Screenshot of IIS Manager console of Internet Information Services 8.5
Developer(s)Microsoft
Operating systemWindows NT
Available inSame languages as Windows
TypeWeb server

Is Apache Web server still used?

After Tim Berners-Lee's CERN httpd and NCSA HTTPd in the first couple of years of the internet, Apache – first released in 1995 – quickly conquered the market and became the world's most popular web server. Nowadays, it still is in that market position but mostly for legacy reasons.

What are the features of IIS?

IIS Manager Feature Overview
  • Manage IIS and ASP.NET in one tool.
  • View health and diagnostic information that includes the ability to view currently running requests in real time.
  • Configure user and role authorization for websites and web applications.
  • Connect to a web server, site, or application remotely using HTTP.

Can Apache run on Windows?

The primary Windows platform for running Apache 2.4 is Windows 2000 or later. Always obtain and install the current service pack to avoid operating system bugs. Apache HTTP Server versions later than 2.2 will not run on any operating system earlier than Windows 2000.

Can Apache and IIS run on same server?

Simultaneous Servers

You can install Apache and IIS on the same Windows PC at the same time. Although the applications will run, they both listen for web requests on TCP port 80 — there will be clashes so a little configuration is required.

Is IIS free for Windows 10?

IIS is a free Windows Feature included in Windows 10, so why not use it? IIS is a full-featured web and FTP server with some powerful admin tools, strong security features, and can be used to host ASP.NET and PHP applications on the same server.

What is IIS and how it works?

Internet Information Services (IIS) is a flexible, general-purpose web server from Microsoft that runs on Windows systems to serve requested HTML pages or files. An IIS web server accepts requests from remote client computers and returns the appropriate response.

What is Apache vs Tomcat?

Apache Tomcat vs Apache HTTP Server

While Apache is a traditional HTTPS web server, optimised for handling static and dynamic web content (very often PHP-based), it lacks the ability to manage Java Servlets and JSP. Tomcat, on the other hand, is almost totally geared towards Java-based content.

Is Apache server Safe?

Apache is built to be stable and secure, but it will only be as secure as the user who configures it. Once Apache is built and installed, it's important to configure the server to be as minimal as possible.

What is IIS server role?

The Web Server (IIS) role in Windows Server 2016 provides a secure, easy-to-manage, modular and extensible platform for reliably hosting websites, services, and applications. With IIS, you can share information with users on the Internet, an intranet, or an extranet.

Does IIS require a license?

"You need a Client Access License for every user that you authenticate with the local SAM or Active Directory, except for the IUSR_<servername> account using anonymous authentication."

What is nginx vs IIS?

With IIS, you get choice and control without giving up reliability or security. NGINX Plus is the all-in-one application delivery platform for the modern web. NGINX is the world's most popular open source web server and load balancer for high-traffic sites, powering over 200 million properties.

Is Apache server free?

The Apache HTTP Server, colloquially called Apache (/?ˈpæt?i/ ?-PATCH-ee), is a free and open-source cross-platform web server software, released under the terms of Apache License 2.0. Apache is developed and maintained by an open community of developers under the auspices of the Apache Software Foundation.

Is Apache An open source?

The Apache License is an open source software license released by the Apache Software Foundation (ASF). The Apache License allows you to freely use, modify, and distribute any Apache licensed product.

What is Apache IIS current market share?

Apache is used by 32.9% of all the websites whose web server we know. Apache is used by 28.4% of all the websites whose web server we know and that rank in the top 1,000,000.

Usage broken down by ranking.

Apache19.2%
20.1%
Microsoft-IIS6.8%
7.6%
8.6%

What is Apache IIS?

IIS (Internet Information Services) is Microsoft's Web server. Apache is by far the most widely used Web server and runs on Unix, Linux, Mac OS and Windows. IIS runs only on Windows. Both Apache and IIS have their strong points and weaknesses. The most obvious advantage of Apache is the fact that it is cross-platform.

Does Google use Apache?

Google Web Server (GWS) is proprietary web server software that Google uses for its web infrastructure. In May, 2015, GWS was ranked as the fourth most popular web server on the internet after Apache, nginx and Microsoft IIS, powering an estimated 7.95% of active websites.
Apache is open source, and as such, it is developed and maintained by a large group of global volunteers. One of the key reasons Apache is so popular is that the software is free for anyone to download and use. Commercial support for Apache is available from web hosting companies, such as Atlantic.Net.

What is the fastest web server?

7 Best Fastest Web Hosting Services
  • SiteGround – global average 136.9 ms.
  • Hostinger – global average 136 ms.
  • A2 Hosting – global average 150 ms.
  • GreenGeeks – global average 118.6 ms.
  • Kinsta – global average 179.5 ms.
  • ScalaHosting – global average 159 ms.
  • Bluehost – global average 153 ms.

Which is better Nginx or Apache?

NGINX performs the HTTP-related heavy lifting – serving static files, caching content, and offloading slow HTTP connections – so that the Apache server can run the application code in a safe and secure environment. NGINX does those six things, and it does five of them 50 times faster than Apache.”

What language is Apache written in?

C
XML

What does Apache mean?

1 : a member of a group of American Indian peoples of the southwestern U.S. 2 : any of the Athabascan languages of the Apache people. 3 not capitalized [French, from Apache Apache Indian] a : a member of a gang of criminals especially in Paris.

What is the use of Httpd?

HTTP Daemon is a software program that runs in the background of a web server and waits for the incoming server requests. The daemon answers the request automatically and serves the hypertext and multimedia documents over the Internet using HTTP.
What Is the Most Popular Web Server Application?
  • Apache – 38.7% of the top one million sites.
  • Nginx – 32.1%
  • Cloudflare Server – 14.1%
  • Microsoft-IIS – 8.1%
  • LiteSpeed – 6.5%
  • Google Servers – 1.1%

Does Facebook use Apache or nginx?

It's open source, very customizable, and good for security. Facebook runs the Linux operating system on Apache HTTP Servers. Apache is also free and is the most popular open source web server in use.