An accounting program that nobody can access apart from the one on the office computer. A MetaTrader terminal that crashes when the laptop restarts after an update. An ASP.NET application that won’t run on Linux. These are all situations for which renting a Windows VPS is the simplest solution: a Windows Server running in a data centre that’s always on, which you can manage via remote desktop just as you would your own computer.

In this guide, we summarise what a Windows VPS is and how it differs from a Linux VPS, what it is most commonly used for, how much resources are required for each task, which version of Windows Server is worth choosing in 2026, what the licence includes and what it does not, and how you can secure remote desktop (RDP) access.

What is a Windows VPS?

A Virtual Private Server (VPS) is a software-isolated, separate section of a high-performance physical server. You are allocated your own processor cores (vCPUs), memory and storage, along with your own operating system, over which you have administrator rights. In the case of a Windows VPS, this operating system is Microsoft Windows Server.

Unlike shared hosting, you aren’t sharing a common system with other customers: whatever you install runs only on your own server, and you determine the settings yourself. Unlike with a dedicated server, however, you do not need to rent and operate an entire physical machine; hardware maintenance, power supply and the network are all handled by the provider. A VPS is therefore a middle ground between the two, and is usually the best solution in terms of value for money.

You typically manage a Windows VPS via a graphical interface using Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP). If you’re familiar with Windows 10 or 11, managing the server’s basic functions will be straightforward: you can install programs, share folders or change settings just as you would on a desktop computer.

Windows or Linux VPS?

The decision is almost always determined by the software you want to run, not by personal preference.

Criteria	Windows VPS	Linux VPS
Management	Graphical user interface, remote desktop (RDP)	Typically command line, SSH
Typical software	.NET and ASP.NET, IIS, MSSQL, business applications written for Windows, MetaTrader	PHP, Python, Node.js, MySQL/MariaDB, Docker
Licence	The Windows Server licence fee is included in the monthly fee	No licence fees
Resource requirements	Larger: both the graphical interface and the background services consume resources	Smaller, can be used with as little as 1 GB of RAM
Price	This is due to the higher licence cost and the more powerful server	The same amount of resources for less

If your software runs on Linux – for example, a WordPress site, a PHP application or a Docker container – then a KVM VPS offers more resources at a better price. You’ll need a Windows VPS if your application specifically requires Windows Server, or if your team prefers to work in a graphical interface within the familiar Windows environment. We’ve also written about the differences between the two server types in our comparison of VPS and web hosting.

What can a Windows VPS be used for?

Business software with remote access

Many small and medium-sized enterprises in Hungary use accounting, invoicing, payroll or stock management software written for Windows. If this runs on an office computer, that machine must be kept switched on at all times, and accessing it from home is rather inconvenient. On a Windows VPS, the software runs in a data centre with a reliable power supply and network connection, whilst staff can work on it via remote desktop from anywhere. The server continues to run even when you log off: a long query or overnight processing won’t be interrupted just because you close your laptop.

Important licensing detail: Windows Server allows two concurrent administrator Remote Desktop sessions by default, which is sufficient for server management and one or two users. If more than two people need to work simultaneously in the same program, Remote Desktop Services (RDS) client licences are required (see the section on licensing below).

.NET, ASP.NET and MSSQL applications

IIS, the built-in web server in Windows Server, natively runs ASP.NET and .NET websites, web applications and APIs, including both older .NET Framework-based systems and modern .NET versions. Microsoft SQL Server is the obvious choice for a database: the free Express edition is sufficient for smaller applications, whilst larger set-ups require a separate SQL Server licence. You can read in detail about the editions, versions and operation of SQL Server in our Microsoft SQL Server guide.

Developers also like to use it as a test environment: on a separate server, they can try out an installation or an update, regardless of the settings on their development machine, before it goes live.

Forex and automated trading

The MetaTrader 4 and 5 terminals and the trading robots (Expert Advisors) that run on them are designed for Windows and work best when running 24 hours a day. On a home computer, a power cut, an internet connection drop-out or a restart following an automatic Windows update could leave positions unattended. A Windows VPS runs in a data centre with a continuous network connection; you can also set the timing of updates so that they do not coincide with trading hours.

Other uses

• Remote workstation: a more powerful machine on which more demanding tasks (data processing, translation, exporting) run, whilst on your own machine only the remote desktop window is open.
• Scheduled tasks: reports, data synchronisation, backups or other processes launched via the Windows Task Scheduler that require the machine to be running at all times.
• Game servers: the server software for some games only runs on Windows; a Windows VPS is a good choice for these too. If the game also runs on Linux, it’s cheaper to install it on Linux, as we explained in our guide to Minecraft servers.

Our article on the 5 most common uses of Windows VPS explores further ways to utilise Windows VPS.

How much Windows VPS do you need?

The most common mistake is undersizing. Windows Server, together with the graphical interface (Desktop Experience), officially requires at least 2 GB of RAM and 32 GB of storage, but this is only enough to boot the operating system, not to run a usable server. Updates, logs and installed programs also fill up the hard drive quickly: Windows and monthly updates alone can take up as much as 30–40 GB.

That is why aWh’s Windows VPS plans come with more resources from the outset than a Linux VPS:

Plan	vCPU	RAM	NVMe SSD	Network	Monthly fee
Win VPS Start	4	8 GB	75 GB	1 Gbps	€22.85
Win VPS Medium	6	12 GB	100 GB	2 Gbps	€39.71
Win VPS Large	8	24 GB	200 GB	3 Gbps	€70.18

Prices are exclusive of VAT. Every plan includes a licensed Windows Server, unlimited traffic, one IPv4 and one IPv6 address, DDoS protection and daily backups.

Here are a few guidelines to help you choose:

• Win VPS Start: one or two users, a business application or a small ASP.NET site with an SQL Server Express database, and a few MetaTrader terminals.
• Win VPS Medium: multiple applications running concurrently, a medium-sized database, multiple users via Remote Desktop (with RDS licences), and a web application with higher traffic volumes.
• Win VPS Large: larger databases where SQL Server uses a lot of memory for caching, dozens of MetaTrader instances, or resource-intensive processing.

If you’re not sure what spec of machine you need for your software, check the manufacturer’s recommended system requirements and factor in Windows’ own requirements. An even simpler option is to tell us what you’d like to run and how many users you’ll have, and we’ll recommend a package. If you outgrow your chosen machine later on, you can upgrade to a larger plan.

NVMe SSD and networking

With Windows Server, the speed of the storage may be even more noticeable than that of the processor. Installing updates, launching programs and performing database operations all consist of many small disk operations, and in these tasks, NVMe SSDs are orders of magnitude faster than older SATA SSDs and hard disk drives. All aWh Windows VPSs run on NVMe storage.

Surprisingly little bandwidth is needed for a remote desktop, as RDP only transmits changes to the screen. The server’s network connection is more important when you’re uploading or downloading large files, or when a website running on the server is receiving a lot of traffic. The plans come with a 1, 2 or 3 Gbps connection, with unlimited traffic.

Which version of Windows Server should you choose?

The version determines how long the server will receive security updates. Microsoft provides mainstream support for each version for five years, during which time new features and fixes are released, followed by five years of extended support, during which only security updates are provided. Once extended support ends, the server will no longer receive security updates and should not be used on a machine connected to the internet.

Version	End of general support	End of extended support
Windows Server 2025	November 2029	November 2034
Windows Server 2022	October 2026 (expired)	October 2031
Windows Server 2019	January 2024 (expired)	January 2029
Windows Server 2016	January 2022 (expired)	January 2027

On aWh’s Windows VPS servers, you can choose between Windows Server 2016, 2019, 2022 and 2025. Unless you have software that requires an older version, it’s worth choosing Windows Server 2025: this will receive updates for the longest period and comes with the latest security settings. The 2022 version will receive security patches until 2031, so this is also a good choice if an application’s manufacturer has only provided support for this version. We offer the 2019 and 2016 versions primarily for use with older programs; the 2016 version will reach end-of-support in January 2027, so you should not build a new server on this version. You can read about Windows Server versions and editions in the guide on Windows Server versions and licensing.

Licensing: what’s included in the monthly fee, and what isn’t?

The monthly fee for Windows VPS includes the Windows Server licence, so you don’t need to buy a separate licence, fiddle about with activation keys or enter into a licence agreement with Microsoft. The server is fully licensed and receives Microsoft security updates.

What is not included in the Windows Server licence:

• Remote Desktop Services (RDS) client licences: these are required for more than two concurrent administrator sessions, either per user or per device. If several colleagues need to work on the server at the same time, please contact us and we’ll help you with the licensing.
• SQL Server: the Express edition is free, whilst the Standard and Enterprise editions require a separate licence.
• Other software: the licence terms for office suites, accounting software or any other application are determined by the software manufacturer. In particular, separate rules apply to the multi-user and remote desktop use of office suites; it is worth clarifying this before making a purchase.

Connecting to a Windows VPS

You log in to the server via a remote desktop connection (RDP). To log in, you’ll need the server’s IP address, username and password; you’ll receive these once the server is set up.

• Windows: the built-in Remote Desktop Connection program (look for it in the Start menu, or run the mstsc command).
• macOS, iOS, iPadOS and Android: Microsoft’s free Windows App, which has replaced the previous Remote Desktop apps.
• Linux: for example, the Remmina or xfreerdp client.

The connection is encrypted and, with the right settings, runs smoothly even on a slower internet connection. If it’s lagging, disable the background image and visual effects in the client, and reduce the colour depth. We’ve written in detail about how RDP works and its settings in our article on the Remote Desktop Protocol.

Security: how to protect your Windows VPS

RDP ports accessible via the internet are one of the most common targets for attacks: automated bots constantly try to guess usernames and passwords. A newly installed server is targeted by these attempts within the first few hours. By following the steps below, you can eliminate most of the risk.

1. A strong, unique password. At least 16 characters long, which you don’t use anywhere else. A password manager is a great help with this.
2. Restricting RDP access. The most effective protection is to allow access to port 3389 in the Windows firewall only from your own static IP addresses. If you do not have a static IP address, you can also route RDP through a VPN, so that the port is completely invisible from the outside.
3. Network-level authentication (NLA). With this, the authentication required for login takes place before the session is even established; it is enabled by default on modern versions of Windows Server, so do not disable it.
4. Account lockout policy. Set it so that after a few failed attempts, the account is locked for a period of time, making password guessing virtually impossible.
5. Your own administrator account. Create an account with your own name and administrator privileges, and rename or disable the default ‘Administrator’ account, as this is the first thing attackers will try.
6. Regular updates. Microsoft releases security patches on the second Tuesday of every month. Set up automatic installation for a time that suits you, or install them manually on a regular basis.
7. Microsoft Defender. Windows Server’s built-in antivirus and firewall provide basic protection, so keep them enabled.

Changing the RDP port to a different number reduces the number of automated attempts visible in the logs, but this alone does not provide protection: port scanners will still find the non-standard port. It is a useful additional measure, but it is no substitute for IP restrictions and a strong password.

It is advisable to make web services accessible via HTTPS. A free Let’s Encrypt certificate can be set up for IIS, and if you require an organisation-validated certificate, you will find this amongst aWh’s SSL certificates.

Backup

The daily backup is taken of every aWh Windows VPS, from which the server can be restored to its state from the previous day. This protects against hardware failure, a failed update or accidental deletion, but as it provides only a single restore point, you should not rely on this as your sole backup for important data.

The recommended practice is the 3-2-1 rule: you should have three copies of your data, stored on two different storage devices, one of which should be physically located away from the server. On Windows Server, you can use the built-in Windows Server Backup program, a database management system’s own backup feature (such as SQL Server’s scheduled backups), or third-party backup software that copies backups to another server or cloud storage. Try performing a restore every few months: a backup is only useful if you can actually restore from it.

Who operates the server?

Windows VPS is an unmanaged service: the settings within the server, the installed programs and Windows updates are all in your hands, with administrator rights. aWh is responsible for the hardware, the network, DDoS filtering, daily backups and 99.9% uptime. If you get stuck, our support team is here to help: each member of our team has 20 years’ operational experience. We’ve written about the difference between managed and unmanaged servers in our knowledge base article on choosing between managed and unmanaged VPS.

Summary

A Windows VPS is the right choice if your software requires Windows Server, or if you want a server for your team that is always available and can be managed via a graphical interface. When making your choice, there are three things you should consider carefully: whether you’ll get enough resources beyond Windows’ own requirements, which version of Windows Server will continue to receive updates for the long term, and what the licence covers. Once you’ve taken delivery of the server, your first task should be to restrict RDP access and set up your own backups.

aWh’s Windows VPS plans, featuring licensed Windows Server, NVMe SSD storage, unlimited traffic, daily backups and DDoS protection, are available from €22.85 per month.

Check out the Windows VPS plans

Frequently asked questions about renting a Windows VPS

What is the difference between a Windows VPS and a dedicated server?

A Windows VPS is the software-isolated portion of a physical server, with its own vCPU, memory and storage. With a dedicated server, the entire physical machine is yours. A VPS is cheaper and available more quickly, and is sufficient for most business applications; you’ll need a dedicated server if you require more resources than even the largest Windows VPS plan can provide, or if you need your own hardware, for example for licensing reasons.

Do you need your own Windows licence for a VPS?

No. The Windows Server licence is included in the monthly fee. A separate licence is only required for remote desktop users (RDS client licences) exceeding two concurrent administrator sessions, as well as for paid software such as SQL Server Standard Edition.

How many people can work on the server at the same time?

By default, there are two users with administrator sessions. For more than this number of concurrent users, Remote Desktop Services client licences are required. Please contact us about this and we’ll be happy to help.

Can I install any program on a Windows VPS?

Yes, you have administrator rights, so you can install any program compatible with your chosen version of Windows Server, provided you comply with the software’s own licence terms and the rules set out in the General Terms and Conditions. It is worth checking the program’s system requirements in advance to ensure that your chosen plan will be sufficient in the long term.

Can I access the server from a mobile phone or tablet?

Yes, with Microsoft’s free Windows App, it works on iOS, iPadOS and Android too. It’s handy for quick checks or restarting a program, but for longer sessions, a keyboard and a larger screen are recommended.

What happens if I outgrow my package?

You can upgrade to a larger plan. Drop us a line and we’ll discuss the upgrade process.

Is there a limit on traffic?

No, all Windows VPS plans come with unlimited traffic. Connection speeds are 1, 2 or 3 Gbps, depending on the plan.

Can I take a snapshot of the server?

The Windows VPS does not include a snapshot feature; the previous day’s state can be restored from the daily backup. It is therefore advisable to make your own backup of important data and settings before carrying out a major update or installation. If the snapshot feature is important to you, and your software also runs on Linux, it is available in the KVM VPS plans.

• windows server
• vps
• remote desktop
• backups
• guides