Compare top Windows Server VPS providers for RDP access, .NET applications, Remote Desktop hosting, Forex trading, and business workloads — with benchmarks, licensing options, and optimization guides.
Updated October 2025 | Based on Real Performance Data
Ranked by RDP latency, CPU performance, licensing value, and community feedback
European cloud giant with extensive data center network. GDPR compliant.
Business-class VPS with free cPanel and excellent customer support.
Enterprise-grade infrastructure from Europe's largest hosting provider.
Choose the right Windows Server version for your needs
Latest and most secure Windows Server with modern .NET runtime, enhanced SMB, and improved security features.
Stable long-term support release perfect for production business workloads and enterprise applications.
Modern Windows desktop interface for Remote Desktop users and application hosting with GUI.
Reliable desktop OS for development testing, older application support, and personal remote desktop use.
Legacy support only. Security patches ending soon. Upgrade to 2019 or 2022 recommended.
No longer supported. Critical security vulnerabilities. Do not use for production.
Need help choosing? Compare providers by Windows version
Manage your Windows VPS with powerful control panels
| Control Panel | One-Click Apps | RAM Min | SQL Support | DNS/Email | Backup | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Plesk
|
100+ (WordPress, Joomla, etc.) | 2 GB+ | Full (MS SQL, MySQL) | Complete | Built-in | View → |
|
SolidCP
FREE
|
IIS, ASP.NET, WordPress | 1 GB | MS SQL, MySQL | Full | Plugin | View → |
|
Virtuozzo Panel
|
50+ | 1 GB | MS SQL | Basic | Built-in | View → |
|
RDP Manager / RD Web Access
|
N/A (Native) | 512 MB | Manual | Manual | Manual | Built-in |
|
Custom Provider Dashboard
|
Varies by provider | N/A | Varies | Varies | Usually included | Provider-specific |
If running IIS + SQL Server workloads, choose Plesk for enterprise features or SolidCP for a free, open-source alternative. For simple RDP access, the native Windows Server Manager is sufficient.
Find providers optimized for your specific Windows workload
Remote Desktop for teams and personal use
.NET Framework and Core applications
Microsoft SQL Server hosting and management
MT4/MT5, low latency trading platforms
Run Windows-only software remotely
FiveM, Steam games, ARK, Rust
AD domain controllers and testing
Development and QA environments
Essential security steps every Windows VPS owner should take
Keep Windows updated and enable automatic updates for security patches.
# Open Server Configuration tool sconfig # Choose: 6) Download and Install Updates # Then: A) All updates
# Enable Windows Defender (PowerShell) Set-MpPreference -DisableRealtimeMonitoring $false Update-MpSignature
Limit RDP to your IP address and enable Network Level Authentication for added security.
# Restrict RDP to specific IP (replace with your IP) netsh advfirewall firewall add rule name="RDP Restrict" dir=in action=allow protocol=TCP localport=3389 remoteip=YOUR.IP.ADDRESS.HERE # Block all other RDP traffic netsh advfirewall firewall set rule group="remote desktop" new enable=no
# Enable Network Level Authentication (NLA) (Get-WmiObject -class Win32_TSGeneralSetting -Namespace root\cimv2\terminalservices -Filter "TerminalName='RDP-tcp'").SetUserAuthenticationRequired(1)
Create a new user account and disable Administrator RDP access to prevent brute-force attacks.
# Create new admin user net user YourUsername YourStrongPassword123! /add net localgroup Administrators YourUsername /add # Test login with new user first!
# Disable Administrator account (after testing new user!) net user Administrator /active:no
Enable Windows Firewall and allow only necessary ports.
# Enable Windows Firewall for all profiles Set-NetFirewallProfile -Profile Domain,Public,Private -Enabled True # Allow RDP (already configured with IP restriction) # Allow HTTP/HTTPS if running web server netsh advfirewall firewall add rule name="HTTP" dir=in action=allow protocol=TCP localport=80 netsh advfirewall firewall add rule name="HTTPS" dir=in action=allow protocol=TCP localport=443 # Check firewall status netsh advfirewall show allprofiles
If your provider supports it, enable BitLocker for full disk encryption.
# Check if BitLocker is available Get-Command Enable-BitLocker # Enable BitLocker on C: drive (requires TPM or save recovery key) Enable-BitLocker -MountPoint "C:" -EncryptionMethod Aes256 -RecoveryPasswordProtector # Save recovery key to file (backup this immediately!) (Get-BitLockerVolume -MountPoint "C:").KeyProtector | Out-File "C:\BitLocker-RecoveryKey.txt"
⚠ Warning: Backup the recovery key before proceeding! Loss of the key means permanent data loss.
Install Sysmon for advanced logging and monitoring of system activity.
# Download Sysmon from Microsoft Sysinternals # https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/downloads/sysmon # Install with SwiftOnSecurity config (recommended) Invoke-WebRequest -Uri "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/SwiftOnSecurity/sysmon-config/master/sysmonconfig-export.xml" -OutFile "sysmonconfig.xml" # Install Sysmon .\Sysmon64.exe -accepteula -i sysmonconfig.xml
# Enable advanced audit logging auditpol /set /category:"Logon/Logoff" /success:enable /failure:enable auditpol /set /category:"Object Access" /success:enable /failure:enable
Set up automated backups using Windows Server Backup or your provider's snapshot feature.
# Install Windows Server Backup feature Install-WindowsFeature Windows-Server-Backup # Example: Backup to local disk wbadmin start backup -backupTarget:E: -include:C: -allCritical -quiet
Essential tuning tips to maximize speed and efficiency
Get a comprehensive PowerShell script that automatically optimizes your Windows VPS with one command.
# List all running services
Get-Service | Where-Object {$_.Status -eq "Running"} | Sort-Object -Property Name
# Disable Windows Search
Set-Service "WSearch" -StartupType Disabled
Stop-Service "WSearch"
# Disable Indexing on C:
fsutil behavior set disablelastaccess 1
Test CPU, disk, network performance with Windows tools
Industry-standard cross-platform benchmarking tool for Windows VPS.
Download from: geekbench.com
Provides single-core and multi-core CPU scores, plus memory bandwidth tests.
Popular disk benchmarking tool with sequential and random I/O tests.
Download from: crystalmark.info
What it tests: Sequential/random read/write speeds, IOPS, queue depth performance
Microsoft's command-line storage testing tool for advanced I/O benchmarking.
# Download from Microsoft GitHub # https://github.com/Microsoft/diskspd # Example test: 4K random write diskspd.exe -c1G -b4K -r4K -t4 -o32 -w100 -d60 -Sh testfile.dat
Built-in Windows tool for comprehensive system performance testing.
# Run full system assessment winsat formal # Results saved to: C:\Windows\Performance\WinSAT\DataStore\
Cross-platform network performance measurement tool.
# Download Windows binary from iperf.fr # Server mode iperf3.exe -s
# Client mode (test to server) iperf3.exe -c server-ip
Windows equivalent of MTR for diagnosing network latency and packet loss.
Download from: sourceforge.net/projects/winmtr
# PowerShell alternative: Test-NetConnection Test-NetConnection -ComputerName google.com -TraceRoute # Continuous ping test ping -t 8.8.8.8
Upload your CrystalDiskMark, diskspd, or Geekbench results to compare against our database and see how your Windows VPS performs.
Essential utilities every Windows server administrator should have
Manage multiple RDP connections from a single interface. Essential for server admins.
Download from Microsoft
Process Explorer, RAMMap, TCPView, Autoruns, and 70+ advanced system utilities.
docs.microsoft.com/sysinternals
Modern, fast, and secure VPN tunnel for Windows. Easier than OpenVPN.
wireguard.com/install
SFTP/SCP file transfer and SSH client for secure file management.
Sync files to cloud storage: Azure, S3, Google Drive, Backblaze, Dropbox.
Real-time performance monitoring with beautiful web dashboard (if supported).
netdata.cloud
Free SQL Server edition for development, testing, and small workloads.
microsoft.com/sql-server/express
Modern, cross-platform PowerShell with improved performance and features.
Package manager for Windows - install software via command line.
In-depth guides from industry experts
Complete comparison of Windows and Linux VPS hosting. Learn when Windows Server is the right choice for your applications.
Essential guide to choosing a Forex VPS for MT4/MT5. Learn about latency, uptime requirements, and broker connectivity.
Step-by-step guide to deploying ASP.NET Core applications on Windows Server with IIS. Includes SSL, performance tuning, and CI/CD.
Comprehensive security guide for Remote Desktop Protocol. Prevent brute-force attacks, enable NLA, and implement multi-factor authentication.
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Common questions about Windows VPS hosting answered
Windows VPS hosting provides a virtual private server running Windows Server operating systems (2019, 2022) or Windows desktop editions (10, 11 Pro). It's ideal for businesses and developers who need to run Windows-specific applications like ASP.NET, IIS, MS SQL Server, Remote Desktop workspaces, Forex trading platforms (MT4/MT5), or legacy Windows software that requires a Windows environment.
Windows Server 2022 is recommended for new deployments. It offers the latest security features, improved performance, better support for modern .NET applications, enhanced SMB compression, and secured-core capabilities. Choose 2022 unless you have specific compatibility requirements.
Windows Server 2019 is still excellent for production workloads and has mainstream support until 2024, extended support until 2029. Choose 2019 if you need compatibility with specific legacy applications or have standardized on this version.
Always choose NVMe storage when available for significantly better database and application performance.
Unmanaged Windows VPS: You're responsible for all Windows updates, security patches, IIS configuration, SQL Server maintenance, and troubleshooting. Cheaper ($10-25/mo), full control, requires Windows Server administration knowledge. Best for IT professionals and developers.
Managed Windows VPS: Provider handles Windows updates, security, IIS/SQL configuration, monitoring, backups, and technical support. More expensive ($50-150+/mo), less control, perfect for businesses without dedicated Windows admins. Some providers offer semi-managed options as a middle ground.
Some providers allow BYOL (Bring Your Own License) if you have valid Windows Server licenses with Software Assurance or through Volume Licensing. This can save $10-20/month on licensing costs. However, most budget VPS providers include SPLA (Service Provider License Agreement) licensing in their pricing, which is simpler and often more cost-effective for smaller deployments.
Important: Retail Windows licenses (purchased from stores) typically cannot be used on VPS. You need licenses specifically eligible for mobility rights under Microsoft's licensing terms.
Essential RDP security steps:
Never expose RDP to the entire internet without these protections.
We test Windows VPS using Geekbench 6 (CPU), CrystalDiskMark and diskspd (disk I/O), iperf3 (network), and WinMTR (latency). RDP responsiveness is tested from multiple global locations. Uptime is monitored 24/7 using StatusCake and UptimeRobot from 10+ global probe locations. We also collect real-world performance data from community submissions and verify SQL Server performance for database workloads.
All benchmarks are re-run quarterly to ensure accuracy. Rankings are updated monthly based on performance, uptime data, and user feedback.
Migration steps:
Many managed providers offer free migration assistance. For complex applications, consider hiring a Windows Server specialist.
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Submit a Provider SuggestionOur Windows VPS ranking methodology:
Note: Rankings are updated monthly. We never accept payment for rankings—all providers are evaluated objectively using the same criteria. Windows Server 2022 and 2019 performance is tested separately.