Summary of Best Windows VPS Hosting Providers
Provider | Starting Price | Storage (GB) | CPU (Cores) | RAM (GB) | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
$4.00 | 20-4000 | 1-32 | 1-128 | Visit Kamatera | |
$5.50 | 50-750 | 2-12 | 2-64 | Visit Ultahost | |
$12.00 | 80-320 | 2-8 | 4-16 | Visit Verpex | |
$5.00 | 30-640 | 1-8 | 1-32 | Visit Liquid Web | |
$2.00 | 80-640 | 2-12 | 2-24 | Visit IONOS |
What Is Windows VPS Hosting?
A Windows VPS (Virtual Private Server) is a virtualized server that runs the Windows operating system. Windows VPS hosting provides a dedicated portion of server resources within a larger physical server. This setup offers better performance, security, and reliability compared to shared hosting.
Windows VPS hosting plans are ideal for larger websites and for users who want to host multiple websites from one server. They can handle large amounts of traffic and allow you to scale your resources as needed. This makes them suitable for growing businesses looking to grow quickly on the Internet.
Which Applications Require a Windows Server?
Certain applications are designed to run only on a Windows Server. Here are some examples:
- ASP Classic: A Microsoft tool for building interactive web pages by combining HTML and scripts.
- ASP.NET: An open-source framework for building websites and apps with HTML, JavaScript, and CSS.
- MSSQL (Microsoft SQL Server): A powerful database system by Microsoft, used for handling and analyzing large data sets in business environments.
- MS Access (Microsoft Access): Part of Microsoft 365, this tool helps businesses store and manage their data efficiently.
- Visual Basic Development: A Microsoft tool used to create and modify software and applications with Visual Basic.
- C#: A versatile programming language for developing apps, websites, games, and more.
When to Choose and When to Avoid Windows VPS Hosting
When to Choose Windows VPS Hosting | When to Avoid Windows VPS Hosting |
You need to run Windows-only software. | You need a cheaper hosting option. |
You want a user-friendly interface (GUI). | You prefer free, open-source software. |
Your team is familiar with Windows. | You want to avoid Windows security risks. |
You need Microsoft product compatibility (e.g., ASP.NET, MSSQL). | You need high performance and stability. |
You need to integrate with other Windows servers. | You want a lightweight, resource-efficient solution. |
You rely on Windows features like Remote Desktop. | You have experience with other operating systems. |
You want strong support and regular updates from Microsoft. | You want a reliable hosting solution with community support. |
You use Windows-based development tools. | You aim for lower operational costs and easy maintenance. |
If reseller hosting is not relevant to your needs, consider these alternatives:
- Linux VPS Hosting: An excellent choice for users who prefer Linux operating systems. It offers greater control, flexibility, and is generally more cost-effective than Windows VPS hosting.
- Managed VPS Hosting: Ideal for those who need VPS resources but prefer not to manage the server themselves. This option includes maintenance, updates, and technical support.
- Windows Hosting: Suitable for websites or applications requiring a Windows environment. It offers the benefits of hosting with a Windows OS.
- Offshore VPS Hosting: Great for projects that need additional privacy and data protection. This type of hosting allows you to host your data in different countries.
How To Choose The Best Windows VPS Hosting Provider?
Choosing a Windows VPS hosting provider can be overwhelming. These steps will help you make a smart and confident decision:
- Identify Your Needs: Determine what you will use the VPS for and the resources you need (CPU, RAM, storage, bandwidth).
- Evaluate Performance and Reliability: Check uptime guarantees, performance reviews, and the location of data centers for low latency.
- Compare Pricing and Plans: Look at the cost and features of different plans, and watch out for hidden fees.
- Check Customer Support and SLAs: Make sure that there’s 24/7 support and clear service commitments for uptime and response times.
- Consider Security and Backup Options: Look for complete security measures and backup solutions to protect your data.
The Best Windows VPS Hosting Services of 2024 (Bought and Tested):
Read on for detailed reviews of the Windows VPS hosts listed above.
If you are looking for a Windows-compatible, enterprise-grade VPS hosting provider, then Kamatera is the right solution for you. The provider has been around for 20 years and provides the best overall Windows VPS hosting plans at excellent prices!
- Overall Score: 4.9
- Performance: 5.0
- Security: 5.0
- Support: 4.9
- Features: 4.8
- Pricing: 4.8
Kamatera is a top-tier VPS hosting provider that offers excellent services and is compatible with many operating systems. It is an ideal choice for all Windows users out there and supports Windows 10 Desktop 64-bit, Windows 8.1 Desktop 64-bit, and Windows 8.1 Desktop 32-bit!
Research Findings:
Performance: Kamatera offers high-performance servers that run on cutting-edge technology, including 600Gbit bandwidth, SSD drives, and Xeon Platinum/Cascade Lake processors. It offers an uptime guarantee of 99.95% and supports all Microsoft Windows Server versions and editions.
Security: Kamatera provides high-level security in all of its hosting plans, including its VPS hosting ones. It also allows users to add an extended daily backup service to their server specs.
Support: Kamatera offers 24/7 first-class customer service with ultra-fast response time. You can reach its customer support team via phone and email.
Features: Scalable resources, no hardware maintenance, root/administrator access, remove servers without paying a fine, use its proprietary API to set up servers & all other resources on-the-fly without being present, stop & restart your servers at any time, add as many databases as you want, and more!
Pricing: With Kamatera, you can customize your own server and choose the server type you prefer. Its prices start at $4/month for one vCPU core (Type A, 2667MHz), 1,024MB RAM, 20GB SSD Storage, and 5TB Internet Traffic for an Ubuntu Server 20.04 (LTS) 64-bit.
Pros & Cons
- A flexible pricing system;
- Excellent performance;
- Compatible with all Windows Server versions and editions;
- Not as suitable for beginners as other VPS hosting providers (but offers a fully-managed option that you can get)
Ultahost is a powerful web hosting provider that offers all kinds of services, including shared, WordPress, Windows VPS, dedicated, and other types of hosting. What’s best, all of its Windows VPS hosting plans come with unlimited bandwidth!
- Overall Score: 4.9
- Performance: 4.9
- Security: 4.9
- Support: 4.9
- Features: 4.8
- Pricing: 4.9
Not many web hosts offer unlimited bandwidth. However, with Ultahost, you will get unlimited bandwidth no matter which Windows VPS plan you choose – the cheapest, the most expensive one, and everything in between!
Research Findings:
Performance: All Ultahost servers are optimized with an advanced cache by Varnis, Redis, and Memcached that enhances your website’s speed. Also, the provider offers a 99.9% uptime guarantee and uses fast-paced SSD & NVMe Storage, the latest versions of Windows Server, and more!
Security: dedicated firewalls, free SSL certificates, Two-Factor authentication, BitNinja security, built-in database security, enterprise-grade DDoS protection that is always active, 24/7 proactive server monitoring, auto-healing, regular security patching, free daily backups, and more!
Support: Ultahost offers 24/7/365 support via live chat, email, and phone. It also offers fully-managed services, an extensive knowledge base, a ticketing system, support add-ons, and automated troubleshooting.
Features: Ultahost supports both Windows and Linux OS, multiple programming languages, including PHP 5-8, Perl, and Python, vertical scaling, RDP access, a built-in team collaboration feature, Floating IPs, user roles, a CDN add-on, HTTP/2-enabled servers, SSH & SFTP access, and more.
Pricing: Ultahost offers six Windows VPS plans, starting at $15.90/month for two CPU Cores, 2GB RAM, 50GB NVMe Storage, and managed services.
Pros & Cons
- Unlimited bandwidth included in all plans;
- 30-day money-back guarantee;
- Excellent security;
- When purchasing a plan, you will have to pay a transaction fee (but the fee is only 3% of your total cost, which is a minuscule amount)
Rating Based on Expert Review:
- Overall Score: 4.3
- Features: 4.4
- Reliability: 4.2
- User-Friendly: 4.3
- Support: 4.4
- Pricing: 4.3
Interserver provides robust Windows VPS hosting solutions, designed to offer reliable and scalable performance for various business needs. Their Windows VPS hosting services are equipped with advanced features and customizable options to cater to different requirements.
Detailed Analysis:
Features: Interserver’s Windows VPS hosting includes dedicated resources such as CPU, RAM, and storage, ensuring consistent performance. Users have access to a range of configurations and can install and manage Windows applications seamlessly. The service includes full administrative access, allowing complete control over the VPS environment.
Reliability: Interserver’s infrastructure supports high uptime with redundant power supplies and network connections. Their Windows VPS hosting is designed to provide stable and reliable performance, with robust backup and disaster recovery options to ensure data protection.
User-Friendly: The management interface for Interserver’s Windows VPS is user-friendly, offering easy access to control and configure the server. The Windows environment is familiar to users, making it straightforward to manage applications and services.
Support: Interserver offers 24/7 support with a team of experienced technicians available to assist with any issues or questions. Their support is known for being responsive and knowledgeable, providing timely resolutions to technical problems.
Pricing: Interserver provides competitive pricing for their Windows VPS hosting plans. Their pricing is designed to offer good value, with various plans to accommodate different levels of resource needs and budgets. They also offer promotional rates and discounts, making their service accessible to a wide range of users.
Pros and Cons:
- Dedicated resources with customizable configurations and full administrative access
- Reliable infrastructure with high uptime and comprehensive backup options
- Responsive 24/7 customer support with experienced technicians
- Advanced configuration options may be overwhelming for novice users
- Pricing may not be the lowest in the market, though it offers good value for the features provided
Unlock the full potential of your business with Interserver’s Windows VPS hosting. Our high-performance VPS solutions offer dedicated resources, full administrative control, and a familiar Windows environment for seamless management. Enjoy the reliability of our robust infrastructure with high uptime and comprehensive backup options, backed by responsive 24/7 support. With competitive pricing and flexible plans, Interserver delivers the perfect balance of performance and value for your Windows VPS hosting needs. Choose Interserver to power your business with dependable and scalable VPS solutions.
I don’t believe IONOS’ rating fairly represents its quality. While the host might not have the best reputation, its fully virtualized VPS with full root access and API is worth every dime.
- Overall Score: 1.5
- Features: 1.5
- Reliability: 1.8
- User-Friendly: 1.5
- Support: 1.4
- Pricing: 1.4
IONOS offers the best VPS servers with various options; you can choose from Linux or Windows, standard or memory-optimized VPS, optional Plesk web host, and several data centers around the globe.
Research Findings:
Features: 1-click WordPress install and WP Toolkit, SSL encryption, firewall management, DDoS protection, preconfigured email functionality, unlimited bandwidth, and optional backups.
Reliability: IONOS utilizes last-generation hardware, including Intel Xeon E5 processors and 100% SAN SSD storage for maximum availability and 99.99% uptime.
User-Friendly: You’ll benefit from an intuitive IONOS cloud panel, streamlining your VPS management.
Support: IONOS’ server experts are available 24/7 to solve your issue quickly, minimizing downtime.
Pricing: You can choose from monthly or annual billing terms, pre-paid and post-paid billing, and cancel anytime with a monthly period or after 12 months with a yearly term. IONOS’s VPS plans start at $2 per month for 1 vCore, 512MB RAM, and 10GB SSD.
Pros & Cons
- Compatible with a variety of operating systems & administration tools
- Certified infrastructure with maximum security and a 99.99% uptime guarantee
- Easy administration with full root access and Plesk Obsidian management software
- Acronis backups cost an additional fee
- Plesk costs an additional fee
- Registration is available from a limited number of countries
Rating Based on Expert Review:
- Overall Score: 4.4
- Features: 4.5
- Reliability: 4.4
- User-Friendly: 4.3
- Support: 4.5
- Pricing: 4.2
Verpex offers robust Windows VPS hosting solutions tailored to deliver high performance and flexibility. Their Windows VPS hosting is designed to meet diverse business needs with scalable resources and comprehensive management options.
Detailed Analysis:
Features: Verpex’s Windows VPS hosting provides a range of configurations with dedicated CPU, RAM, and storage, ensuring optimal performance for various applications. Users benefit from full administrative access, allowing for extensive customization and control over the Windows environment. The hosting includes advanced features such as SSD storage and optional additional resources for scaling as needed.
Reliability: Verpex guarantees high uptime with a reliable infrastructure that includes redundant power and network connections. Their VPS hosting is designed for stability and performance, with robust backup and disaster recovery options to safeguard data.
User-Friendly: The management interface for Verpex’s Windows VPS is designed to be intuitive, offering a smooth experience for users to configure and manage their servers. The familiar Windows environment simplifies application management and server customization.
Support: Verpex provides 24/7 customer support with a team of skilled technicians ready to assist with any issues. Their support is known for its responsiveness and effectiveness, ensuring that users receive timely assistance when needed.
Pricing: Verpex offers competitive pricing for their Windows VPS hosting plans, providing good value for the features and performance included. Their pricing structure is designed to accommodate different budgets, with various plans and options to fit specific needs.
Pros and Cons:
- Comprehensive features with dedicated resources and full administrative access
- Reliable infrastructure with high uptime and solid backup options
- Excellent 24/7 customer support with knowledgeable and responsive staff
- Pricing may be slightly higher compared to some budget providers, though it reflects the quality and features offered
- Advanced features and configurations might be challenging for beginners
Elevate your business operations with Verpex’s Windows VPS hosting, offering exceptional performance and flexibility. Our VPS solutions provide dedicated resources, full administrative control, and a familiar Windows environment for seamless management. Experience high reliability with our redundant infrastructure and robust backup options, backed by outstanding 24/7 support. With competitive pricing and customizable plans, Verpex delivers top-notch Windows VPS hosting that scales with your business needs. Choose Verpex for a powerful and dependable Windows VPS hosting solution.
Rating Based on Expert Review:
- Overall Score: 4.5
- Features: 4.6
- Reliability: 4.5
- User-Friendly: 4.4
- Support: 4.7
- Pricing: 4.3
Scalahosting offers a robust Windows VPS hosting solution that combines high performance with scalable resources. Their service is designed to cater to both small and large businesses, providing flexibility and control with a focus on reliability and user satisfaction.
Detailed Analysis:
Features: Scalahosting’s Windows VPS hosting provides a wide range of features including dedicated CPU, RAM, and SSD storage for enhanced performance. Users get full administrative access, allowing them to customize and configure their server environment to meet specific needs. Additional features like daily backups and enhanced security options are included to ensure data integrity and safety.
Reliability: Scalahosting ensures high reliability with their Windows VPS hosting through a robust infrastructure that includes redundant power supplies and network connections. Their service is built for stability with a strong uptime guarantee, and they offer comprehensive backup and recovery solutions.
User-Friendly: The management interface is designed to be user-friendly, with an intuitive control panel that simplifies server management and configuration. Scalahosting’s Windows VPS hosting allows users to easily handle their applications and server settings without extensive technical knowledge.
Support: Scalahosting is known for its exceptional customer support, offering 24/7 assistance through various channels. Their support team is highly responsive and knowledgeable, providing prompt help with any issues or questions that may arise.
Pricing: Scalahosting offers competitive pricing for their Windows VPS hosting, providing good value for the range of features and performance available. They offer various plans to suit different budgets and requirements, ensuring affordability while maintaining high-quality service.
Pros and Cons:
- High-performance features with dedicated resources and SSD storage
- Reliable infrastructure with strong uptime and comprehensive backup options
- Excellent customer support with responsive and knowledgeable staff
- Pricing might be slightly higher than some budget options, reflecting the quality and support provided
- Advanced features may require some technical expertise to fully utilize
Unlock the full potential of your business with Scalahosting’s Windows VPS hosting, delivering top-tier performance and flexibility. Our Windows VPS solutions offer dedicated resources, full administrative access, and cutting-edge features like SSD storage and daily backups. Benefit from our reliable infrastructure and robust support system, available 24/7 to assist with any needs. With competitive pricing and customizable plans, Scalahosting provides the perfect Windows VPS hosting to scale with your business. Choose Scalahosting for unmatched reliability and performance in Windows VPS hosting.
Rating Based on Expert Review:
- Overall Score: 4.7
- Features: 4.8
- Reliability: 4.7
- User-Friendly: 4.6
- Support: 4.8
- Pricing: 4.5
LiquidWeb’s Windows VPS hosting offers high-performance solutions tailored for businesses requiring reliable and scalable server environments. Their VPS hosting services are designed to provide robust performance and flexibility, with a strong emphasis on support and reliability.
Detailed Analysis:
Features: LiquidWeb provides a powerful Windows VPS hosting environment with dedicated resources, including CPUs, RAM, and SSD storage. Users benefit from high-performance features such as fully managed servers, built-in security features, and the ability to scale resources easily. They also offer a variety of plans to accommodate different business needs and requirements.
Reliability: Known for its reliability, LiquidWeb guarantees high uptime with a strong infrastructure that includes redundant power, network connectivity, and a robust data center environment. Their Windows VPS hosting ensures consistent performance with regular backups and disaster recovery options to protect user data.
User-Friendly: LiquidWeb’s management interface is designed to be user-friendly, with an intuitive control panel that simplifies server management and configuration. Their Windows VPS hosting allows for easy customization and administration, catering to both technical and non-technical users.
Support: LiquidWeb excels in customer support, providing 24/7 assistance through various channels. Their team is highly knowledgeable and responsive, offering expert support to address any issues or queries quickly and efficiently.
Pricing: LiquidWeb’s pricing for Windows VPS hosting is positioned at a premium level, reflecting the high-quality features and exceptional support offered. Their plans are competitive within the high-performance segment, providing significant value for businesses seeking reliable and scalable hosting solutions.
Pros and Cons:
- High-performance servers with dedicated resources and SSD storage
- Reliable infrastructure with strong uptime guarantees and backup solutions
- Excellent customer support with 24/7 availability and expert assistance
- Higher pricing compared to some budget options, which may be a consideration for smaller businesses
- Some advanced features might require a learning curve for new users
Experience unmatched performance with LiquidWeb’s Windows VPS hosting, designed to deliver exceptional speed and scalability for your business. Our Windows VPS solutions offer dedicated CPUs, RAM, and SSD storage, ensuring your applications run smoothly and efficiently. Benefit from our highly reliable infrastructure and expert support available 24/7 to assist with any needs. With competitive pricing in the high-performance segment, LiquidWeb provides a powerful and flexible hosting solution that scales with your business. Choose LiquidWeb for superior Windows VPS hosting and unparalleled support.
Why Trust Our Recommendations
HostAdvice experts performed an independent study on the Best Windows VPS providers for all types of users.
Our study, based on thousands of independent user reviews, tests, and surveys, revealed the top choices for Windows VPS hosting.
How Do We Test and Rank?
To make sure we give you the best rankings, we test everything really carefully. Our hosting experts look at all the important factors and test out all the best VPS providers on their own.
We also take independent user reviews into account during our testing.
We also take independent user reviews into account during our testing.
Each factor we test is assigned a specific percentage to reflect its importance in choosing the best Windows VPS hosting providers:
- Server Uptime (15%): Measures how reliable the server is, aiming for 99.95% uptime or higher, with good hardware, SSD storage, and Cloudflare CDN.
- User Interface (4%): Checks how easy and intuitive the provider’s control panel is, especially for beginners.
- Server Management Tools (5%): Looks at the availability and ease of use of control panels like cPanel, Plesk, and DirectAdmin.
- Type of Hosting Service (6%): Evaluates if the provider offers both managed and unmanaged Windows VPS hosting solutions.
- Customer Support (10%): Tests the quality and availability of 24/7 support through live chat, phone, email, guides, and tutorials.
- Security (11%): Examines security features like daily backups, disaster recovery options, dedicated IP addresses, malware scans, and constant monitoring.
- Extra Hosting Features (9%): Includes additional benefits like free migrations, automatic security patches, free CDN, and domain services.
- Pricing and Value for Money (10%): Analyzes if the hosting plans offer enough features and resources to meet your needs at a reasonable price.
- User Reviews (30%): Gathers insights from real user experiences to understand the provider’s reliability, performance, and customer satisfaction.
Windows vs. Linux VPS Hosting
Windows and Linux VPS hosting are built on different operating systems. For example, while Linux is free and open-source, while Windows needs a paid license.
Here are the other key differences between the two platforms:
Windows VPS Hosting | Linux VPS Hosting |
Uses Windows Server, familiar for those used to Windows environments. | Uses various Linux distributions (e.g., Ubuntu, CentOS), ideal for users familiar with Linux. |
Generally more expensive due to licensing fees. | Typically cheaper as most Linux distributions are free. |
Often uses Plesk, which is user-friendly. | Commonly uses cPanel or Webmin, offering extensive control. |
Best for running .NET, ASP, and MSSQL applications. | Ideal for PHP, Perl, Python, and MySQL applications. |
Regular updates and patches, but often targeted by malware. | Strong community support for frequent security patches. |
Limited customization due to closed-source nature. | Highly customizable with access to source code. |
May require more resources due to a heavier OS. | Generally more efficient and lightweight, offering better performance with fewer resources. |
User-friendly with a familiar Windows interface. | Requires some technical knowledge but offers powerful command-line tools. |
Best Windows VPS Hosting Services: Summary
Windows VPS hosting is the perfect platform for running specific Microsoft applications and programs, offering top-notch performance, security, and reliability.
Businesses usually prefer Windows VPS hosting for its support of professional applications like Microsoft Exchange, SharePoint, and SQL Server. It also offers dedicated resources for high performance and stability, even during peak traffic times.
Overall, Windows VPS hosting stands out as a powerful and reliable solution for those seeking to maximize the full potential of a Windows operating system. After all, these technical details might be the difference between profit and loss in a digital project.