ASP.NET and SQL Server Hosting: IIS, .NET and Your Database on One Server
Shared ASP.NET hosting gives you a folder on someone else's IIS. A MassiveGRID Windows VPS gives you the whole server: IIS, the .NET Framework and .NET 8 or 9 side by side, SQL Server Express for free or your own Web or Standard licence, Windows services, scheduled jobs and the administrator account, from $3.99 per month in New York, London, Frankfurt or Singapore. Reserve the cores when the application goes to production, and the database never shares a CPU with a stranger.
What runs on an ASP.NET VPS
Everything that runs on Windows Server runs here, because you hold the administrator account. IIS 10 with as many sites and application pools as you need, each on its own .NET version; the .NET Framework 4.8 for Web Forms, MVC 5 and WCF applications that will never be ported; ASP.NET Core on .NET 8 or 9 behind IIS or Kestrel; Windows services, scheduled tasks, SMTP relays, SignalR, gRPC and background workers. Deploy with Web Deploy from Visual Studio, with FTP over TLS, with a Git pull on the server, or from a CI pipeline over WinRM or SSH; there is no control panel in the way and no list of allowed modules.
For the database, SQL Server Express is free, supports databases up to 10 GB each and uses up to 1 socket or 4 cores and about 1.4 GB of buffer pool, which covers most line-of-business applications and every development server. SQL Server Web and Standard run on the same server on your own licence when you outgrow Express; if you would rather have the SQL Server Web licence bundled and the operating system patched and backed up by us, the Managed Cloud Dedicated Server has a Windows plus SQL option. Our .NET developers' guide walks through the IIS and SQL Server installation, deployment options and the SQL configuration that matters on a VPS.
Sizing IIS and SQL Server on one VPS
Windows Server itself uses roughly 1.5 to 2 GB of RAM, and SQL Server caches data pages in whatever RAM you give it, so memory is the first thing to size. The figures below are the ones in our .NET guide.
| Workload | vCPU | RAM | NVMe | Cores |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Development or staging: IIS plus SQL Server Express, light use | 2 | 4 GB | 64 GB | Shared, from $9.58/mo |
| One production application plus SQL Server Express | 2 to 4 | 8 GB | 128 GB | Shared ($19.16/mo at 4 vCPU) or reserved |
| Several applications plus SQL Server Standard | 4 to 8 | 16 to 32 GB | 256 GB or more | Reserved, from $39.60/mo at 4 vCPU |
| High-traffic application plus a full SQL Server | 8 or more | 32 GB or more | 512 GB or more | Reserved, from $79.20/mo at 8 vCPU, 16 GB |
Prices are the configurator figures in New York, London and Frankfurt on the 180-day Windows Server evaluation; the Windows licence adds $6.31 per vCPU per month. The Windows VPS (shared cores) toggle is preselected below with the 4 vCPU, 8 GB preset highlighted for a production application on SQL Server Express; switch to Windows Dedicated VPS once the database runs all day, because SQL Server's I/O and CPU patterns are exactly what a shared host throttles.
Configure Your ASP.NET and SQL Server VPS
The 4 vCPU, 8 GB preset is highlighted for one production application on SQL Server Express. Switch to Windows Dedicated VPS for SQL Server Standard or a database that runs all day; four cities, Windows Server 2016 to 2025 on the 180-day evaluation or with the licence included.
Production notes: deployment, SQL Server and backups
Separate staging from production as two servers rather than two folders; a second shared-core VPS at $9.58 a month is cheaper than a bad deployment, and both sit on the same cluster. Cap SQL Server's memory (max server memory) so IIS keeps room to work, put data and log files on the NVMe volume, set the recovery model to match how often you back up, and schedule backups to a second location: the server's storage is 3x replicated against hardware failure, which is not the same as a backup against a bad migration script. Keep the .NET runtimes patched with Windows Update for the Framework and the hosting bundle installer for .NET 8 and 9, and bind TLS certificates in IIS with Let's Encrypt through win-acme or your own CA.
Reach the server over RDP (two admin sessions included) for the console work and over Web Deploy or SSH for deployments; the RDP hardening checklist and the RDP client guide cover the access side. Everything else, from the cities to the licence, is the same as any MassiveGRID Windows VPS.
Windows licensing, kept simple
Three ways to run Windows on a Windows VPS, each one visible in the configurator before you order.
180-day Windows Server evaluation
Every Windows Server template (2016, 2019, 2022 and 2025) installs as Microsoft's evaluation build. Activate it online within the first 10 days and it runs fully featured for 180 days, with the days remaining shown on the desktop.
- After day 180 your data and software stay in place, but the server shuts down every hour until a licence is added.
- Adding the licence converts the installation in place. No reinstall.
Licence included
Choose "Licence +$6.31/vCPU" on any plan and the Windows Server licence is part of the order, with the amount shown as its own line in the card total. A 2 vCPU server adds $12.62 a month, a 4 vCPU server $25.24.
- Start on the evaluation and switch later: contact support and the server is converted without downtime for your data.
- Nothing to activate or report; the licence is handled on our side.
Windows 10 or 11 Pro: your own key
Windows 10 Pro and Windows 11 Pro templates are available under the evaluation option. They install unactivated, and you enter your own product key after the first login, because hosting providers cannot rent out desktop Windows licences.
- Windows 10 reached end of support on 14 October 2025; new servers should use Windows 11 Pro or Windows Server.
RDP included, two admin sessions
Every server comes with Remote Desktop enabled and the two administrative sessions Windows Server allows, so two people can work on it at the same time from Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS or Android clients.
- Need a team on one server? Additional RDP user licences cost $8.90 per user per month. See the multiple RDP users guide for the Remote Desktop Services setup.
Windows VPS, Dedicated VPS, managed or Forex: which one?
Four ways to run Windows at MassiveGRID. All of them sit on Proxmox HA clusters in New York, London, Frankfurt and Singapore with 12 Tbps DDoS protection and a 100% uptime SLA.
| Windows VPS (this page's configurator) | Windows Dedicated VPS | Managed Cloud Dedicated Server | Forex VPS | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| From | $3.99/mo | $18.84/mo | See plans | $2.87/mo |
| CPU and RAM | Shared vCPU | Reserved cores and RAM | Reserved cores and RAM | Shared vCPU (Pro tier: reserved cores) |
| Windows licence | 180-day evaluation, or $6.31 per vCPU | 180-day evaluation, or $6.31 per vCPU | Windows Server Standard included, SQL Server Web option | Windows Server pre-installed, licence included on Pro |
| Remote Desktop | Two admin sessions, extra users $8.90 | Two admin sessions, extra users $8.90 | Two admin sessions, extra users $8.90 | Two admin sessions |
| Management | Self-managed, 24/7 infrastructure support | Self-managed, 24/7 infrastructure support | Fully managed: OS, patches, backups, monitoring | Self-managed, MT4 and MT5 setup help included |
| SQL Server | Express free, bring your own licence for Web or Standard | Same, with cores reserved for the database | SQL Server Web licence can be included | Not a database product |
| Best for | Remote desktops, small IIS sites, bots, accounting software | SQL Server, IIS under load, three or more RDP users, emulator and SEO farms | Production Windows and SQL with operations handled for you | MetaTrader, cTrader and Expert Advisors near your broker |
| Configure Windows VPS | Configure Dedicated VPS | View managed plans | View Forex VPS |
Prices are the configurator minimum in New York, London and Frankfurt on monthly billing; Singapore storage and traffic cost more. Terms from 3 to 36 months take 5% to 40% off.
Enterprise Features Included
Every Windows VPS comes with premium features designed for mission-critical applications.
Proxmox HA Cluster
Your VPS runs on a multi-node Proxmox HA cluster. If a node goes offline, HA Manager automatically restarts your VM on a healthy node — no manual intervention needed.
RDP & KVM Console Access
Connect via Remote Desktop (RDP) with full administrator access. KVM console ensures you never lose access, even if RDP or firewall is misconfigured.
12 Tbps DDoS Protection
Advanced XDP technology and patented stateful cloud firewall protect your server from attacks before they consume resources.
Redundant NVMe Storage
Your data is stored on Ceph (3x replicated) and HA NAS with active-passive failover. Blazing-fast NVMe I/O with zero single point of failure.
Full Administrator Access
Complete control to install any software, IIS, .NET, SQL Server, or any Windows application. Your server, your rules.
24/7 Expert Support
Dedicated in-house support team rated 9.5/10. Proactive monitoring and instant assistance for any infrastructure needs.
Deploy Worldwide
Choose from premium data centers with Tier-1 network connectivity and the lowest latency to your users.
New York
U.S.
London
U.K.
Frankfurt
E.U.
Singapore
Asia
Guides for .NET and SQL Server servers
Windows VPS for .NET Developers: IIS and SQL Server
Installation, deployment from Visual Studio, staging versus production and SQL configuration tips.
PricingWindows VPS Pricing Explained
Why the Windows licence is per vCPU and how to keep a production server cheap.
SecurityRDP Hardening Checklist
Lock down the administrator access before the first deployment.
ChoosingWindows VPS vs Linux VPS
When ASP.NET Core on Linux is the cheaper answer and when IIS is the right one.
FAQ
Questions about ASP.NET and SQL Server hosting
A server your .NET application can grow into
Windows VPS from $3.99 a month in New York, London, Frankfurt or Singapore with IIS, the .NET Framework and .NET 8 or 9, SQL Server Express free, reserved cores from $18.84 when production needs them, and a 15-day money-back guarantee.