SQL Server Web Licence Included

Reserved vCores, HA Failover

SQL Server Hosting: Managed Windows Server with the SQL Server Web Licence Included

A Microsoft SQL Server host with nothing to buy up front: a Managed Cloud Dedicated Server with reserved vCores, ECC RAM and NVMe, Windows Server Standard and the SQL Server Web edition licensed per vCore and billed with the server, from $86.34 a month for 2 vCores, 8 GB and 128 GB. We install, patch, harden, back up and monitor the server; the HA cluster restarts it on another node if the hardware fails. New York, London, Frankfurt or Singapore, 100% uptime SLA.

Configure a SQL Server Host Express, Web or Standard?

$86.34

From, per Month

$8.50

SQL Server Web per vCore

100%

Uptime SLA

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What SQL Server hosting at MassiveGRID includes

SQL Server hosting: a dedicated Windows Server virtual machine, licensed for Windows Server Standard and SQL Server Web, operated by MassiveGRID and reserved for your database. Rather than a shared SQL instance with a per-database quota, you get the whole server: the administrator account, the SQL Server instance, the disks and the operating system, with the operations work done for you.

Windows Server Standard and SQL Server Web licences, per vCore, through our Microsoft hosting agreement, so the licence scales with the server and ends with it.
Reserved vCores and ECC RAM on Intel Xeon hosts. SQL Server caches data pages in RAM and runs its query plans on the cores it is given; neither is shared with another tenant.
NVMe storage for data, log and tempdb files, from 128 GB up to 10 TB per server (4 TB in Singapore), with 100 TB of traffic on a 10 Gbps port and one dedicated IPv4 address included.
Managed operating system: installation, Windows updates and security patches, firewall and hardening, daily backups with on-demand snapshots, and 24/7 monitoring of CPU, memory, disk, network and service health with priority support.
Proxmox HA cluster with redundant shared storage: when a physical node fails, the server restarts on a healthy node within about two minutes, the same behaviour as every Managed Cloud Dedicated Server.
Four cities: New York, London, Frankfurt and Singapore, at the same price. Pick the city nearest your application servers or your users, and the data stays in that jurisdiction.

SQL Server Express remains free on any Windows Server configuration, and if you hold your own licence you can bring it on the evaluation configuration where Microsoft's terms allow. The Web edition bundle is for teams that want one monthly figure and no licence paperwork.

What a SQL Server host costs, per vCore

Every configuration is priced from four rates, the same in every city. The per-vCore rate is the only one that changes with the licences you choose: Windows Server Standard adds $6.00 per vCore to the Linux rate and the SQL Server Web edition a further $8.50.

Licence	Per vCore	2 vCores, 8 GB, 128 GB	4 vCores, 16 GB, 256 GB	8 vCores, 32 GB, 512 GB
Linux, or Windows Server on the 180-day evaluation	$18.75	$57.34/mo	$114.68/mo	$229.36/mo
Windows Server Standard licence included	$24.75	$69.34/mo	$138.68/mo	$277.36/mo
Windows Server Standard + SQL Server Web (this page)	$33.25	$86.34/mo	$172.68/mo	$345.36/mo

RAM is $2.00 per GB and NVMe $0.03 per GB whichever licence you pick; 250 TB of traffic adds $66 a month and each additional IPv4 address $2. There is no setup fee and no minimum term beyond the month, and the configurator below shows the exact total as you move the sliders. Four sizes that cover most SQL Server deployments:

Workload	vCores	RAM	NVMe	With SQL Server Web
Development, staging or a small site database	2	8 GB	128 GB	$86.34/mo
One production web application and its database on one server	4	16 GB	256 GB	$172.68/mo
A busy e-commerce or SaaS database with IIS on a separate server	8	32 GB	512 GB	$345.36/mo
Several databases, reporting queries and a large buffer pool	16	64 GB	1 TB	$690.72/mo

Memory is the first thing to size: Windows Server itself uses roughly 1.5 to 2 GB, and SQL Server will use whatever is left for its buffer pool unless you cap max server memory. The Web edition uses up to 64 GB of buffer pool and the lesser of 4 sockets or 16 cores, so every configuration in the table sits inside its limits.

Which SQL Server edition do you need?

Microsoft sells four server editions, and the right one depends on two questions: how big and busy the database is, and what the application behind it does. Capacity limits below are Microsoft's published figures for SQL Server 2022.

Edition	Compute it will use	Buffer pool	Database size	How you get it here
Express	Lesser of 1 socket or 4 cores	1,410 MB	10 GB per database	Free. Install it on any Windows Server configuration, including a $69.34 licensed one or the evaluation.
Web	Lesser of 4 sockets or 16 cores	64 GB	524 PB	Included at $8.50 per vCore with the Windows + SQL Server Web option, for public web workloads.
Standard	Lesser of 4 sockets or 24 cores	128 GB	524 PB	Bring your own licence where your agreement allows it, or ask us for a quote.
Enterprise	Operating-system maximum	Operating-system maximum	524 PB	Bring your own licence, or ask for a quote.

The Web edition rule

SQL Server Web is the edition Microsoft lets hosting providers license cheaply, and it comes with a use restriction: under Microsoft's Services Provider Use Rights it may only support public and internet-accessible web pages, websites, web applications and web services. It may not be used for line-of-business applications such as a CRM, an ERP or an internal reporting system that only your staff reach. If your database sits behind a public website, a customer-facing web application, an API or an online shop, Web is the edition to buy and it saves you most of a Standard licence. If the application is internal, you need Standard, and the honest route is your own licence on the evaluation configuration or a quote from us.

When Express is enough

Express has no licence cost and covers databases up to 10 GB each with a 1,410 MB buffer pool. A brochure site, a small line-of-business application, a development server or a staging copy rarely need more, and it runs on a licensed Windows Server at $69.34 a month or on the Windows VPS from $3.99. Move to Web or Standard when a database approaches 10 GB, when the working set no longer fits in 1.4 GB of cache, or when you need SQL Server Agent jobs, which Express lacks.

What managed means for a database server

The management service is the difference between this page and installing SQL Server on a Windows Dedicated VPS yourself. On a managed server, MassiveGRID installs the operating system and the licensed software, applies Windows updates and security patches on a schedule, configures the firewall and hardening, takes daily backups with on-demand snapshots and point-in-time recovery, monitors CPU, memory, disk, network and service health around the clock, and answers with priority support when something looks wrong. The HA cluster handles hardware failure on its own.

What stays with you is the database itself: schemas, logins, index maintenance, query tuning and application deployments are in your hands, as they would be on any dedicated server. Three habits keep a SQL Server healthy on this platform:

Cap max server memory so the operating system and any application on the same server keep room to work. On an 8-vCore, 32 GB server, 24 to 26 GB for SQL Server is a sensible start.
Keep data, log and tempdb files on the NVMe volume and size the volume for growth: 512 GB at $0.03 per GB costs $15.36 a month, so there is no reason to run close to full.
Set the recovery model to match the backups you want. The platform's daily backups capture the whole server; for point-in-time restores of individual databases, run SQL Server's own full and log backups to a second volume or to backup storage as well.

If you would rather hand the database administration to us as well, open a ticket after ordering and we quote it per project.

Three ways to run SQL Server at MassiveGRID

Not every SQL Server workload needs a managed server with the licence bundled. The three products below run the same Windows Server images on the same HA clusters; what changes is who manages the operating system, whether the cores are reserved, and how the licence is paid.

	Windows VPS	Windows Dedicated VPS	Managed server with SQL Server Web (this page)
From	$3.99/mo (1 vCPU, 1 GB) on shared cores	$18.84/mo (2 vCPU, 4 GB) on reserved cores	$86.34/mo (2 vCores, 8 GB, 128 GB)
CPU	Shared, fair-use	Reserved	Reserved, with 8 GB ECC RAM minimum
Windows licence	180-day evaluation, or $6.31 per vCPU	180-day evaluation, or $6.31 per vCPU	Windows Server Standard included ($6.00 per vCore)
SQL Server	Express free, bring your own licence for Web or Standard	Express free, bring your own licence for Web or Standard	Web edition included ($8.50 per vCore); Standard by quote
Who runs the OS	You	You	MassiveGRID: patching, hardening, backups, monitoring
HA failover	Yes	Yes	Yes
Best for	Development, Express databases, small IIS sites	Your own SQL Server licence with reserved cores, administered by you	Production databases behind public web applications, with operations handled for you
Configure	ASP.NET and SQL Server on a Windows VPS	Windows dedicated server options	Configure below

Compared with a metered cloud database such as a managed SQL offering billed by vCore-hour, DTU or storage I/O, this is a fixed monthly server: you know the bill before the month starts, you hold the instance and its files, and there is no egress charge on the 100 TB included. The trade is that you, not a control plane, decide on indexes, maintenance plans and version upgrades.

What's Included

Premium Full-Stack Management

Our expert team handles every aspect of your dedicated server so you can focus on building your business.

OS Installation & Updates

We install, configure, and keep your operating system up to date with the latest security patches and performance improvements.

Security Hardening

Firewall configuration, fail2ban, intrusion detection, and continuous vulnerability scanning to keep your server locked down.

Automated Backups & Recovery

Daily automated backups plus on-demand snapshots with point-in-time recovery. Your data is always protected and restorable.

24/7 Full-Stack Monitoring

Real-time monitoring of CPU, memory, disk, network, and application health. We detect and respond to issues before they affect you.

Priority Support

Faster response times and a dedicated account manager for your infrastructure. Your issues are escalated and resolved first.

Performance Optimization

Server tuning, caching configuration, and resource optimization tailored to your workload for maximum efficiency.

Why MassiveGRID

Enterprise Features Included

Every Managed Dedicated Server comes with guaranteed resources, full management, and premium features.

Dedicated Resources

Guaranteed CPU & RAM exclusively yours — no sharing, no noisy neighbors. Consistent, predictable performance at all times.

Fully Managed Infrastructure

We handle server setup, OS updates, security patches, and ongoing maintenance. You never need to touch the command line.

12 Tbps DDoS Protection

Advanced XDP technology and patented stateful cloud firewall protect your server from attacks before they consume resources.

Priority Support

Faster response times with a dedicated account manager. Your issues are escalated and resolved first. Rated 9.5/10.

Automated Backups

Daily automated backups plus on-demand snapshots with point-in-time recovery. Your data is always protected and restorable.

Proxmox HA Cluster

Your server runs on a multi-node HA cluster. If a node goes offline, HA Manager automatically restarts your VM on a healthy node.

Global Infrastructure

Deploy Worldwide

Choose from premium data centers with Tier-1 network connectivity and the lowest latency to your users.

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New York

U.S.

Online

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London

U.K.

Online

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Frankfurt

E.U.

Online

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Singapore

Asia

Online

Guides

Guides for SQL Server and Windows servers

Developers

Windows VPS for .NET Developers: IIS and SQL Server

Sizing IIS and SQL Server on one server, deployment from Visual Studio, staging versus production.

Pricing

Azure Windows VM vs Windows VPS: Real Monthly Cost in 2026

Retail Azure prices for B2s and D2s v5 with Windows, what Azure bills on top, and the same server here.

Backups

Database Backup Strategy

Full, differential and log backups, retention and restore tests for a production database.

Backups

Backup Retention Policies: How Many Backups Is Enough?

Daily, weekly and monthly retention, and what a 30-day window costs in storage.

Security

How to Secure Your Windows VPS: RDP Hardening Checklist

RDP hardening, Windows Firewall, lockout policies and brute-force protection for a Windows server.

Buying

Best Windows VPS Hosting in 2026: Licence Traps and a Checklist

What the licence, the RDP limit and HA failover add to the bill, and a 7-point checklist.

Questions about SQL Server hosting

A Managed Cloud Dedicated Server with 2 reserved vCores, 8 GB of ECC RAM, 128 GB of NVMe, 100 TB of traffic on a 10 Gbps port and one IPv4 address, the Windows Server Standard licence, the SQL Server Web edition licence, and the management service: OS installation, patching, security hardening, daily backups with snapshots, 24/7 monitoring and priority support, on a Proxmox HA cluster with a 100% uptime SLA. The price is the same in New York, London, Frankfurt and Singapore, and it is the rate shown by the configurator at its smallest setting; every extra vCore adds $33.25, each GB of RAM $2.00 and each GB of NVMe $0.03.

No. Microsoft's Services Provider Use Rights restrict the Web edition to public and internet-accessible web pages, websites, web applications and web services, and exclude line-of-business applications such as CRM or ERP systems used by your own staff. For an internal application you need SQL Server Standard: install your own licence on the 180-day evaluation configuration of the same managed server where your agreement allows it, or contact us for a quote. For a customer-facing website, shop, SaaS application or API, Web is the right edition.

Per vCore, monthly, as part of the server price: $8.50 per vCore for SQL Server Web on top of the Windows Server Standard rate, which is itself $6.00 per vCore on top of the Linux rate. Nothing is bought up front, the licence count follows the vCores you configure, and when you cancel the server the licence ends with it. Scaling up to more vCores raises the licence line in the same month; scaling down lowers it.

Yes. Order the same managed server with the 180-day evaluation option (no licence charge, Windows converted in place when you add the Windows licence at $6.00 per vCore), then install the SQL Server edition your own agreement covers. Whether a licence you already own may be moved to a hosted server depends on its terms, such as Software Assurance with License Mobility, and that is between you and Microsoft; we provide the server and its operating system either way.

No. It is a virtual machine with vCores and RAM reserved for it on a Proxmox HA cluster, which is what lets it restart on another node within about two minutes when hardware fails, something a single physical box cannot do. If a physical machine is a requirement, for example a licensing rule that counts physical cores, contact us and we quote bare metal; the SQL Server Web bundle on this page applies to the managed cloud dedicated server.

The management service takes daily backups of the whole server with on-demand snapshots and point-in-time recovery, which brings the server back as it was. For restores of a single database to a specific minute, run SQL Server's own full, differential and log backups as well, to a second volume on the server or to backup storage, and set the recovery model (full or simple) to match. We can help you schedule them; the retention you choose decides how much storage they use at $0.03 per GB on the server or the backup storage rate off it.

The one closest to your application servers, because every query crosses that distance twice. If the application runs on MassiveGRID too, put both in the same city so the round trip stays inside the data center. Otherwise New York for the Americas, London or Frankfurt for Europe (Frankfurt keeps EU data inside the EU; London keeps UK data in the UK), and Singapore for Asia-Pacific. Prices are identical in all four; Singapore's configurator tops out at 20 vCores, 192 GB and 4 TB.

Yes. Migration assistance is free for new managed servers: the team moves your databases, logins, jobs and application files, verifies them on the new server and agrees the cut-over window with you so the application sees a short, planned switch rather than a long outage. Open a ticket after ordering with the details of the current server and the SQL Server version it runs.

Ready for a SQL Server host that is run for you?

Windows Server Standard and SQL Server Web licences included, reserved vCores and NVMe, daily backups and HA failover, from $86.34 a month in four cities. Configure it below or ask us about SQL Server Standard.

SQL Server Web Included

Reserved vCores

Managed OS

Free Migration

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