Windows Dedicated Server: Reserved Cores from $18.84/mo, Managed or Bare Metal
Three ways to get a Windows server whose CPU and RAM are yours alone. The Windows Dedicated VPS below reserves cores on a Proxmox HA cluster from $18.84 per month and restarts on another node when hardware fails. The Managed Cloud Dedicated Server is the same reserved hardware with Windows Server Standard, an optional SQL Server Web licence and operations handled by us. And for a physical machine of your own, we quote bare metal in London on request. This page says plainly which is which.
Three kinds of Windows dedicated server
"Windows dedicated server" means different things to different buyers, and the honest answer depends on which one you need.
| Windows Dedicated VPS | Managed Cloud Dedicated Server | Bare metal | |
|---|---|---|---|
| What it is | A virtual machine with vCPU cores and RAM reserved for you on an HA cluster | The same reserved resources, with Windows Server Standard and operations handled by MassiveGRID | A physical Dell PowerEdge server of your own in Equinix London |
| From | $18.84/mo (2 vCPU, 4 GB, 32 GB), configured on this page | See the managed plans; Windows plus SQL Server Web option | Quoted per configuration |
| Hardware failure | Restarts on another node within seconds | Restarts on another node within seconds | No failover; the machine is repaired |
| Who patches Windows | You, with 24/7 infrastructure support | MassiveGRID (OS, security, backups, monitoring) | Agreed in the quote |
| Licence | 180-day evaluation or $6.31 per vCPU | Windows Server Standard included | Included in the quote |
| Best for | SQL Server, IIS under load, team RDP, emulator and SEO farms | Production Windows and SQL where you want operations handled | Workloads that must own the whole machine, such as low-latency trading |
Most people searching for a Windows dedicated server want the first column: steady performance that neighbours cannot touch, at a price that does not start at hundreds of dollars. That is what the configurator on this page sells, and it is a virtual machine, not a physical box; we say so because the failover that comes with it is the reason to prefer it. If you want the second column, the Managed Cloud Dedicated Server page has its own plans and the Windows plus SQL Server Web licence option. If you need the third, our bare-metal servers in Equinix London show what we install, and contact us for a quote.
What reserved cores change, and when they matter
On a shared Windows VPS the physical CPU is pooled, and a neighbour's backup or compile can borrow cycles from your server for a few seconds. For a remote desktop or a small site that is invisible. For SQL Server, an IIS application under constant load, a Remote Desktop Services host with several users, or an emulator or SEO farm at 100% CPU for hours, those seconds are slow queries, dropped requests and laggy sessions. Reserved cores and RAM mean the performance you size is the performance you get, around the clock, and the 10 Gbps uplink on reserved plans carries the traffic.
The sizing we give customers for Windows application servers, matching our .NET, IIS and SQL Server guide: a development or staging server with IIS and SQL Server Express runs on 2 vCPU and 4 GB; one production application with SQL Server Express wants 2 to 4 vCPU and 8 GB; several applications with SQL Server Standard want 4 to 8 vCPU and 16 to 32 GB; a high-traffic application with a full SQL Server starts at 8 vCPU and 32 GB. The plans here go to 64 vCPU, 256 GB of RAM and 10 TB of NVMe in New York, London and Frankfurt (24 vCPU in Singapore), with each resource scaled on its own.
Configure Reserved Cores and RAM
Reserved cores are preselected. The 8 vCPU, 16 GB preset is highlighted for SQL Server and loaded IIS applications; four cities, Windows Server 2016 to 2025 on the 180-day evaluation or with the licence included, and the total updates as you change anything.
Licensing on a dedicated Windows server
Every Windows Server template on the Dedicated VPS starts on Microsoft's 180-day evaluation at no licence cost; add the licence at $6.31 per vCPU per month when you need it and the installation is converted in place, so an 8 vCPU server adds $50.48 a month. RDP with two admin sessions is included, and additional RDP user licences cost $8.90 per user per month for a team. SQL Server Express is free and covers databases up to 10 GB; for SQL Server Web or Standard you install your own licensed copy, or choose the Managed Cloud Dedicated Server with the SQL Server Web licence included. Windows 10 and 11 Pro are available on your own key. Shared-core plans, for comparison, are on the Windows VPS page from $3.99 a month, and the dedicated plans have their own page at Windows Dedicated 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 | Windows Dedicated VPS (this page's configurator) | 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 dedicated Windows servers
Windows VPS for .NET, IIS and SQL Server
Sizing IIS and SQL Server, deployment and when reserved cores pay off.
TeamsRDS CALs Explained
How many users can share a Windows Server over RDP and what the licences cost.
PricingWindows VPS Pricing Explained
Why the Windows licence is per vCPU and what six providers charge.
BuyingBest Windows VPS Hosting in 2026
A seven-point checklist for comparing Windows providers.
FAQ
Questions about Windows dedicated servers
Reserved cores for Windows, with failover
Windows Dedicated VPS from $18.84 a month in New York, London, Frankfurt or Singapore: reserved CPU and RAM, 10 Gbps uplink, RDP included, automatic failover and a 15-day money-back guarantee. Managed and bare-metal options when you need them.