In short
A Windows VPS price is not just the VM line item. The recurring total can include compute, Windows Server licensing, Remote Desktop Services access, additional storage, backups, snapshots, SQL Server, application licensing, and support. On Raff, Windows VM compute currently starts at $13.99/month, and Windows Server Standard licensing through Raff's SPLA model is $15/month per instance, so the current entry Windows Server total starts at $28.99/month before optional services.
For most business buyers, the useful comparison is not the lowest headline VM price. It is what the recurring price includes, whether Windows licensing is accounted for, and whether the VM is sized correctly for the workload.
This guide focuses on Windows VPS pricing and monthly cost. If you are choosing or deploying a Windows VPS rather than comparing cost components, see Raff Windows VPS plans.
Windows VPS pricing at a glance
| Cost layer | Raff current pricing / planning point |
|---|---|
| Windows VM compute | From $13.99/month |
| Windows Server Standard SPLA | $15/month per instance |
| Entry Windows Server total | $28.99/month before optional services |
| RDS User SAL under Raff-hosted SPLA | $8/user/month when RDS functionality is required |
| Volumes | $0.08/GiB/month |
| Snapshots & backups | $0.06/GB/month after the applicable free pool |
| VM bandwidth | 3 Gbps port, unmetered bandwidth, no VM egress fees |
The entry plan is useful for light Windows workloads, administration, testing, and small services. A business workload may need more CPU, RAM, storage, RDS access, or backup capacity.
What determines Windows VPS cost
The monthly total usually comes from several layers.
| Cost factor | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| CPU | More users, applications, reports, and database work need more compute |
| RAM | RDP sessions, browsers, business apps, SQL Server, and profiles consume memory |
| Storage | Windows, applications, files, databases, logs, and growth all need capacity |
| Windows Server licensing | May be included, optional, BYOL, or billed separately depending on provider |
| RDS licensing | Multi-user Remote Desktop Services access has its own licensing model |
| SQL Server | Separate Microsoft product and licensing decision |
| Backups/snapshots | Recovery capacity and retention add cost |
| Additional volumes | Useful when data growth exceeds the base VM disk |
| Support | Infrastructure and migration support affect operating cost |
| Migration | Moving apps, files, SQL, users, or AD can require project work |
The cheapest VM can become the more expensive option if it is under-sized or if important costs only appear after checkout.
Raff Windows VPS pricing in 2026
Raff separates compute and Windows Server licensing so buyers can see the infrastructure price and Microsoft licensing price independently.
Current Windows VM compute plans include:
| vCPU | RAM | Storage | Compute price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 GB | 50 GB | $13.99/mo |
| 2 | 2 GB | 50 GB | $17.99/mo |
| 2 | 4 GB | 80 GB | $22.99/mo |
| 4 | 4 GB | 80 GB | $29.99/mo |
| 4 | 8 GB | 120 GB | $40.99/mo |
| 8 | 8 GB | 120 GB | $54.99/mo |
| 8 | 16 GB | 180 GB | $76.99/mo |
| 16 | 16 GB | 200 GB | $112.99/mo |
| 8 | 32 GB | 240 GB | $137.99/mo |
| 16 | 32 GB | 360 GB | $174.99/mo |
Add $15/month per instance when Raff supplies Windows Server Standard licensing through SPLA.
Example totals
| Example workload | Compute | Windows Server Standard | Starting total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entry Windows Server | $13.99 | $15 | $28.99/mo |
| 2 vCPU / 4 GB | $22.99 | $15 | $37.99/mo |
| 4 vCPU / 8 GB | $40.99 | $15 | $55.99/mo |
| 8 vCPU / 16 GB | $76.99 | $15 | $91.99/mo |
These totals exclude optional RDS SALs, extra volumes, snapshots/backups beyond any included free pool, and application-specific licensing.
Windows licensing can change the final price
For a production Windows VPS, the permanent licensing path is normally one of these:
- provider-supplied Windows Server licensing, such as Raff's SPLA model;
- eligible BYOL, where the customer's Microsoft rights permit hosted deployment under the applicable outsourcing and Flexible Virtualization Benefit terms.
Raff's provider-supplied Windows Server Standard licence is $15/month per instance.
Windows Server BYOL is not the same as License Mobility through Software Assurance. License Mobility applies to eligible server applications such as SQL Server, not to Windows Server itself.
Microsoft also makes time-limited evaluation editions technically available for testing. Treat those as lab or migration-validation tools only, not as a production pricing strategy.
For the full decision, see Windows Server Licensing on Raff.
RDS can add per-user cost
There is an important difference between administrative RDP and a real multi-user RDS environment.
Two administrative Remote Desktop sessions are intended for server administration. If employees use the server as a daily shared desktop or RemoteApp platform, plan the workload as Remote Desktop Services.
Under Raff's hosted SPLA model, RDS access uses RDS User SALs at $8 per authorized user per month.
Example:
4 vCPU / 8 GB Windows VM $40.99 Windows Server Standard SPLA $15.00 5 RDS User SALs (5 x $8) $40.00 ---------------------------------------- Starting monthly total $95.99
This example is infrastructure + Windows + RDS only. Microsoft 365 Apps, SQL Server, or third-party application licensing can still be separate.
For the licensing rules and the difference between customer RDS CALs and hosted SALs, see the RDS CAL Licensing Guide.
How low-cost Windows VPS offers affect the real monthly price
A low headline Windows VPS price may exclude licensing, backups, storage, RDS access, or other recurring costs.
Before comparing two offers, check:
| Question | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Is Windows Server licensing included? | Compute-only pricing can look artificially low |
| Is the rate promotional? | Renewal pricing may differ |
| How much RAM is included? | Very small plans may boot Windows but not fit the workload |
| Is bandwidth metered? | Egress charges can materially change total cost |
| Are backups included or separate? | Production recovery needs a real plan |
| Is RDS licensing included? | Multi-user desktop access is a separate licensing question |
| Is support included? | Windows business workloads often need infrastructure help |
A low-cost plan can be valid for a small workload. Compare the complete recurring package, not only the headline number.