Windows dedicated servers: bare metal from $126, Windows Server from $50

Pick a server, choose Windows Server, and we install it before handoff. Standard is $50 a month and Datacenter is $300 a month on the order form today, billed with the hardware. Servers start at $126 a month in Chicago and Los Angeles.

See Windows-ready builds Get a custom quote

99.5% Network uptime SLA in writing (99.95% managed)

30 min Ticket response (15 min managed)

2 hours Hardware replacement (1 hr managed)

3 US locations: Chicago, Los Angeles, Ashburn

Who actually needs Windows on bare metal

Here's our honest take. If your app runs happily on Linux, don't pay for Windows: $50 a month is $600 a year for nothing. But some workloads really do need it, and those are better off on a whole machine than on a slice of a shared host.

IIS and .NET Framework apps

Older ASP.NET and .NET Framework applications run on Windows and IIS, full stop. Modern .NET can run on Linux, so check before you assume.

Microsoft SQL Server

A busy SQL Server wants dedicated disks and RAM that no one else touches. SQL Server Web, Standard and Enterprise are all on our order forms.

Remote Desktop Services

A shared Windows desktop for a small team, or a line-of-business app that only ships a Windows client. Budget for RDS CALs (see the FAQ).

Game servers

Some dedicated server builds ship Windows-only. Bare metal gives you steady tick rates without a hypervisor in the way.

Trading platforms

Plenty of trading terminals, bridges and plug-ins are Windows-only. Run them on a box you control, in the region closest to your broker or exchange.

Licensing

What the Windows Server license actually covers

Microsoft licenses Windows Server by physical core, not by server. Its current licensing guidance says you license every physical core, with a minimum of 8 core licenses per processor and 16 per server, sold in 2-packs and 16-packs. So a small 4-core box and a mid-size dual-CPU box can cost the same to license, because both sit under the 16-core floor.

Edition changes what you’re allowed to run. Standard covers two operating system environments, physical or virtual. Datacenter covers unlimited VMs on that host. Neither one covers the people connecting: Microsoft requires a base CAL for every user or device accessing the server, and RDS CALs on top for Remote Desktop session hosts.

On a rented server, you don’t buy any of this upfront. Hosting providers rent Windows Server monthly through Microsoft’s Services Provider License Agreement (SPLA), and that’s the line on your invoice.

	Windows Server Standard	Windows Server Datacenter
Price on our order form today	$50/month	$300/month
Windows VMs / OS environments	2	Unlimited
Where it fits	One server, one or two Windows instances	Hyper-V hosts running many Windows VMs
Versions	2016 and 2019 on the order form; 2022 and 2025 on request	2016 and 2019 on the order form; 2022 and 2025 on request

Our pick for a new build: Standard, on Windows Server 2022 or 2025, unless you’re building a Hyper-V host. Request 2022 or 2025 through the quote form while we add them to the order forms. Datacenter only pays for itself when you’re packing a lot of Windows VMs onto one machine. Running more than 16 physical cores? Ask us on the quote form and we’ll price the license for that build.

Windows-ready dedicated servers, month to month

These are in-stock default builds on our order forms. Choose Windows Server Standard ($50) or Datacenter ($300) in the operating system step, and add SQL Server there too if you need it. Setup is $0.

See every build

SQL Server on the same bill

SQL Server is licensed separately from Windows, and it’s the bigger number. On our order forms today, each edition comes as an 8-core license: Web is $70 a month, Standard is $658 and Enterprise is $2,640. Most small and mid-size apps never need Enterprise. Start with Standard unless you’ve hit a feature you can’t live without.

Ask us to size a SQL Server box

$70

SQL Server Web, per month (8-core license)

$658

SQL Server Standard, per month (8-core license)

$2,640

SQL Server Enterprise, per month (8-core license)

Not sure which Windows build you need?

Tell us the app, the number of users and whether you'll run VMs. We'll pick the edition and the hardware, and tell you if Linux would do the job for less.

Get a custom quote Browse all servers

24/7/365

US-based support

99.5%+ uptime

SLA in writing

Same or next day

In-stock delivery

Locations

Windows servers in three US regions

Every location runs Windows Server. Chicago (Arlington Heights, IL) is our largest site and suits central US users and Midwest trading shops; see Chicago dedicated servers. Los Angeles covers the West Coast and the Pacific; see Los Angeles dedicated servers. Ashburn, VA covers the East Coast and Europe; see Ashburn dedicated servers. Not sure which? Run a test from your own network at lg.gigenet.com.

All dedicated servers

What comes with every Windows dedicated server

Same hardware, same SLA as our Linux servers. The terms live in our legal SLA.

Uptime SLA in writing

99.5% network availability on every server, 99.95% with a management plan, and 100% only with our High Availability Guarantee.

30-minute support response

Engineers answer written tickets within 30 minutes, or 15 minutes on a managed plan.

2-hour hardware replacement

One hour on a managed plan.

IPMI on a private network

Console and power control stay reachable when Windows won't boot, and the interface isn't exposed to the internet. Handy the first time an update hangs on reboot.

Fast delivery

In-stock builds are online the same day or the next. Custom builds take a week or less. GPU servers aren't on the order form right now, but you can request one through the custom quote form.

Management if you want it

Enterprise Server Management is $99 a month on the order form and moves you to the managed SLA. Managed plans cover Windows Server 2016 and 2019. See managed servers for what's included.

Windows dedicated server FAQs

More options: all dedicated servers · managed servers

How much does Windows add to a dedicated server?

On our order form today, Windows Server Standard is $50 a month and Datacenter is $300 a month, on top of the server price. It’s billed monthly with the hardware, so there’s no upfront license purchase. Building on more than 16 physical cores? Ask us on the quote form.

Should I pick Standard or Datacenter?

Standard, for most people. It covers the server plus up to two Windows OS environments. Pick Datacenter when you’re turning the box into a Hyper-V host with many Windows VMs, since it allows unlimited VMs on that host.

Which Windows Server versions can I get?

2016 and 2019 are on the order form; 2022 and 2025 are available on request through the quote form while we add them to the forms. For a new build, take 2022 or 2025: Microsoft’s extended support for 2016 ends January 13, 2027, and for 2019 it ends January 10, 2029.

Can I bring my own Windows license?

Ask us on the quote form with your license details and we’ll tell you what works for your build. Most customers rent it monthly on the order form, which skips the upfront purchase.

Do remote desktop users need extra licenses?

Yes, if they use the server as a shared desktop. Microsoft says each user or device connecting to a Remote Desktop Services session host needs an RDS CAL. Tell us how many users you have on the quote form and we’ll work out the licensing with you.

Can I add SQL Server?

Yes, in the same step as the OS. The order forms list SQL Server Web at $70 a month, Standard at $658 and Enterprise at $2,640, each as an 8-core license.

Do you manage Windows servers?

Yes, on Windows Server 2016 and 2019. Add Enterprise Server Management ($99 a month on the order form) and our engineers take over patching and monitoring, with the managed SLA: 99.95% uptime, 15-minute response and 1-hour hardware replacement. On 2022 or 2025, ask us on the quote form what management covers.

How fast will my Windows server be online?

In-stock builds are online the same day or the next, with Windows installed. Custom builds, including GPU requests, take a week or less.