Cheapest Way to Get a Windows VPS in 2026
Managed Windows VPS providers charge $30–$80/month for the privilege of a Windows licence baked in. There’s a far cheaper method — grab a Linux VPS from $4/month, convert it to Windows automatically with OS Installer, and pay a fraction of the price. Here’s exactly how.
01The Smart Method: Linux VPS + OS Installer
The most expensive mistake people make when looking for a cheap Windows VPS is going straight to a managed Windows VPS provider. These companies bundle a Windows Server licence into the hosting cost — and charge you handsomely for it, often $30–$80/month for specs that a Linux VPS provider offers for $6–$15/month.
The smarter approach is the one sysadmins and developers have quietly known for years: buy the cheapest Linux VPS you can find, then convert it to Windows using an automated tool. You get identical hardware, identical performance, and a full Windows environment — at Linux prices.
OS Installer automates the entire conversion. Connect it to any Ubuntu 24.04 VPS via SSH, select your Windows version, enter your unlock code, and hit Install. The tool handles everything — downloading the image, injecting drivers, configuring RDP — and hands you a running Windows VPS in around 45 minutes. No technical knowledge required.
Hetzner CX22 (2 vCPU, 4 GB RAM, 40 GB SSD) = ~$4.20/month. OS Installer 1-month access = from $5/month. Total: ~$9/month for a full Windows VPS with RDP. A comparable managed Windows VPS from any major provider starts at $30–$40/month for similar specs.
02True Cost Comparison: DIY vs Managed Windows VPS
Let’s put real numbers to it. The table below compares the total monthly cost of a managed Windows VPS versus the Linux VPS + OS Installer approach across four popular providers, using comparable specs.
| Method | Provider | Specs | Monthly Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Linux + OS Installer CHEAPEST | Hetzner CX22 | 2 vCPU · 4 GB · 40 GB NVMe | ~$9/mo ($4.20 VPS + $5 OS Installer) |
| Linux + OS Installer | Contabo Cloud VPS 10 | 4 vCPU · 8 GB · 75 GB NVMe | ~$9/mo ($4.32 VPS + $5 OS Installer) |
| Linux + OS Installer | DigitalOcean (+ $200 free) | 2 vCPU · 4 GB · 80 GB SSD | ~$29/mo ($24 VPS + $5 OS Installer) |
| Managed Windows VPS | Kamatera | 1 vCPU · 4 GB · 50 GB SSD | ~$23/mo |
| Managed Windows VPS | InterServer (2 slices) | 1 vCPU · 4 GB · 80 GB SSD | ~$10/mo |
| Managed Windows VPS | IONOS Windows VPS | 2 vCPU · 4 GB · 80 GB SSD | ~$14/mo |
| Managed Windows VPS | Liquid Web Managed | 2 vCPU · 4 GB · 100 GB SSD | ~$59/mo |
Managed providers include a Windows Server licence in the price — typically $15–$30/month on top of the base VPS cost. They also add management overhead, support costs, and margin. The Linux VPS + OS Installer approach sidesteps all of that. You bring your own Windows licence (evaluation periods are available from Microsoft for free) and pay only for compute.
03Best Cheap VPS Providers for Windows in 2026
These are the best Linux VPS providers to buy and convert to Windows with OS Installer. All confirmed compatible with Ubuntu 24.04 and tested with OS Installer in 2026.
Hetzner consistently tops performance benchmarks at this price point — CPU and NVMe disk performance that rivals providers charging 3–4× more. Only Linux images are offered natively, but Ubuntu 24.04 is available, making it a perfect target for OS Installer. Ideal for European users who need low RDP latency.
- Best price-to-performance in Europe
- NVMe SSD on all plans
- 20 TB bandwidth included
- Ubuntu 24.04 available
- Hourly billing
- No native Windows image
- Limited to EU + US regions
- No phone support
No other provider comes close to Contabo’s specs-per-dollar — 4 vCPU and 8 GB RAM for around $4.32/month is genuinely extraordinary. The trade-off is that CPU performance is weaker than Hetzner under sustained load, and provisioning takes longer. But for Windows RDP use with heavy RAM workloads, the value is unmatched.
- 8 GB RAM at entry level — unbeatable
- 4 vCPU cores from ~$4.32/mo
- Unlimited inbound & outbound traffic
- Ubuntu 24.04 available
- Global data centres
- CPU performance weaker than Hetzner
- Slower provisioning times
- No hourly billing
Vultr’s main selling point is coverage — 32+ data centres means you can put your Windows VPS physically close to users or yourself anywhere on the planet, keeping RDP latency low. Pricing is higher than Hetzner or Contabo but the global footprint and reliable uptime justify it for latency-sensitive workloads.
- 32+ datacenter locations worldwide
- Hourly billing — spin up and down
- Fast NVMe SSD storage
- Ubuntu 24.04 available
- Pricier than Hetzner/Contabo
- Bandwidth costs can add up
Not the cheapest on raw specs, but DigitalOcean’s $200 free credit for new users makes it effectively free to test for months. It also has the best developer experience, documentation, and UI of any provider on this list — making it the best choice for anyone new to VPS hosting. The $24/month 4 GB plan is the minimum recommended for Windows 10/11.
- $200 free credit — run Windows free for months
- Best UI and documentation
- Ubuntu 24.04 available
- Reliable uptime and support
- Higher per-spec cost than Hetzner/Contabo
- No native Windows image
04DigitalOcean — Effectively Free for New Users
If you’ve never had a DigitalOcean account before, this is genuinely the cheapest way to get a Windows VPS in 2026 — because the first few months are completely free. New accounts created via a referral link receive $200 in credit valid for 60 days, automatically applied with no coupon code needed.
A $24/month Droplet (4 GB RAM, 2 vCPU — the minimum for Windows 10/11) running for 60 days costs roughly $48 in credit. Add the cost of an OS Installer monthly access plan and you’re still well inside the $200 allowance. That’s a Windows VPS running for two months at absolutely zero cost.
05Which VPS Plan Do You Actually Need?
Pick your Windows version first, then match it to the minimum plan specs below. Going below these minimums will result in poor RDP performance or installation failure.
| Windows Version | Min RAM | Min Disk | Recommended Plan | Est. Monthly Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Windows Server 2022 | 8 GB | 60 GB | Contabo VPS 20 or Hetzner CX32 | ~$11/mo |
| Windows Server 2025 | 8 GB | 60 GB | Contabo VPS 20 or Hetzner CX32 | ~$11/mo |
| Windows 10 Pro | 4 GB | 60 GB | Hetzner CX22 or Contabo VPS 10 | ~$9/mo |
| Windows 11 Pro | 4 GB | 60 GB | Hetzner CX22 or Contabo VPS 10 | ~$9/mo |
For the absolute cheapest Windows VPS: Contabo VPS 10 (~$4.32/mo, 4 vCPU, 8 GB RAM, 75 GB NVMe) + OS Installer = Windows Server for around $9/month total. Contabo’s entry plan has enough RAM for any Windows version we support, and the storage is ample. The performance won’t win benchmarks but it’s perfectly fine for RDP remote work, hosting applications, and running Windows-only software.
06How to Get Your Cheap Windows VPS — Step by Step
The full process takes about an hour from sign-up to a working Windows RDP session. Here’s the complete path:
- Step 1 — Choose your VPS provider from the list above. For maximum savings, pick Hetzner (best performance/price) or Contabo (most RAM). For a free trial, use DigitalOcean’s $200 credit link.
- Step 2 — Create a VPS running Ubuntu 24.04 LTS. Choose the right plan size from the table above based on your Windows version. Note the IP address and root password.
- Step 3 — Head to OS Installer and select your Windows version (Server 2022, Server 2025, Windows 10 Pro, or Windows 11 Pro).
- Step 4 — Enter your VPS connection details — IP address, username (root), password, port (22). Click Test Connection to confirm OS Installer can reach your server.
- Step 5 — Purchase an access plan (24 hours, 1 week, or 1 month). Your 6-digit unlock code appears on screen the moment payment completes. Enter it to unlock installation.
- Step 6 — Click Install Now and wait approximately 45 minutes. OS Installer handles everything. Do not power off or restart your VPS during installation.
- Step 7 — Connect via RDP using your VPS IP on port 3389. Open Microsoft Remote Desktop on any device, enter the IP, and connect. Your cheap Windows VPS is ready.
07Frequently Asked Questions
Is it really cheaper than a managed Windows VPS?
Yes — significantly. The cheapest managed Windows VPS plans start around $10–$14/month but with limited specs. With Hetzner + OS Installer you get more RAM, faster NVMe storage, and more vCPUs for the same or lower price. The premium managed providers charge $30–$80/month for comparable specs.
Do I need technical knowledge to do this?
No. Creating a VPS is a point-and-click process on any of the providers listed above. OS Installer handles the Windows deployment automatically — you just enter the IP and password of your VPS, choose a Windows version, and click Install. No command line experience required.
What’s the absolute cheapest Windows VPS setup possible?
Contabo VPS 10 (~$4.32/month, 4 vCPU, 8 GB RAM) + OS Installer 1-month access = approximately $9/month total. For a free first period, create a new DigitalOcean account using our referral link to get $200 free credit — enough to run a Windows VPS for two months at zero cost.
Can I switch back to Linux after installing Windows?
Yes. Most VPS providers let you rebuild or reinstall the OS from their dashboard — this will wipe Windows and give you a fresh Linux install. Alternatively, you can run OS Installer again at any time to reinstall a different version of Windows.
Does this work with any VPS or only specific providers?
OS Installer works with any VPS or dedicated server running Ubuntu 24.04 LTS that you can reach via SSH. This covers virtually every major provider including Hetzner, Contabo, Vultr, DigitalOcean, OVHcloud, Linode (Akamai), AWS Lightsail, and many more.
Ready to Get Your Cheap Windows VPS?
Pick a provider above, spin up an Ubuntu 24.04 VPS, and install Windows in under an hour — for as little as $9/month.