BYOL vs. Included Windows License - What the Difference Costs You
Windows Server 2022 Standard licensing from Microsoft costs $1,069 per license for a 2-core pack (minimum 8 cores covered). For a small VPS plan, passing that cost to the customer in full is not viable - so most hosts either include a shared licensing arrangement in the plan price, offer BYOL for customers who already own licenses (common among businesses), or source OEM/datacenter licensing at volume rates.
BYOL plans are almost always cheaper per month because you are only paying for hardware and network. If your organization already holds unused Windows Server licenses through a volume agreement or MSDN subscription, BYOL saves real money. If you do not have a license, the included-license plans are the practical choice even if slightly more expensive.
Provider Comparison - Windows VPS 2026
Five providers compared. RDP quality is assessed by documented network specs and datacenter location - direct benchmarks vary by location and time of day. The table uses stars for relative scores, not objective measurements.
| Provider | Windows licensing | RDP | Locations | Crypto payment | Price from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AnubizHost | BYOL (customer provides license) | Full RDP, root access via console, unmetered bandwidth | Germany, Romania, Ukraine | BTC, XMR, ETH, USDT, LTC | $34.99/mo (Windows RDP I) |
| Kamatera | Included (Windows Server licensed in plan) | Full RDP; global PoP for low-latency path selection | USA, EU, APAC (multiple) | Card only (no crypto) | ~$20/mo for entry Windows plan |
| Contabo | Included Windows license add-on (~$9/mo) | Full RDP; Germany/EU locations | Germany, USA, Singapore, Australia | Card only | ~$7/mo base + ~$9 Windows add-on |
| Vultr | Included (Windows Server in plan price) | Full RDP; global PoP selection | 32 locations worldwide | Card + crypto (BTC, ETH) | ~$28/mo for Windows VPS |
| AlexHost | BYOL or Windows available (verify current offering) | Full RDP; Moldova datacenter | Moldova (offshore) | Crypto only | Varies; contact for Windows availability |
AnubizHost Windows RDP - Full Tier Breakdown
AnubizHost offers Windows VPS in Germany, Romania, and Ukraine. All tiers are BYOL (Bring Your Own License) - plan prices cover hardware and network only. Provisioning is automated; Windows installation is applied via template. RDP is available immediately after provisioning.
| Plan | Price/mo | Specs | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Windows RDP I | $34.99 | 2 vCPU / 2GB RAM / 40GB NVMe | Romania (primary) |
| Windows RDP II | $54.99 | 4 vCPU / 4GB RAM / 60GB NVMe | Romania / Germany |
| Windows RDP III | $99.99 | 8 vCPU / 8GB RAM / 100GB NVMe | Germany / Romania / Ukraine |
| Windows RDP IV | $154.99 | 12 vCPU / 16GB RAM / 140GB NVMe | Germany / Romania |
Crypto payment (BTC, XMR, ETH, USDT, LTC) is accepted on all Windows tiers. No-KYC signup - email only. Full RDP and console access included. Unmetered bandwidth on all tiers.
See also: Windows VPS and RDP for Western Internet access - a practical setup guide for getting started with RDP after provisioning.
When to Choose BYOL vs. Included License
BYOL is the right choice when:
- Your organization has an active Microsoft volume licensing agreement with unused server licenses.
- You are running Windows Server under an MSDN / Visual Studio subscription (note: some MSDN terms prohibit production use - check your agreement).
- You are already paying for Windows Server through another contract and treating this VPS as an additional deployment under that agreement.
Included licensing is the right choice when:
- You do not hold any Windows Server licenses and do not want to manage licensing separately.
- You are an individual operator or small team - purchasing a standalone Windows Server license for a single VPS is usually not cost-effective compared to included-license plans.
The offshore angle is specific to AnubizHost and AlexHost. If you need a Windows RDP server outside EU or US jurisdiction - for content that DMCA targets, for a server that should not be reachable by US legal process - those two are the relevant options on this list. Contabo and Vultr are German/US-based and subject to DMCA.
RDP Performance - What Actually Matters
RDP session quality depends on two things: latency from the user to the server, and the server's CPU speed for session rendering. A server with slow per-core performance renders RDP slowly even on a fast connection.
For users in Europe, AnubizHost Germany and Romania locations are well-positioned. Frankfurt (Germany) sits on DE-CIX, the largest internet exchange in Europe - latency from most of Western Europe is under 20ms. Romania is good for Eastern Europe and CIS, under 30ms from most of that region.
For a globally distributed team, Kamatera or Vultr with their multi-PoP options are better suited - they let you choose the datacenter nearest your users. But they are not offshore and do not accept Monero.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does AnubizHost provide Windows Server licenses?
No. AnubizHost Windows VPS plans are BYOL - the plan covers the hardware and network. You provide a valid Windows Server license. The plan price does not include Microsoft licensing fees.
Can I pay for a Windows VPS at AnubizHost with Bitcoin?
Yes. All Windows VPS tiers accept BTC, XMR, ETH, USDT, and LTC. Card payment is also available up to $100. No ID verification is required.
What Windows Server version is available?
Windows Server 2022 template is available. Contact support if you need a different version - template availability varies by location.
Is RDP the only remote access method?
RDP is the primary remote access for Windows VPS. AnubizHost also provides a browser-based console (noVNC) for out-of-band access when RDP is not available. SSH is available if OpenSSH is installed inside Windows.
Why is AnubizHost's Windows VPS more expensive than Contabo?
Two factors: Contabo does not include a Windows license in the base price (it is an add-on that closes most of the gap), and AnubizHost hardware uses NVMe SSD on all tiers vs. Contabo's mixed storage. The offshore location also carries a cost premium over EU mainstream providers.