Windows VPS for .NET and MS SQL

A Windows Server 2022 VPS for .NET and SQL Server development and testing — IIS, SQL Server Express, RDP. Crypto payment, no KYC, from $19/mo. BYOL.

.NET and SQL Server both run on Linux now, so the honest first question is whether you need Windows at all. You do when you want the native stack — IIS, the full SQL Server tooling, a Windows-only dependency, or a test box that mirrors a Windows production target. For that, a Windows Server 2022 VPS gives you the real thing to develop and test against, reachable over RDP.

When Windows earns its place

Environment parity. If production is Windows/IIS/SQL Server, a Windows dev-test box reproduces the bugs a Linux container won't. That's worth more than the price difference.
Native tooling. IIS, SQL Server Management Studio, Windows authentication, a Windows-only NuGet dependency or COM component.
You just prefer the Windows stack. Fair enough.

If none of that applies — a cross-platform ASP.NET Core API with PostgreSQL, say — a Linux VPS is cheaper and this isn't the page. No lock-in either way.

Which plan

Windows-Medium — $19/mo (6 vCPU, 6 GB RAM, 60 GB NVMe). The default. SQL Server wants memory; 6 GB comfortably holds a database, IIS and your app together for dev and test.
Windows-Small — $11/mo (4 vCPU, 4 GB RAM, 50 GB NVMe). Fine for a lean API or a small SQL Server Express database in a tight dev loop.
A dedicated-IP plan (Small-IP $28 / Medium-IP $36) only if something outside has to reach the box on a fixed public address — a public IIS site, or a SQL endpoint other machines connect to. For a private dev box, NAT is enough.

All plans have a 150 Mbit/s port, are Windows Server 2022, and are BYOL.

Setting up

Deploy and connect over RDP as Administrator; activate Windows with your key (slmgr /ipk then slmgr /ato).

IIS in one line, elevated PowerShell:

Install-WindowsFeature -Name Web-Server -IncludeManagementTools

.NET — install the SDK/runtime you need (the dotnet-install script or the installer from Microsoft).
SQL Server Express — free, download from Microsoft, install, then manage it with SQL Server Management Studio. For a bigger edition, bring your licence.

If you expose the database

Do it on purpose, not by accident:

Dedicated IP + firewall. Expose the SQL port only on a dedicated-IP plan, and allowlist the specific source IPs that need it in Windows Firewall.
Never wide open. SQL Server on the public internet with a weak sa password is found and brute-forced fast. Strong credentials, restricted source IPs, no default-port exposure to the world.
Private dev box? Simplest and safest: keep SQL bound to localhost and reach it through your RDP session. Nothing to expose at all.

The RDP guide covers hardening the login itself, and the noVNC console is your rescue path if a firewall change locks you out.

Licensing, honestly

Two separate licences here, both BYOL: Windows (activate with your key — see BYOL licensing) and, if you go beyond SQL Server Express, the SQL Server edition. Express is genuinely free and enough for a lot of development; step up only when you need to, and license it properly when you do.

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FAQ

Which plan for .NET plus SQL Server?

Windows-Medium ($19/mo, 6 vCPU, 6 GB RAM, 60 GB NVMe) is the comfortable default: SQL Server likes RAM, and 6 GB leaves room for IIS and your app next to it. Windows-Small ($11/mo, 4 GB) is fine for a lean API or a small SQL Server Express database in a dev/test loop, but Medium is the one to pick if the database does real work.

Do I need a dedicated IP?

For development and testing, no — a NAT plan you reach over RDP is enough, and cheaper. You want a dedicated IP (Small-IP/Medium-IP) only when something outside has to reach the server on a fixed public address: a public-facing IIS site, or a SQL endpoint other machines connect to. For a private dev box, NAT is right.

Is SQL Server licensed?

SQL Server Express is free and plenty for development and small workloads — install it and go. Standard/Enterprise are licensed by Microsoft, and that's on you, the same as Windows itself (BYOL). This box gives you the Windows machine; the SQL Server edition and its licence are your call.

Can I open the database to my other machines?

Yes, but do it deliberately. On a dedicated-IP plan you can expose the SQL port and firewall it to the specific IPs that need it. Never put SQL Server on the public internet with a weak sa password — allowlist the source IPs, use strong credentials, and keep it off wide-open ports. For a solo dev box, keep it local and reach it over RDP.

Why Windows for this instead of Linux?

SQL Server and .NET run on Linux too, and if that fits your workflow, a Linux plan is cheaper. Choose Windows when you want the native stack — IIS, the full SQL Server tooling, Windows-only dependencies, or a test environment that matches a Windows production target. Matching prod is a real reason; parity beats saving a few dollars when you're chasing an environment bug.

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