# Windows VPS UK: RDP access, licensing and sizing in London URL: https://cloudj.net/blog/windows-vps-rdp-uk Published: 2026-11-11 ยท Updated: 2026-11-11 > A practical guide to a Windows VPS in the UK: what the monthly licence fee covers, sizing RAM and disk, password login, and locking down RDP on a London server. A **Windows VPS in the UK** is the simplest way to run Windows-only software close to British users and markets: a trading platform, accounting or ERP client, a legacy line-of-business app, or a remote desktop your team logs into from anywhere. This guide covers what to check before you deploy on a London server, how Windows licensing and billing work on Cloudj, how much RAM and disk Windows really needs, and the steps that keep Remote Desktop (RDP) from becoming the weakest point of the machine. ## Before you deploy: a short checklist Windows servers are less forgiving of a wrong first guess than Linux ones, mostly because of disk and licensing. Run through these points first. - **Is Windows really required?** If the software runs on Linux or in a browser, a Linux server is lighter and has no licence fee. The [Linux vs Windows VPS comparison](https://cloudj.net/blog/linux-vs-windows-vps) helps if you are unsure. - **Is Windows offered in London right now?** Cloudj offers Linux images and Windows, but the OS list can differ by location. Check the OS list for the United Kingdom in the console before you plan around it. - **How many people will connect at once?** One or two administrators is a normal server. A shared desktop for a whole team is a different licensing situation (see below). - **Do you need the UK specifically?** London suits UK users, UK-hosted services and the London trading session. If your users are spread across Europe, compare London with Frankfurt and Amsterdam in the [three-city comparison](https://cloudj.net/blog/frankfurt-vs-amsterdam-vs-london-vps), or read the wider [Europe VPS guide](https://cloudj.net/blog/europe-vps-guide). ## Licensing and billing for a Windows VPS in the UK Windows on Cloudj includes a monthly licence fee on top of the server itself. The console shows that fee together with the server price before you deploy, so there is no surprise on the first bill. See live server prices on the [pricing page](https://cloudj.net/pricing). You can pay in two ways: | Option | How it works | Good for | |---|---|---| | Hourly | Charged from your account balance for as long as the server exists, running or stopped; traffic is charged per GB used | Testing an app, short projects | | Prepaid term | 1, 3, 6 or 12 months, optional auto-renew; monthly plans in London include 5 TB of traffic | A desktop or app that runs every day | The hourly point catches people out with Windows in particular: shutting the machine down from the Start menu does not stop the charge, because the disk and IP stay reserved. Delete the server when you no longer need it. **Remote Desktop users.** Windows Server allows two simultaneous administrative RDP sessions out of the box. If you plan a terminal server where many staff log in at the same time, Microsoft's Remote Desktop Services licensing (client access licences) applies on top of the OS licence. Check Microsoft's terms for your case before you design around a shared desktop. ## Sizing RAM, CPU and disk Cloudj UK servers start at 1 vCPU, 1 GB RAM and 20 GB disk and scale to custom sizes up to 104 vCPU and 512 GB RAM, with 30 ready-made plans or your own mix of vCPU, RAM and disk. For Windows, the smallest sizes are too tight. Use these as starting points: - **One admin, light app, or a single trading terminal:** 2 vCPU and 4 GB RAM. Treat 2 GB as the absolute floor for the desktop experience. - **Two concurrent users, browser plus office apps:** 4 vCPU and 8 GB RAM. - **Accounting or ERP client with a local database:** size from the vendor's requirements, then add a few GB for Windows itself. - **Disk:** Windows, its updates and the page file take far more space than a Linux install. Leave generous headroom; you can grow the disk later from the console when it fills up. For CPU type, shared ("Availability") is fine for an admin box that sits idle most of the day. Choose general purpose for a desktop people actively work on, and dedicated CPU when the app keeps cores busy for hours, such as backtesting or batch reports. Resize CPU and RAM later if the console's metrics show sustained pressure. ## First login over RDP Cloudj Windows servers use password login. After deployment, open the server page in the [Cloudj console](https://app.cloudj.net) to find its IP address and the generated password. Then connect with Remote Desktop Connection on Windows, the Windows App on macOS, or Remmina on Linux. The [RDP connection guide](https://cloudj.net/blog/connect-windows-vps-rdp) walks through each client step by step. Change the password straight away to a long, unique one stored in a password manager. ## Locking down RDP in five steps An RDP port open to the whole internet receives password-guessing attempts constantly. These steps reduce that risk a great deal. Run the commands in an elevated PowerShell window. ### 1. Allow RDP only from your own IP If you connect from a fixed office or home IP, create an allow rule for it first, then disable the default rule that allows everyone. The order matters, or you lock yourself out. ```powershell New-NetFirewallRule -DisplayName "RDP from office" -Direction Inbound ` -Protocol TCP -LocalPort 3389 -RemoteAddress 203.0.113.10 -Action Allow Disable-NetFirewallRule -DisplayGroup "Remote Desktop" ``` Replace the address with your own. If your IP changes often, use a VPN to the server instead (see step 5). ### 2. Keep Network Level Authentication on NLA makes clients authenticate before a full session starts. Confirm it in System Properties, Remote tab: "Allow connections only from computers running Remote Desktop with Network Level Authentication". ### 3. Set an account lockout policy ```powershell net accounts /lockoutthreshold:5 /lockoutwindow:15 /lockoutduration:15 ``` This locks an account for 15 minutes after five wrong passwords. ### 4. Use a named admin account Create your own administrator account with a strong password, confirm you can log in with it, and then disable or rename the built-in Administrator account that attackers try first. ### 5. Consider a VPN in front of RDP For teams, the cleaner pattern is to close RDP to the internet entirely and reach it through a private VPN. You can run your own VPN on a small Linux server, or look at the [Cloudj VPN service](https://cloudj.net/vpn-service). Then RDP only needs to accept connections from the VPN address range. Finally, turn on Windows Update and schedule a regular restart window, and save a custom image once the server is configured so you can rebuild it quickly. ## Common UK use cases - **Trading terminals** that need to run around the clock near London markets. The [London forex VPS guide](https://cloudj.net/blog/forex-vps-london) covers platform setup and sizing. - **Remote office desktops** for small UK teams that need Windows apps from anywhere. - **Legacy business apps** that a supplier only supports on Windows Server. - **Testing** how a Windows application behaves for UK users before rollout. For a broader look at choosing a UK location for any workload, see the [UK VPS buying guide](https://cloudj.net/blog/best-vps-united-kingdom) and the [United Kingdom cloud servers page](https://cloudj.net/cloud-servers/united-kingdom). ## FAQ ### Is the Windows licence included? Windows servers carry a monthly licence fee, and the console shows it before you deploy. Multi-user Remote Desktop Services licensing is separate under Microsoft's terms. ### Can I log in with an SSH key? No. Cloudj Windows servers use password login. Use a strong password, restrict RDP by IP and set a lockout policy. ### How much RAM does a Windows VPS need? Plan for 4 GB for one user with light apps and 8 GB for two users working at once. Heavier software needs more. ### Does a stopped Windows VPS still cost money? On hourly billing, yes, because the disk and IP stay reserved. Delete the server to stop charges. ## Deploy a Windows server in London Check that Windows is in the OS list for the United Kingdom, pick a size with enough RAM and disk, and lock down RDP before you install anything else. The [Cloudj console](https://app.cloudj.net) shows the server price and licence fee together before you confirm.