Though Windows VPS servers may not be as performance-light as their Linux counterparts, their flexibility and familiarity make them a favorite choice for both business and casual users. A Windows virtual machine in the cloud grants users the freedom to develop, work, and host in an enclosed and secure environment.
With Windows more than any other operating system, it is important to choose your server and its host carefully. But while there are dozens of articles advising customers on the specs they will need and the importance of uptime, less emphasis has been placed on another key factor: billing.
While you can spend hours estimating your server’s RAM and CPU requirements or researching hosts, there are too many variables to be certain you are making the right choice. Many VPS providers tie you into monthly or yearly contracts and ask you to hand over your personal information each time. This can result in hundreds of dollars wasted when you realize their services are not a good fit for you.
This is why the best choice may be to pick a provider that [supports hourly Windows VPS billing] (https://bitlaunch.io/windows-rdp/).
How does hourly Windows VPS billing work?
Hourly Windows VPS servers work more or less how you’d expect — the hourly price for the server is communicated upfront. You pay for the first hour when you launch your server, and after that point are only charged for each hour the server is running. You can delete your server at any point without having to pay for the rest of the month, day or week.
There are generally two ways to bill hourly for VPS services. Either you are invoiced for your hours at the end of each month, or you can top up a wallet with a set amount (say $20) and the host will deduct from that balance hourly. The latter tends to be more consumer-friendly, as it means you cannot accidentally leave your server running and spend more than intended.
The benefits of paying for a Windows VPS hourly
Paying for a Windows VPS server hourly grants you a high degree of flexibility in several areas:
Server configurations: Hourly payments allow you to test different server specifications and configurations by simply launching, testing, and then deleting a server. If you upgrade your existing server, you also don’t have to worry about being charged a higher price for the whole month.
Provider choice: You are not tied into using a provider with shoddy uptime. If you experience frequent disruption, you do not have to wait out your contract period before your customers/users can experience a reliable service. Additionally, because you can cancel your service at any point, it becomes more important for hourly providers to offer a good service.
Use cases: You can spin up servers for short periods without having to pay for more than you use. This is ideal for development, game servers, when you are temporarily working from a less powerful machine, etc.
These factors make hourly payments far more consumer-friendly than monthly or yearly subscriptions.
Maintaining payment privacy
Every time you pay for something with a credit or debit card, you must hand over a wealth of information about your person. This may only seem like an issue if you are an activist or breaking the law, but that is not the case. Other reasons for anonymous VPS usage could include:
- Wanting to separate your business from your person, so that personal risk is minimized should it fail.
- You cannot provide the personal information the provider is asking for – i.e. you do not have a fixed address or legal name.
- You just want to be able to express yourself without worrying about it potentially being tied back to you.
Payment privacy isn’t just relevant due to law enforcement data requests. If your account or provider is compromised, your personal information could be made known to the world at large. The only feasible way to combat this is to avoid traditional payment methods by choosing a bitcoin VPS provider. As cryptocurrency does not require the same fraud checks as fiat currency, there is no legal requirement to hand over your name, address, etc.
Conclusion
Payment flexibility, whether that be through the intervals you pay for or the currency you use, is key for a consumer-friendly VPS experience. Though much of the industry is focused on traditional fiat currency subscriptions, seeking out [providers that break this mold](https://bitlaunch.io/) is beneficial for most users.
