Updated, 1 February 2023
Last year we braced ourselves for across-the-board price rises for Microsoft software, for example SQL Server or Windows Server Edition. We didn't have specific details at the time, but now we do. The news is better than expected, but not perfect. The cost of Windows Server licensing is increasing, but we have left all other Microsoft licences (like SQL Server Web Edition) unchanged.
This is part of a trend that has already seen cPanel, Plesk and CloudLinux price increases announced for 2023. We never enjoy raising prices, but when our costs go up (and when exchange rates are working against the New Zealand dollar) we don’t have much of a choice.
Windows Server licensing
We have changed the monthly cost of a Windows Server license from $65 to $75. This is in response to a price-rise from our suppliers. For now this is the only product price that we are changing. But, like every other business, we are keeping a very close eye on what our suppliers are doing.
If Windows isn’t a must-have, it might be time for a change
Some businesses need Windows hosting. But for others Windows, and the Microsoft products running on top of it, are a preference rather than a necessity.
If your stack runs on Microsoft software, we are happy to keep supporting you. Just be aware that Microsoft's products will always be premium-priced.
On the other hand if you don't have the budget, then switching your software stack to open source alternatives is a great way to add efficiency.
In a lot of cases we recommend our Cloud Containers as a way to manage hosting without paying for Windows or any other software licences. That's because we built the Cloud Container platform ourselves, on top of open source technology including Linux and Docker. It’s quick and easy to spin up a Cloud Container, pick an image to run, and see the flexibility and control that’s on offer.
Some systems that used to require Windows hosting, like Umbraco, now run well on the Cloud Container platform.
Or if you want to compare other potential exit plans, talk with us about your options.