Server software compatibility and licensing: Windows or Linux?
By Datafex Engineering TeamPublished Updated 3 min read
Answering this question with "Linux is faster" is common but incomplete. The right answer depends on one thing: which one does the software you are going to run require? This guide covers both sides of that question: which software runs on which operating system (compatibility), and what a Windows Server licence really changes.
The software makes the decision
| Workload | Required / preferred |
|---|---|
| FiveM, RedM | Linux (preferred) |
| Minecraft, Rust, ARK, Valheim | Linux (preferred) |
| Metin2 | Linux |
| Knight Online, Silkroad | Windows (required) |
| Conan Exiles, V Rising | Windows (required) |
| MSSQL Server | Windows (in practice) |
| ASP.NET (the old Framework) | Windows |
| .NET (modern), Node.js, PHP, Python | Either |
| Plesk web hosting | Either (cPanel is Linux-only) |
The "required" rows in the list are not open to discussion: that software does not run on the other system. Those workloads need a VDS with Windows Server installed. For the rest, the choice is yours.
The resource difference is real but overstated
Windows Server's baseline consumption is 2-3 GB, Linux's 0.5-1 GB. On an 8 GB server that is the difference between 25% and 12% of usable memory — noticeable on small plans, insignificant at 32 GB.
On the CPU side, the difference between a modern Windows Server and Linux is within measurement error on most workloads. That is what "Linux is faster" really amounts to: more usable RAM for the same money, not a noticeably faster processor.
The management difference
Linux: you connect over SSH, everything is managed from the command line, and remote management consumes almost no resources. The learning curve is steep at the start. Connection steps: connecting to a server over SSH
Windows: you connect to a desktop over RDP and the graphical interface is familiar. But the RDP session itself consumes RAM and CPU, and an open RDP port is a surface under constant attack. Connection and security steps: connecting to a Windows server over RDP
Licensing
The general rule in the industry is that a Windows Server licence is added to the monthly cost, while Linux distributions are free. At most providers the same hardware costs more on Windows.
Datafex works differently. In our catalogue the operating system is not a separate price line: on an identical build Windows and Linux come to the same amount, and you pick the template while ordering. To see them side by side — Windows and Linux VDS price comparison
That reduces the choice to a technical one. The real difference is not price but usable resources: Windows Server itself consumes noticeably more RAM than Linux, so on the same plan less is left for your application. The question is not "is the licence worth paying for" but "is the compatibility Windows brings worth the RAM I give up". If your software requires Windows, the answer is already settled.
A practical decision flow
- Does the software you are going to run require Windows? → Windows. The decision ends here.
- Will you use MSSQL? → Windows.
- In every other case → Linux: more usable RAM, a smaller attack surface, automation you can repeat.
There is a simple rule for choosing the distribution too: on game servers, choose Ubuntu 22.04 LTS or Debian 12. Official server binaries are tested against these distributions; on anything else, library version mismatches will cost you time. Installation and resource notes on the Ubuntu side: Ubuntu VDS
How this works at Datafex
Both templates are available and are chosen while ordering. The operating system installation completes automatically once payment is verified; the login details appear in the service detail in the customer panel. Virtual server plans