Free RDP vs. Paid RDP Hosting: Top 6 Differences
Are you looking for a Remote Desktop (RDP) solution for your online needs?
If so, you’ve probably come across the terms “Free RDP” and “Paid RDP” hosting.
In this article, we’ll take a closer look at Free vs. Paid RDP hosting so that you can understand their differences and pick the right one.
We’ll cover everything you need to know, including what RDP hosting is all about, the pros and cons of Free and Paid RDP hosting options, the different features they offer, and how much they cost.
Finally, we’ll give you our recommendation on which option is most suitable for your needs.
So, if you’re ready to learn more, join us as we delve deep into the nuances of Free and Paid RDP Hosting.
What Is RDP Hosting?
RDP Hosting is a service that allows you to rent a remote desktop server hosted in a location of your choice.
You can access it from anywhere, anytime, and from any device using the internet.
Once connected, you get a full desktop environment at your fingertips. You can run applications, access files, and customize settings as per your needs.
It’s like having your own personal computer available in the cloud 24/7.
What Is Free RDP Hosting?
It’s a type of hosting service that allows you to access a remote desktop server without having to pay any upfront cost or monthly rental.
This can be a great option if you’re just starting out and want to get some hands-on experience without taking on too much risk.
However, it’s important to keep in mind that free hosting plans typically come with limited resources and features compared to paid services.
Additionally, free hosting may not be as reliable or secure as paid services, so it’s important to carefully review the terms and conditions before signing up for a free plan.
What Is Paid RDP Hosting?
As the name suggests, it’s a hosting service that requires you to pay a monthly rental or an annual fee to access a remote desktop server.
This service is provided by professional companies who take care of everything from setup to security and maintenance.
It’s ideal for long-term professional and business use, like encoding videos for YouTube, Forex Trading, etc.
What Are The Differences Between Free RDP & Paid RDP Hosting?
1. Data Privacy: Signing up for a Free RDP hosting service requires sharing personal information like your name, email, and address.
Companies that provide these free services often sell your data to third parties without your consent.
This is done to generate revenue but can create a serious privacy risk.
However, with Paid RDP hosting services, things are different.
Since you are paying for the service, you become a direct source of revenue for the hosting company. This gives them more incentive to safeguard your privacy.
They know that if they share your data with others, they could lose your trust and your business.
That’s why they’re more likely to protect your privacy and handle your information responsibly.
2. Limited Resources: Most Free RDP hosting plans typically offer lower resources, such as RAM, storage, and processing power.
Companies providing these free plans often try to squeeze in as many users as possible onto each server to generate more revenue through user data.
To make room for additional users, they throttle the resources in their Free RDP accounts.
As a result, you may not have enough computing resources to run certain apps or tools.
This can ultimately make your remote desktop experience slower and unenjoyable.
On the flip side, with a Paid RDP hosting service, you get dedicated resources at your disposal, giving you the flexibility to run any app you need.
You don’t have to worry about running out of resources or being restricted in your app selection.
Plus, if you choose a Paid RDP slot that runs on a VPS, you can even add extra resources like RAM, CPU Cores, and Storage as and when required.
This allows you to expand your RDP Server’s performance as your needs grow.
3. Uptime & Performance: Ads often support Free RDP hosting plans, which means the service provider does not earn a steady revenue from their free users.
As a result, they tend to prioritize their paid users, which can lead to performance issues in the free plan.
Furthermore, there are no uptime guarantees with a Free RDP, and the servers can often be overcrowded or filled with users who hog resources.
This can result in frequent reboots, downtime issues, or lower availability of resources for your personal usage.
On the other hand, providers who offer Paid RDP hosting plans focus on quality hardware and performance.
They usually have a dedicated team that monitors the RDP to ensure everyone uses the server’s resources fairly.
This results in excellent uptime, stable performance, and an overall better experience for you.
4. Service Continuity: Many companies offering Free RDP hosting services usually rely on unstable sources of revenue like ads and user data.
There is always a concern over the long-term sustainability of the free service.
If the service is discontinued, you might end up losing all your work, which can be frustrating and time-consuming.
But with a Paid RDP hosting service, things work differently.
The monthly fees paid by the customers provide a steady source of income for the company.
This gives them the means to keep your RDP running steadily and offer you a service you can count on.
5. Security Concerns: Since Free RDP providers have limited revenue, they likely won’t take proactive steps to secure their servers.
It’s up to you to ensure your RDP server has the latest security updates and protections against threats.
If you’re not careful, unauthorized people could access your sensitive data or infect your RDP server with malware.
Free RDPs also frequently experience downtime due to DDoS attacks, as they lack basic firewall protections.
Some free providers don’t even use SSL security on their websites, risking your personal information being leaked to hackers during signup.
In contrast, Paid RDP hosting providers that offer managed services approach security differently.
They prioritize security measures and take robust steps to secure their websites and client areas, safeguarding your personal data.
They also proactively scan for malware, offer protection against DDoS attacks, and routinely inspect for server vulnerabilities to make sure your server is always protected from the latest threats.
Moreover, some paid hosting providers offer data backup as an add-on.
In the event of a security breach, if the files on your RDP server get affected, you can quickly restore your data from the backup.
6. Customer Support: In a Free RDP hosting service, getting technical support is difficult.
Sometimes, it’s limited or even non-existent because the company offering these services doesn’t have the budget for it.
If you run into a serious problem, getting it fixed can take a while.
In some cases, you may have to wait for days to get a response.
This lack of timely support can negatively impact your work.
On the other hand, when you go for a Paid RDP service, you get access to 24/7 technical support through various channels, such as live chat, tickets, email, or phone.
Their well-trained, certified support teams can promptly and efficiently handle a wide range of issues.
Plus, they often have helpful resources like self-help articles and video tutorials in a knowledge base that you can use to resolve your issues.
This ensures your peace of mind while using your remote desktop, knowing that help is always available when needed.
Where Can I Get A Free RDP Server?
If you want to get a Free RDP Server, you can use the following three methods:
1. Create A Free RDP Server Using AWS: Amazon Web Services (AWS) allows you to create a Free RDP Server that you can access for an entire year as part of their trial period.
The setup is a bit tricky and can be time-consuming. But don’t worry; here is a step-by-step video that’ll make things easy for you.
To signup, you’ll need a valid credit or debit card. Amazon may ask you for additional verification by requiring you to submit official documents like utility bills. This is done to prevent server abuse.
It’s important to note that the configuration of the Free RDP Server is quite limited, and you get the following specs:
a) 2.5GHz CPU
b) 30GB of Storage (Approx.)
c) 1GB of RAM
d) Windows Server OS
e) Limited Network Speed
f) 100GB/Mo Bandwidth Limit* (Approx.)
*This limit refers to the amount of data that goes out from your RDP to the internet. It may vary depending on the region.
For more details, you can visit:
https://aws.amazon.com/free/free-tier-faqs/
A Free RDP Server created by this method is most suitable for light remote work and getting familiar with an RDP.
The downside is that you will get billed for additional usage if you exceed the usage limits.
Note: In case you’re having difficulty signing up with AWS, Google Cloud also offers a similar trial with $300 worth of free credits in their Free Tier, which you can use to create a Free RDP. You can checkout this video tutorial for more info.
2. Signup For A Free Lifetime RDP: A Free RDP that you can access for a lifetime might seem too good to be true, but there is a company called RDP Hostings on the internet that offers this service.
You can sign up for their free lifetime RDP server by visiting the following link:
https://rdphostings.com/free-rdp-server/
Their signup process is pretty straightforward. Once your signup is successful, they will deliver the server details to your inbox within 24 hours.
Their Free Plan gives you access to a Shared RDP plan with a decent configuration, including a large amount of storage (500GB SSD).
The best part is that you don’t have to enter any payment details like your credit card number or PayPal account during signup.
However, the number of users per server is unclear, so the performance can vary. Plus, the RDP server gets reset every 24 hours of usage.
Also, since this is a free model, the privacy of your personal data might not be guaranteed.
So, it’s best to use this RDP for basic web browsing, streaming, or just getting familiar with RDP Servers.
3. Opt For A Free RDP Trial: Many providers offer a free trial on their RDP plans. The trial period usually varies between 24 to 72 hours.
During this period, you can access the full functionality of your trial RDP slot for free.
One such provider is Space Hosting, which offers a 24-hour free trial on their Private RDP plan.
You can sign up for their free trial at this link:
https://www.space-hosting.net/free-trial-vps/
Their main advantage is that the setup process is fast (within 15 minutes), and you get a solid server configuration.
Also, since the RDP runs on a Virtual Private Server (VPS), you get dedicated resources like CPU, RAM, Bandwidth, etc. This allows for stable performance.
Furthermore, their trial slots also use NVMe SSD drives, which provide incredibly fast read/write speeds.
The downside is the network is limited to 90Mbps for security reasons, and according to their site, the trial ends exactly at midnight.
So, if you signup late during the day, you may not get to enjoy the full trial period.
In addition to that, their signup also requires you to enter your Credit Card or Google Pay details. Without them, you won’t be able to access their trial.
Overall, since the allowed usage is very limited, this RDP works best only if you’re interested in learning about or experimenting with an RDP Server.
How Much Does A Paid RDP Server Cost & Where Can I Buy One?
The cost of a Paid RDP Server can vary quite a bit depending on the specifications and features.
Basic shared RDP slots can start as low as $5-30 per month, while more robust VPS plans with dedicated CPU, RAM, and storage tend to range from $15-50 per month.
Some providers also offer customizable plans tailored to your business needs.
If you’re looking to buy an RDP Server online, a quick Google search with the term “buy rdp” will give you plenty of options.
You can also check out forums like LowEndTalk (https://lowendtalk.com/) or Web Hosting Talk (https://www.webhostingtalk.com/) to make a selection.
When making your purchase, make sure to research and compare providers to get the best value.
However, it’s also important to be cautious, as there are many scammers in this industry.
To make a safe purchase, always look for an RDP provider with good experience, positive customer reviews, and a no-questions-asked refund policy.
Conclusion: Which One Should You Choose?
The answer depends on your specific needs and priorities.
If you’re just starting out, curious about how RDP works, or have a temporary need, Free RDP hosting might be the way to go.
It gives you a taste of the technology without any financial commitment.
However, do not forget that with free comes limitations in resources, potential security risks, and often poor customer support.
On the other hand, investing in Paid RDP hosting is a better choice if you’re looking for a long-term solution, require consistent performance, or have professional needs.
With dedicated resources, excellent uptime, robust security measures, and round-the-clock support, a paid service provides the reliability and convenience you need for resource-intensive tasks and complex applications.