specification: API Commons Plans
specificationVersion: '0.1'
schema: https://raw.githubusercontent.com/api-evangelist/interface-research/main/schema/api-commons.yml#/$defs/Plans
provider: Microsoft Windows Server
providerId: microsoft-windows-server
created: '2026-05-04'
# Provenance stamped 2026-08-11: this artifact was written by the API Evangelist
# bulk sweep dated 2026-05-04, not harvested from the provider. See roadmap#35.
method: generated
modified: '2026-05-05'
reconciled: true
tags:
  - Operating System
  - Server
  - Windows
  - Microsoft
  - Datacenter
description: Windows Server 2025 is sold as a perpetual license under a core-based licensing model, with
  two primary editions — Standard ($1,176 MSRP) and Datacenter ($6,771 MSRP) — both quoted for 16-core
  packs. Standard supports 2 virtual machines per license; Datacenter supports unlimited VMs and is
  intended for highly virtualized environments. Both editions require Client Access Licenses (CALs)
  per user or device. A pay-as-you-go model via Azure Arc bills $33.58 per CPU core per month or $0.046
  per hour. Windows Server platform APIs (PowerShell remoting, WinRM, WMI, IIS, AD) are local /
  intra-fabric and are not metered as hosted HTTP APIs.
sources:
  - https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/pricing
plans:
  - id: microsoft-windows-server-standard
    name: Windows Server 2025 Standard
    type: subscription
    description: Core-based perpetual license. Suggested MSRP $1,176 for a 16-core pack. Supports 2 VMs
      per license. Sized for physical or minimally virtualized workloads.
    entries:
      - label: 16-core license pack (perpetual)
        name: standard_16core
        type: flat
        metric: license
        limit: -1
        timeFrame: year
        geo: global
        unit: 1
        price: '1176.00'
        userMultiplied: false
    elements:
      - name: 16 cores covered per pack
      - name: 2 virtual machines per license
      - name: Requires Windows Server CALs
  - id: microsoft-windows-server-datacenter
    name: Windows Server 2025 Datacenter
    type: subscription
    description: Core-based perpetual license. Suggested MSRP $6,771 for a 16-core pack. Unlimited VMs
      per license. Built for highly virtualized datacenters / cloud.
    entries:
      - label: 16-core license pack (perpetual)
        name: datacenter_16core
        type: flat
        metric: license
        limit: -1
        timeFrame: year
        geo: global
        unit: 1
        price: '6771.00'
        userMultiplied: false
    elements:
      - name: 16 cores covered per pack
      - name: Unlimited virtual machines per license
      - name: Software-defined storage / networking features
      - name: Requires Windows Server CALs
  - id: microsoft-windows-server-cal
    name: Windows Server CAL
    type: subscription
    description: Client Access License required per user or per device for any user or device accessing
      a Windows Server. Per-CAL pricing varies by channel; not published on the public pricing page.
    entries:
      - label: Per-user / per-device CAL
        name: cal
        type: subscription
        metric: seat
        limit: -1
        timeFrame: year
        geo: global
        unit: 1
        price: contact reseller
        userMultiplied: true
    elements:
      - name: Required for both Standard and Datacenter
      - name: Per-user or per-device flavor
  - id: microsoft-windows-server-payg
    name: Windows Server Pay-As-You-Go (Azure Arc)
    type: pay-as-you-go
    description: Hourly pay-as-you-go licensing model exposed through Azure Arc; suitable for bursty
      capacity or short-term needs.
    entries:
      - label: Per-core hourly
        name: payg_core_hour
        type: metered
        metric: core-hour
        limit: -1
        timeFrame: usage
        geo: global
        unit: 1
        price: '0.046'
        userMultiplied: false
      - label: Per-core monthly
        name: payg_core_month
        type: metered
        metric: core-month
        limit: -1
        timeFrame: month
        geo: global
        unit: 1
        price: '33.58'
        userMultiplied: false
    elements:
      - name: Azure Arc connection required
      - name: Scale up/down with workload
  - id: microsoft-windows-server-essentials
    name: Windows Server Essentials (legacy)
    type: subscription
    description: Small-business edition; not separately listed on the current Windows Server 2025 pricing
      page.
    entries:
      - label: Server license
        name: essentials
        type: flat
        metric: license
        limit: -1
        timeFrame: year
        geo: global
        unit: 1
        price: contact reseller
        userMultiplied: false
    elements:
      - name: Up to 25 users / 50 devices (historic)
      - name: No CALs required (historic)
maintainers:
  - FN: Kin Lane
    email: kin@apievangelist.com
x-canonical:
  generated: '2026-10-08'
  vocabulary: all/0-working/economics/plans-canonical.yml
  models:
  - metered
  - subscription
  units:
  - compute
  - seat
  plans:
  - name: Windows Server 2025 Standard
    access: other
    model: subscription
    model_how: stated
    units:
    - seat
    periods:
    - year
  - name: Windows Server 2025 Datacenter
    access: other
    model: subscription
    model_how: stated
    units:
    - seat
    periods:
    - year
  - name: Windows Server CAL
    access: other
    model: subscription
    model_how: stated
    units:
    - seat
    periods:
    - year
  - name: Windows Server Pay-As-You-Go (Azure Arc)
    access: other
    model: metered
    model_how: stated
    units:
    - compute
    - other
    periods:
    - month
    - per-use
  - name: Windows Server Essentials (legacy)
    access: other
    model: subscription
    model_how: stated
    units:
    - seat
    periods:
    - year