A real desktop, not a terminal
A full Ubuntu desktop with windows, menus and a mouse. Chrome comes preinstalled, and you can install anything else you need.
UK Linux desktop · Ready in minutes
Linux Remote Desktop VPS
A full Ubuntu desktop running on our UK hardware, reachable over standard RDP from Windows, macOS or Linux. Leave it running, log back in from anywhere, and pick up exactly where you left off.
£5.00 /month
One plan. 2× vCPU, 4 GB RAM, 25 GB NVMe. No contract, cancel any time.
Activities
09:41
Chrome
Files
Terminal
Editor
2× vCPU
4 GB RAM
25 GB NVMe
- 2× vCPU
- 4 GB RAM
- 25 GB NVMe
- 1 Gbps · IPv4 included
- Backups included
A second computer that never sleeps
It is not a container or a shared session. It is your own virtual machine with a graphical desktop, running whether your laptop is open or not.
Standard RDP, standard clients
Connect with the Remote Desktop app already built into Windows, or the free equivalents on macOS and Linux. Nothing proprietary to install on your end.
No Windows licence to pay for
The reason it costs £5.00 rather than the price of a Windows VPS. You get the same always-on remote workspace without the licensing on top.
Full root and SSH access
It is your machine. Install packages, change the desktop, run services, or drop to the command line over SSH whenever the GUI is not the fastest route.
Backups included
Backups are part of the plan, not a paid extra bolted on at checkout. Your workspace is protected without you having to think about it.
UK support, UK hardware
The machine sits in our UK datacentre on a 1 Gbps uplink, and the same in-house team that runs our hosting platform answers the tickets.
Pick a desktop
Today every server ships with the Ubuntu image below. Five more distro and desktop combinations are being built and will appear here as each one is ready.
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Available now
Ubuntu Desktop
Our current image. Chrome preinstalled and ready to use.
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Coming soon
Ubuntu GNOME
The full modern desktop, for when you want the complete experience.
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Coming soon
Debian MATE
A classic, familiar layout on Debian stable.
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Coming soon
Rocky XFCE
RHEL-compatible, with the lightest footprint of the set.
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Coming soon
AlmaLinux KDE
RHEL-compatible and fully featured, for heavier desktop use.
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Coming soon
Fedora GNOME
The newest kernel and toolchain of the six.
Ordering today gets you the Ubuntu image. We will publish each of the others here once it is built and tested, rather than list it before you can actually pick it. If you need a specific combination sooner, tell our team and we will let you know where it is in the queue.
Included as standard
What comes with the machine
Everything below is part of the £5.00 plan. There are no add-ons to tick at checkout.
2× vCPU
Two virtual cores, enough to keep the desktop, a browser and a few background jobs responsive at once.
4 GB RAM
Comfortable for everyday browsing, an editor and a terminal, though a very heavy tab count will use it up as it would on any 4 GB machine.
25 GB NVMe
Fast NVMe storage, so applications and files open without the lag you get from older SATA disks.
Unmetered bandwidth
No data cap and no overage billing, so long downloads and uploads will not produce a surprise invoice.
1 Gbps uplink
A gigabit port to the network, which is what keeps the desktop feeling responsive rather than laggy.
IPv4 address included
Your own dedicated IPv4 address rather than one shared with other customers, included in the price.
Graphical desktop preinstalled
The desktop is built and configured before the server reaches you, so there is nothing to install before your first login.
Chrome browser ready to go
Chrome is already installed and set up, so the machine is useful the moment you connect to it.
Full root and SSH access
Complete control of the machine, so you can install anything you need, with a command line for when the GUI is not the quickest route.
Backups included
Backups are part of the plan rather than a paid extra, protecting you if the platform underneath fails.
DDoS protection
In-line network protection sits in front of the server, keeping your desktop reachable when the network is under attack.
24/7 UK-based support
The same in-house UK team that runs our hosting platform answers the tickets, at any hour.
Use the RDP client you already have
Your hostname, username and password arrive in your client area as soon as the server builds. Open a remote desktop client, enter them, and the desktop appears.
From Windows
Remote Desktop Connection is already installed. Press Start, type "Remote Desktop Connection", enter your hostname and sign in. Nothing to download.
From macOS
Install the free Windows App from the Mac App Store, formerly Microsoft Remote Desktop. Add a PC, enter your hostname and credentials, and connect.
From Linux
Remmina ships with most distributions, and FreeRDP works from the command line. Both speak the same protocol, so either one connects straight away.
Reasons to keep a desktop in the cloud
A workspace that outlives your laptop battery
Anything you start on the server keeps running when you close the lid, lose Wi-Fi or move between machines. Long downloads, uploads, builds and file conversions all carry on, and the same session is waiting when you log back in from a different device.
Graphical work from a locked-down machine
Plenty of work laptops will not let you install software. A remote desktop gives you a separate machine you fully control, reached through a client that is already on the device, without touching the corporate build.
A clean, separate browser
Chrome is preinstalled and the machine has its own IP address, so it makes a tidy second workspace: separate logins, separate sessions, separate history from whatever you use day to day. Handy for managing multiple accounts without a browser full of profiles.
Developing with a GUI
Some work genuinely wants a desktop rather than a terminal: a graphical editor, a database client, a browser open against a local dev server. You get root, so the toolchain is whatever you install, and SSH is still there when the command line is quicker.
Light always-on automation
Scripts, monitors and scheduled jobs that need to run around the clock, especially ones that expect a desktop session to exist. Two vCPUs and 4 GB of RAM cover this comfortably, and the machine is not sharing a session with anyone else.
Teaching and test environments
A disposable Linux desktop is a useful thing to hand someone who is learning, or to keep as a scratch environment you can break and rebuild. Because it is a full VPS, rebuilding is quick and costs nothing extra.
Linux remote desktop, or a Windows VPS?
Both give you an always-on desktop you reach over RDP. The difference is what runs on it and what it costs. If your reason for wanting a remote desktop is a specific Windows application, buy the Windows VPS instead, because that software will not run here.
| Linux Remote Desktop (this page) | Windows VPS | |
|---|---|---|
| Operating system | Ubuntu | Windows Server 2016, 2019 or 2022 |
| Connect over | RDP, from any standard client | RDP, from any standard client |
| Licence cost | None, it is included | Windows licensing is built into the price |
| Runs Windows software | No | Yes |
| Runs Linux software | Yes, the full repositories | Only through WSL or a VM |
| Resource footprint | Lighter, so 4 GB goes further | Windows itself needs more headroom |
| Best for | Browsing, GUI development, always-on tasks, a second workspace | Windows-only applications, trading platforms, Office desktop apps |
| From | £5.00/month | See Windows VPS pricing |
The honest version
A small machine, used well
Two vCPUs and 4 GB of RAM is a modest desktop, and we would rather say so than pretend otherwise. It is comfortable for a browser with a sensible number of tabs, an editor, a terminal and a file manager. It is not a video editing workstation, and no £5.00 server is.
What it is genuinely good at
What you are really buying is persistence and separation. The machine is always on, it has its own IP address, and it keeps running when your own computer does not. For browsing, light development, always-on scripts and a workspace that is deliberately separate from your main device, that combination is worth far more than the raw specification suggests.
It is a self-managed server. You get root, which means you can install anything, and it also means the operating system and the applications on it are yours to look after. Our team covers the platform underneath: the hardware, the network, the hypervisor and the backups. If you would rather not manage a machine at all, a remote desktop is probably not the right product for you.
Our stats
Real, honest support
The server is self-managed, but the platform underneath it is not. Our UK-based in-house team handles the hardware, network and hypervisor, and these are their actual numbers.
71%
Tickets solved in 1 response (last 30 days)
30 seconds
Hold time (target)
12 minutes
Live chat wait time (average - last 30 days)
27 minutes
Ticket resolution time (average - last 7 days)
4 minutes
Call duration (average - last 30 days)
Linux Remote Desktop FAQs
What is a Linux remote desktop VPS?
It is a virtual private server running Ubuntu with a full graphical desktop installed, which you reach from your own computer, tablet or phone. Instead of a command-line-only server, you get a familiar point-and-click desktop running on our hardware in a UK datacentre. It is an always-on machine you can log into from anywhere with an internet connection.
Which distribution and desktop do I get?
Every server currently ships with a Ubuntu desktop, preconfigured and ready to use on first login, with Chrome already installed. Five further distribution and desktop combinations across Debian, Rocky, AlmaLinux and Fedora are being built and will be selectable at checkout as each one is finished. Because you have full root access, you are also free to install a different desktop environment yourself.
How do I connect to it?
Over standard RDP, using a client you almost certainly already have. Windows includes Remote Desktop Connection; on macOS the free Windows App (previously Microsoft Remote Desktop) does the same job; on Linux, Remmina and FreeRDP both work. Your hostname and credentials are issued to your Hostworld client area when the server builds. Full SSH access is available too if you prefer the command line.
Do copy and paste, file transfer and sound work?
Yes, all three are supported over the RDP session. You can copy text between your own machine and the remote desktop, move files across without needing a separate transfer tool, and audio played on the server comes out of your local speakers. Exactly how you enable them depends on which RDP client you use, and our support team can point you at the right setting.
Can I really use this as an everyday browser?
Yes, and it is one of the most common reasons people buy it. Chrome is preinstalled and 4 GB of RAM handles normal browsing comfortably. Be realistic about the number of heavy tabs, though: a couple of dozen media-heavy pages will use that memory up, just as they would on any 4 GB machine. If you want more headroom, our UK VPS range goes considerably higher.
Is it managed, and do I get root access?
You get full root and SSH access, so you can install software, change settings and customise the desktop however you like. The server is self-managed, which means the operating system and everything you install on it are your responsibility. Our 24/7 UK team looks after the platform underneath: hardware, network, hypervisor and backups.
Are backups included?
Yes, backups are included in the plan rather than sold as an add-on. They protect against the platform failing underneath you. They are not a substitute for keeping your own copy of anything you genuinely cannot lose, which is sound practice on any server regardless of who runs it.
Where is the server located?
In our UK datacentre, on a 1 Gbps uplink with an IPv4 address included. This product is UK-only at the moment. If you specifically need a US location, our New York VPS range can be built with a desktop yourself, since you get root access and a custom OS choice there.
Can I upgrade later if I outgrow it?
Yes. You can move to a larger plan from your client area and keep your data, so starting here and scaling up later is a perfectly sensible approach. If you are unsure which size fits what you are doing, ask our team before you order and we will give you a straight answer.
What does it cost, and is there a contract?
£5.00 per month with everything included: 2× vCPU, 4 GB RAM, 25 GB NVMe, unmetered bandwidth, backups and support. Monthly and annual billing are both available. There is no minimum term, so you can cancel from your client area whenever you like.
Ready when you are
Your desktop builds in minutes and the login details land in your client area.
£5.00/month · 2× vCPU · 4 GB RAM · 25 GB NVMe · no contract