What Are Application Hosting Services? A Guide for ISVs in 2025

Application hosting services allow software providers to deliver their applications from the cloud—rather than requiring customers to install or run them locally. In 2025, these services are central to how Independent Software Vendors (ISVs) modernize their software delivery, reduce infrastructure management, and move closer to a SaaS-style model.

But with a wide range of platforms available—from full virtual desktop infrastructure to lightweight app publishing—knowing what kind of hosting you actually need is just as important as picking the right provider.

What Do Application Hosting Services Do?

At a basic level, application hosting services do three things:

1. Host the application in a managed data center or cloud environment
   
   
2. Handle the infrastructure and runtime needed for the app to operate
   
   
3. Allow users to access the app remotely—often through a browser or client
   
   

This removes the need for end users to install the application locally, and relieves software vendors from maintaining on-premises environments or supporting individual desktop setups.

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When Should ISVs Use Application Hosting Services?

Application hosting is a natural fit for ISVs that:

• Want to reduce support complexity for customer installations
  
  
• Need to move away from local or on-prem deployments
  
  
• Are exploring a transition to SaaS but aren’t ready to rebuild their application
  
  
• Want to offer remote access to Windows-based software
  
  
• Are working with non-Windows users who can’t run their software natively
  
  

Hosting makes it possible to serve a broader range of customers, scale more easily, and centralize updates—all without requiring massive architectural changes.

Different Types of Hosting Models

Not all application hosting services work the same way. Here are three common approaches:

• Desktop Hosting: Hosts a full Windows desktop environment and delivers applications within that desktop (e.g., VDI platforms).
  
  
• Containerized/Web Hosting: Hosts web-native or containerized apps in cloud environments like Azure, AWS, or Google Cloud.
  
  
• Application Publishing Platforms: Focus solely on publishing Windows applications directly to the user—without a desktop or virtualization stack.
  
  

Each comes with trade-offs. Desktop hosting often includes unnecessary complexity. Container platforms require rewriting your app. Only application publishing focuses on direct, simple delivery for legacy Windows applications.

A Better Fit for ISVs: ISVHost with GO-Global

For ISVs with existing Windows-based software, ISVHost—powered by GO-Global—offers an optimized alternative to general-purpose hosting platforms.

Rather than delivering a full desktop or forcing you to rewrite your app, ISVHost allows you to publish your application directly to the cloud. End users access your software via their browser—on any device—without downloading or installing anything.

Benefits include:

• No virtual desktops
  
  
• No code changes required
  
  
• Fully managed infrastructure
  
  
• Cross-platform browser access
  
  

It’s application hosting built specifically for ISVs who want a modern cloud experience—without the overhead of traditional VDI or the expense of refactoring.

Final Thoughts

Application hosting services have made it easier than ever for ISVs to deliver their software remotely. But the right solution depends on your goals, technical stack, and users.

If your software is already built for Windows and you need to make it available in the cloud—quickly and reliably—then app-first platforms like ISVHost with GO-Global offer a smarter, simpler path forward. You get the scalability and convenience of SaaS without rebuilding your application or managing infrastructure behind the scenes.

In 2025, that’s what real modernization looks like for ISVs.

Are you an ISV exploring cloud-based application delivery? Contact us to learn how GO-Global can help you streamline software access for your end users. Or download a free trial to test it yourself.