Types of Game Server Hosting: Which is Right for You? Gaming Hosting 101 (Part 2)
Game server hosting comes in 4 main types: Shared Hosting ($3-15/mo, best for 5-30 players, easy setup), VPS ($10-50/mo, best for 30-100 players, requires technical knowledge), Dedicated Servers ($80-300/mo, best for 100+ players or multiple servers), and Cloud Hosting ($20-100/mo, best for variable traffic). Most beginners should start with shared hosting, upgrade to VPS at 50+ players, and only use dedicated for 150+ players or serious communities.
Welcome back to Gaming Hosting 101! In Part 1, we covered what game server hosting is and why you need it. Now let’s dive deep into the different types of hosting available and help you choose the right one.
Series Progress:
- What is Game Server Hosting? ✓
- Types of Game Server Hosting ← You are here
- Choosing the Right Hosting Plan
- Setting Up Your First Server
- Server Management Best Practices
Table of Contents
- The Four Main Hosting Types
- Shared Hosting Deep Dive
- VPS Hosting Deep Dive
- Dedicated Server Deep Dive
- Cloud Hosting Deep Dive
- Side-by-Side Comparison
- Decision Framework
- Real-World Scenarios
- When to Upgrade
- FAQs
The Four Main Hosting Types
Think of hosting types like housing options:
| Hosting Type | Real Estate Equivalent | Who It’s For |
|---|---|---|
| Shared Hosting | Apartment | Most beginners, small groups |
| VPS Hosting | Condo | Growing communities, tech-savvy users |
| Dedicated Server | House | Large communities, serious projects |
| Cloud Hosting | Hotel Suite | Variable needs, enterprise scale |
Let’s explore each in detail.
Shared Hosting Deep Dive
What is Shared Hosting?
Simple Definition: Multiple game servers run on the same physical machine, sharing its resources.
Visual Representation:
┌──────────────────────────────────────┐
│ Physical Server Hardware │
├──────────────────────────────────────┤
│ Your Server │ Server 2 │ Server 3 │
│ (2GB RAM) │ (4GB RAM)│ (2GB RAM) │
│ │ │ │
│ 20 slots │ 40 slots │ 20 slots │
└──────────────────────────────────────┘Each server has:
- Allocated RAM (e.g., 2GB, 4GB, 8GB)
- CPU core time (shared)
- Storage space
- Control panel access
How Shared Hosting Works
The Host’s Perspective:
- Buy powerful server (e.g., 128GB RAM, 32 cores)
- Install virtualization software
- Divide into smaller “containers”
- Sell each container to customers
Your Perspective:
- Choose plan (e.g., 2GB RAM, 20 slots)
- Select game (Minecraft, Rust, etc.)
- Server deploys in minutes
- Manage via control panel
Shared Hosting Features
What You Get:
✅ Control Panel
- Web interface (Pterodactyl, Multicraft, custom)
- Start/stop/restart server
- File manager with editor
- Console access
- Settings configuration
✅ Automated Setup
- 1-click game installation
- Pre-configured settings
- Automatic updates (optional)
- Plugin/mod installer
✅ Support
- Ticket system
- Live chat (some hosts)
- Discord support (some hosts)
- Knowledge base/guides
✅ Included Services
- DDoS protection
- Daily backups
- MySQL database (for games that need it)
- Free subdomain (yourserver.host.com)
✅ Easy Scaling
- Upgrade/downgrade via panel
- No downtime during upgrade
- Flexible billing (monthly/quarterly/annual)
Shared Hosting Pros & Cons
Advantages:
✅ Low Cost
- Starting at $2-5/month
- No setup fees
- Cancel anytime (most hosts)
✅ Easy to Use
- No technical knowledge required
- 1-click installations
- Pre-configured for gaming
✅ Quick Setup
- Deploy in 2-5 minutes
- Instant access to control panel
- Start playing immediately
✅ Managed Service
- Host handles hardware
- Automatic security updates
- DDoS protection included
- Technical support available
✅ No Commitment
- Try for a month
- Money-back guarantees
- Easy to cancel
Disadvantages:
❌ Shared Resources
- Performance can vary
- Other servers affect yours
- Not guaranteed performance
❌ Limited Control
- Can’t install custom software
- Limited server access
- Restricted configurations
❌ Player Limits
- Usually capped (e.g., 100 slots max)
- Performance degrades at high counts
- Can’t handle massive traffic
❌ Overselling Risk
- Some hosts oversell
- Too many servers on one machine
- Results in lag/crashes
❌ Storage Limits
- Fixed disk space
- Can’t expand freely
- May need upgrade for large worlds
Shared Hosting Pricing Tiers
Budget Tier ($2-5/month):
- 1-2GB RAM
- 10-20 player slots
- Basic support (email/tickets)
- Community forums
- Example: Shockbyte, PebbleHost
Standard Tier ($5-10/month):
- 2-4GB RAM
- 20-40 player slots
- Better support (live chat)
- Premium features
- Example: Mamba Host, Apex Hosting
Premium Tier ($10-20/month):
- 4-8GB RAM
- 40-80 player slots
- Priority support
- Advanced features
- Example: BisectHosting, GTX Gaming
Who Should Use Shared Hosting?
Perfect For:
✅ Beginners
- First-time server owners
- Learning server management
- Don’t want technical complexity
✅ Small Communities
- 5-50 players
- Friends and family
- Casual gaming groups
✅ Budget-Conscious
- Limited budget (<$20/month)
- Want to minimize cost
- Don’t need enterprise features
✅ Single Game Servers
- Running one game
- Don’t need multiple servers
- Standard configurations
Not Ideal For:
❌ Large Communities
- 100+ concurrent players
- High-traffic servers
- Need guaranteed performance
❌ Multiple Servers
- Running 5+ game servers
- Server networks
- Complex setups
❌ Custom Requirements
- Need root access
- Custom software installation
- Advanced configurations
❌ Performance-Critical
- Competitive gaming
- Esports tournaments
- Zero-tolerance for lag
Top Shared Hosting Providers
1. Mamba Host - Best Value
- Starting: $2.99/mo (2GB RAM)
- Hardware: NVMe SSD, Xeon E5 CPUs
- Support: 24/7 Discord + Tickets
- Features: Instant setup, DDoS protection
- Best for: Performance on a budget
2. Apex Hosting - Best Support
- Starting: $7.49/mo (2GB RAM)
- Hardware: Ryzen 9 CPUs, NVMe SSD
- Support: 24/7 tickets, 15min avg response
- Features: 7-day refund, excellent docs
- Best for: Beginners wanting hand-holding
3. Shockbyte - Cheapest Option
- Starting: $2.50/mo (1GB RAM)
- Hardware: SATA SSD, Xeon CPUs
- Support: Email only, slow response
- Features: Global locations
- Best for: Absolute budget hosting
4. BisectHosting - Best Premium
- Starting: $7.99/mo (2GB RAM)
- Hardware: Premium CPUs, NVMe SSD
- Support: 24/7 tickets, knowledgeable
- Features: 99.99% uptime, enterprise-grade
- Best for: Serious communities
VPS Hosting Deep Dive
What is VPS Hosting?
VPS = Virtual Private Server
Simple Definition: A virtual machine with dedicated resources, giving you full control like a real server.
Visual Representation:
┌──────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ Physical Server Hardware │
├──────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ ┌──────────┐ ┌──────────┐ ┌──────────┐ │
│ │ VPS #1 │ │ VPS #2 │ │ VPS #3 │ │
│ │ (8GB RAM)│ │ (4GB RAM)│ │(16GB RAM)│ │
│ │ 4 Cores │ │ 2 Cores │ │ 8 Cores │ │
│ │ YOUR VPS │ │ │ │ │ │
│ └──────────┘ └──────────┘ └──────────┘ │
└──────────────────────────────────────────┘Key Difference from Shared:
- Shared: Share CPU, someone else’s lag affects you
- VPS: Dedicated cores, isolated performance
How VPS Hosting Works
Technical Setup:
- Provider gives you virtual machine
- You get root/admin access
- Install operating system (usually Linux)
- Install game server software manually
- Configure everything yourself
Management:
- Full control over software
- Install anything you want
- Configure firewall, security
- Handle all updates
- Troubleshoot issues
VPS Hosting Features
What You Get:
✅ Dedicated Resources
- Guaranteed RAM (not shared)
- Dedicated CPU cores
- Your performance is isolated
- No “noisy neighbor” problems
✅ Root Access
- Full administrator privileges
- Install any software
- Modify system files
- Complete control
✅ Scalability
- Upgrade RAM/CPU easily
- Vertical scaling (bigger VPS)
- Horizontal scaling (multiple VPS)
- Load balancing (advanced)
✅ Multiple Servers
- Run 5-10+ game servers
- Different games on same VPS
- Server networks
- Cost-effective at scale
✅ Customization
- Custom scripts
- Advanced configurations
- Development environment
- Testing environment
VPS Hosting Pros & Cons
Advantages:
✅ Performance
- Guaranteed resources
- No sharing CPU
- Consistent performance
- Better for 50+ players
✅ Flexibility
- Install anything
- Custom configurations
- Multiple game servers
- Development freedom
✅ Cost-Effective at Scale
- $40/mo VPS = 5 shared servers worth
- Better value for multiple servers
- More efficient resource usage
✅ Learning Experience
- Understand Linux/servers
- Valuable IT skills
- Career development
- Community respect
✅ Better Value (Long-term)
- More resources per dollar
- No per-slot pricing
- Unlimited players (within resources)
- Future-proof
Disadvantages:
❌ Technical Knowledge Required
- Must know Linux basics
- Command-line comfortable
- Troubleshooting skills
- Security knowledge
❌ Time Investment
- Setup: 2-4 hours initial
- Maintenance: 2-5 hours/month
- Learning curve
- Troubleshooting time
❌ No Managed Support
- You’re the sysadmin
- No game server support
- Hardware-only support
- DIY troubleshooting
❌ Security Responsibility
- You handle firewall
- You patch vulnerabilities
- You prevent attacks
- Your liability
❌ No Control Panel (Default)
- Command-line only
- Can install panels (extra work)
- Steeper learning curve
- More complex management
VPS Hosting Pricing
Budget VPS ($10-20/month):
- 2-4GB RAM
- 1-2 CPU cores
- 50GB SSD storage
- 2TB+ bandwidth
- Example: DigitalOcean $12/mo, Linode $12/mo
Standard VPS ($20-50/month):
- 4-8GB RAM
- 2-4 CPU cores
- 100GB SSD storage
- 4TB+ bandwidth
- Example: DigitalOcean $24/mo, Vultr $24/mo
Premium VPS ($50-100/month):
- 8-16GB RAM
- 4-8 CPU cores
- 200GB+ SSD storage
- Unlimited bandwidth
- Example: DigitalOcean $48/mo, OVH $60/mo
VPS Setup Overview
Initial Setup Steps:
-
Choose Provider & Plan
- Select VPS size
- Choose data center location
- Pick OS (Ubuntu recommended)
-
Access Your VPS
ssh root@your-vps-ip -
Update System
apt update && apt upgrade -y -
Install Dependencies
# For Minecraft apt install openjdk-17-jre-headless # For FiveM apt install git wget curl screen -
Download Game Server
- Follow game-specific guides
- Download server files
- Configure settings
-
Configure Firewall
ufw allow 25565/tcp # Minecraft ufw enable -
Start Server
- Create startup script
- Use screen/tmux
- Test connection
Time Required: 2-4 hours first time, 30-60 minutes after learning
Who Should Use VPS Hosting?
Perfect For:
✅ Growing Communities
- 50-100+ players
- Outgrowing shared hosting
- Need consistent performance
✅ Multiple Game Servers
- Running 3+ servers
- Different games
- Server networks
- Cost savings vs multiple shared
✅ Technical Users
- Comfortable with Linux
- Want to learn
- IT professionals/students
- Developers
✅ Custom Requirements
- Custom mods/plugins
- Advanced configurations
- Development/testing
- Unique setups
Not Ideal For:
❌ Complete Beginners
- Never used Linux
- No command-line experience
- Want plug-and-play
- Need support for everything
❌ Limited Time
- Can’t spend 5+ hours learning
- Don’t want maintenance burden
- Need instant setup
- Prefer managed service
❌ Single Small Server
- Under 20 players
- Single game
- Shared hosting sufficient
- VPS overkill
Top VPS Providers
1. DigitalOcean - Best Overall
- Starting: $4/mo (1GB RAM, limited)
- Recommended: $12/mo (2GB RAM, 2 cores)
- Features: Easy interface, great docs
- Best for: Beginners to VPS
2. Linode (Akamai) - Best Performance
- Starting: $5/mo (1GB RAM)
- Recommended: $12/mo (2GB RAM, 1 core)
- Features: Fast network, reliable
- Best for: Performance-focused
3. Vultr - Best Locations
- Starting: $6/mo (1GB RAM)
- Recommended: $12/mo (2GB RAM, 1 core)
- Features: 25+ data centers
- Best for: Global presence
4. OVH - Best Value
- Starting: $3.50/mo (2GB RAM)
- Recommended: $7/mo (4GB RAM, 1 core)
- Features: Cheap, powerful DDoS protection
- Best for: Budget power users
5. Hetzner - Best Hardware
- Starting: €4.15/mo (~$4.50, 2GB RAM)
- Recommended: €6.90/mo (~$7.50, 4GB RAM)
- Features: AMD EPYC CPUs, NVMe
- Best for: European servers, best specs per dollar
Dedicated Server Deep Dive
What is a Dedicated Server?
Simple Definition: An entire physical server machine just for you.
Visual Representation:
┌──────────────────────────────────────┐
│ Entire Physical Server │
│ ALL YOURS │
├──────────────────────────────────────┤
│ • 128GB RAM │
│ • 32 CPU Cores │
│ • 2TB NVMe SSD │
│ • 1Gbps Network │
│ │
│ Run 10-50+ game servers │
│ Or one massive server (500+ players)│
└──────────────────────────────────────┘Key Difference:
- VPS: Share physical machine (isolated)
- Dedicated: Entire machine is yours (no sharing)
How Dedicated Servers Work
What You Get:
- Physical server in data center
- Full hardware access
- Root/administrator control
- Direct network connection
- Often remote management (IPMI, iLO)
Management:
- Install any OS
- Configure RAID arrays
- Partition drives
- Network configuration
- Hardware monitoring
Dedicated Server Features
✅ Maximum Performance
- All CPU cores yours
- All RAM yours
- No “noisy neighbors”
- Consistent performance
✅ Massive Capacity
- 500-1000+ concurrent players (optimized)
- 20-50+ individual game servers
- Large server networks
- Enterprise-scale
✅ Complete Control
- Hardware-level access
- IPMI/remote management
- Custom RAID configs
- Advanced networking
✅ Reliability
- Enterprise-grade hardware
- Redundant components
- 99.99% uptime possible
- Professional SLA
✅ Security
- Physical isolation
- Your data only
- Custom security configs
- Compliance-ready
Dedicated Server Pros & Cons
Advantages:
✅ Best Performance
- No performance sharing
- Maximum speed
- Lowest latency
- Enterprise hardware
✅ Scalability
- Huge capacity
- Run many servers
- Handle traffic spikes
- Future-proof
✅ Best Value (High Scale)
- Cost-effective for 100+ players
- Better than multiple VPS
- Lower cost per player at scale
✅ Professional Features
- 99.99% uptime SLA
- Hardware redundancy
- 24/7 monitoring
- Physical security
✅ Custom Hardware
- Choose CPU, RAM, storage
- Upgrade components
- Optimize for your needs
Disadvantages:
❌ Expensive
- $80-300+/month minimum
- Setup fees (some hosts)
- Overkill for small servers
❌ Requires Expertise
- Advanced Linux knowledge
- Networking skills
- Hardware understanding
- Security expertise
❌ Commitment
- Often 3-12 month contracts
- Setup investment
- Migration complexity
❌ Management Overhead
- Time-intensive
- Complex troubleshooting
- Security responsibility
- Maintenance burden
❌ Overkill for Most
- Wasted resources if under-utilized
- Better alternatives exist
- Only needed at true scale
Dedicated Server Pricing
Budget Dedicated ($80-120/month):
- Intel Xeon E3 or AMD Ryzen
- 16-32GB RAM
- 1-2TB HDD/SSD
- 1Gbps network
- Example: OVH, Hetzner
Standard Dedicated ($120-200/month):
- Intel Xeon E5 or AMD EPYC
- 32-64GB RAM
- 2x 1TB SSD (RAID)
- 1Gbps network
- Example: OVH, Online.net
Premium Dedicated ($200-500/month):
- Dual Intel Xeon or AMD EPYC
- 64-128GB RAM
- NVMe storage, RAID
- 10Gbps network
- Example: Liquid Web, Vultr
Who Should Use Dedicated Servers?
Perfect For:
✅ Large Communities
- 150+ concurrent players
- Established player base
- Professional operation
- Revenue-generating
✅ Server Networks
- 10+ individual game servers
- Multi-game communities
- Gaming networks
- Franchise operations
✅ Enterprise/Business
- Professional operations
- SLA requirements
- Compliance needs
- White-label hosting
✅ Performance Critical
- Esports tournaments
- Competitive gaming
- Zero-tolerance for lag
- Streamers/content creators
Not Ideal For:
❌ Beginners
- Too complex
- Too expensive
- Overkill
- Better alternatives exist
❌ Small Servers
- Under 100 players
- Single game server
- Casual communities
- Waste of resources
❌ Limited Budget
- $80+/month is significant
- Shared/VPS more cost-effective
- Better value elsewhere
❌ Testing/Development
- Expensive for experiments
- Use VPS instead
- Lower commitment needed
Top Dedicated Server Providers
1. OVH - Best Value
- Starting: $70/mo
- Features: DDoS protection, global
- Best for: Budget dedicated power
2. Hetzner - Best Specs
- Starting: €39/mo (~$42)
- Features: Amazing hardware/price
- Best for: European servers, best value
3. Liquid Web - Best Managed
- Starting: $169/mo
- Features: Fully managed, excellent support
- Best for: Those wanting managed dedicated
4. Vultr - Best Flexibility
- Starting: $120/mo
- Features: Hourly billing, instant deploy
- Best for: Flexible needs
Cloud Hosting Deep Dive
What is Cloud Hosting?
Simple Definition: Scalable hosting using multiple servers, pay only for what you use.
Visual Representation:
┌────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ Cloud Infrastructure │
├────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ Server 1 │ Server 2 │ Server 3 │
│ (Backup) │ (Active) │ (Ready) │
└────────────────────────────────────────┘
↓ ↓ ↓
Your game auto-scales based on loadKey Concept: Resources scale up/down automatically based on traffic.
How Cloud Hosting Works
Auto-Scaling Example:
Monday (Low Traffic):
• 2GB RAM, 1 CPU → $5/day
Friday (High Traffic):
• 8GB RAM, 4 CPU → $20/day
Saturday (Event):
• 16GB RAM, 8 CPU → $40/day
Sunday (Back to Normal):
• 2GB RAM, 1 CPU → $5/dayYou Pay: Variable cost based on usage
Cloud Hosting Features
✅ Auto-Scaling
- Automatically add resources during traffic spikes
- Scale down during quiet periods
- No manual intervention
- Pay for actual usage
✅ High Availability
- Redundant infrastructure
- Automatic failover
- 99.99%+ uptime
- Minimal downtime
✅ Global Infrastructure
- Deploy in multiple regions
- CDN integration
- Low-latency worldwide
- Geographic redundancy
✅ Pay-As-You-Go
- No fixed monthly cost
- Usage-based billing
- Cost optimization
- Budget flexibility
✅ Advanced Features
- Load balancing
- Auto-backups
- Monitoring/analytics
- API access
Cloud Hosting Pros & Cons
Advantages:
✅ Scalability
- Handle traffic spikes
- Scale instantly
- No pre-planning needed
✅ Reliability
- Multiple servers
- Automatic failover
- Redundancy built-in
✅ Cost Control
- Pay only for usage
- No wasted capacity
- Optimize spending
✅ Enterprise Features
- Advanced tools
- Professional monitoring
- API integration
Disadvantages:
❌ Unpredictable Costs
- Variable monthly bills
- Can spike unexpectedly
- Hard to budget
❌ Complex Pricing
- Per-hour billing
- Data transfer costs
- Storage costs
- Confusing invoices
❌ Requires Expertise
- Advanced concepts
- Optimization needed
- Monitoring required
❌ Overkill for Most
- Most game servers don’t need auto-scaling
- Fixed traffic patterns
- Better alternatives exist
Who Should Use Cloud Hosting?
Perfect For:
✅ Variable Traffic
- Events with traffic spikes
- Seasonal games
- Unpredictable loads
✅ Enterprise Operations
- Professional requirements
- Compliance needs
- Global presence
✅ Development Teams
- Spin up test environments
- CI/CD pipelines
- Multiple environments
Not Ideal For:
❌ Most Game Servers
- Consistent traffic
- Predictable usage
- Fixed costs better
❌ Budget-Conscious
- Bills can surprise you
- Fixed hosting cheaper
- Less predictable
❌ Beginners
- Too complex
- Steep learning curve
- Better alternatives
Top Cloud Providers
1. AWS (Amazon Web Services)
- Cost: ~$15-50/mo for game servers
- Best for: Enterprise, developers
- Complexity: High
2. Google Cloud Platform
- Cost: ~$15-50/mo for game servers
- Best for: Global presence
- Complexity: High
3. Microsoft Azure
- Cost: ~$20-60/mo for game servers
- Best for: Windows servers
- Complexity: High
Note: For game servers specifically, traditional hosting is usually better.
Side-by-Side Comparison
Quick Reference Table
| Feature | Shared | VPS | Dedicated | Cloud |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price/Month | $3-15 | $10-50 | $80-300+ | $20-100+ |
| Setup Time | 2-5 min | 2-4 hrs | 4-8 hrs | 2-6 hrs |
| Technical Skill | None | Medium | High | High |
| Best Player Count | 5-50 | 50-150 | 150-500+ | Variable |
| Support | Full | Hardware only | Hardware only | Limited |
| Control Level | Low | High | Highest | High |
| Scalability | Limited | Good | Excellent | Best |
| Performance | Shared | Guaranteed | Best | Variable |
Cost Comparison (Same Resources)
Scenario: 8GB RAM, 4 CPU cores, 100GB storage
| Type | Monthly Cost | Setup Time | Total First Month |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shared | Not available (max 6GB typically) | - | - |
| VPS | $40-50 | 2 hours | $40-50 |
| Dedicated | $120-180 | 4 hours | $120-180 |
| Cloud | $60-100 | 3 hours | $60-100 |
Winner: VPS for this tier
Performance Comparison
Benchmark: Minecraft Server, 50 Players
| Type | Average TPS | RAM Usage | CPU Load | Lag Spikes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shared (Budget) | 16-18 | 85% | High | Frequent |
| Shared (Premium) | 18-19 | 75% | Medium | Occasional |
| VPS | 19-20 | 60% | Low | Rare |
| Dedicated | 20 | 45% | Very Low | None |
Winner: Dedicated (but VPS excellent value)
Decision Framework
Step-by-Step Decision Tree
START: How many players?
│
├─ Under 30 players
│ └─ Are you technical?
│ ├─ No → SHARED HOSTING ✓
│ └─ Yes → VPS (if want to learn)
│
├─ 30-100 players
│ └─ Do you know Linux?
│ ├─ No → Premium Shared Hosting
│ └─ Yes → VPS ✓
│
├─ 100-200 players
│ └─ Budget over $50/month?
│ ├─ No → VPS ✓
│ └─ Yes → Dedicated or High-end VPS
│
└─ 200+ players
└─ DEDICATED SERVER ✓By Budget
Under $10/month:
- Choice: Shared Hosting
- Provider: Mamba Host ($2.99), Shockbyte ($2.50)
- Capacity: 10-20 players
$10-30/month:
- Choice: Shared (premium) or VPS (budget)
- Provider: VPS if technical, Shared if not
- Capacity: 30-50 players
$30-80/month:
- Choice: VPS
- Provider: DigitalOcean, Linode, Vultr
- Capacity: 50-150 players
$80+/month:
- Choice: Dedicated
- Provider: OVH, Hetzner, Liquid Web
- Capacity: 150+ players
By Technical Skill
No Experience: → Shared Hosting
- No learning curve
- Full support
- Beginner-friendly
- Start here!
Basic (used computers, comfortable with software): → Shared Hosting or VPS with guide
- Shared for simplicity
- VPS if want to learn
- Follow tutorials
Intermediate (understand networking, some coding): → VPS
- Good learning opportunity
- Cost-effective
- Room to grow
Advanced (sysadmin, IT professional): → VPS or Dedicated
- VPS for most needs
- Dedicated if need scale
- Cloud for enterprise
By Game Type
Minecraft (Java/Bedrock):
- 5-20 players: Shared ($3-8/mo)
- 20-50 players: Shared premium or VPS ($10-25/mo)
- 50-100 players: VPS ($30-50/mo)
- 100+ players: Dedicated ($80+/mo)
FiveM (GTA V RP):
- 16-32 players: Shared ($15-25/mo)
- 32-64 players: VPS or Shared premium ($30-50/mo)
- 64-128 players: VPS or Dedicated ($60-150/mo)
Rust:
- Small map: Shared ($15-25/mo)
- Standard map: VPS ($30-50/mo)
- Large map/high pop: Dedicated ($80-150/mo)
ARK: Survival Evolved:
- Single server: VPS ($30-60/mo)
- Cluster (2-4 maps): Dedicated ($100-200/mo)
Real-World Scenarios
Scenario 1: Friends Minecraft Server
Situation:
- 8 friends want to play Minecraft
- Casual gameplay, few plugins
- Budget: Under $10/month
- No technical knowledge
Recommendation: Shared Hosting
Plan:
- Mamba Host 2GB RAM: $2.99/mo
- Or Shockbyte 2GB: $2.50/mo
Why:
- Sufficient for 8 players
- Easy setup (2 minutes)
- Support available
- Can upgrade later
Cost: $36-60/year
Scenario 2: Growing FiveM RP Server
Situation:
- Started with 16 players, now averaging 40
- 100+ custom resources
- Whitelist RP server
- Need reliable performance
- Budget: $30-50/month
- Some technical knowledge
Recommendation: VPS
Plan:
- DigitalOcean 8GB RAM: $48/mo
- Or Linode 8GB RAM: $48/mo
Why:
- FiveM is resource-intensive
- Guaranteed performance
- Room to grow to 64 players
- Can optimize freely
Cost: $576/year
Alternative: Premium shared FiveM host ($35-45/mo) if not comfortable with VPS
Scenario 3: Rust Server Network
Situation:
- Running 3 Rust servers (US West, US East, EU)
- 100-200 players per server
- Weekly wipes
- Revenue from donations ($300-500/mo)
- Experienced team
Recommendation: Dedicated Server
Plan:
- OVH Dedicated: $120/mo
- Or Hetzner: $80-120/mo
Why:
- Multiple servers efficiently
- Consistent performance for all
- Revenue justifies cost
- Professional operation
Cost: $960-1,440/year
ROI: Positive (donations cover cost + profit)
Scenario 4: Small Terraria Server
Situation:
- 4-6 close friends
- Play a few hours a week
- Very casual
- Minimal budget
Recommendation: Self-Host on PC or Cheapest Shared
Option A: Self-Host
- Free (already have PC)
- Port forward
- Run when playing
Option B: Shared Hosting
- Shockbyte 1GB: $2.50/mo
- Always online
- Friends play without you
Why:
- Terraria is lightweight
- Small player count
- Minimize cost
Cost: $0 (self-host) or $30/year (shared)
Scenario 5: Multi-Game Community
Situation:
- Running Minecraft, Valheim, ARK
- 20-30 active members
- Want all servers always online
- Comfortable with Linux
- Budget: $40/month
Recommendation: VPS
Plan:
- DigitalOcean 8GB: $48/mo
- Or Hetzner 16GB: $40/mo
Setup:
- Minecraft: 3GB RAM
- Valheim: 2GB RAM
- ARK: 3GB RAM
- System: 2GB RAM
Why:
- Run all three efficiently
- Cost-effective vs 3 shared servers ($45/mo)
- Full control
- Easy to add more games
Cost: $480/year
Savings vs Shared: $60/year + more flexibility
When to Upgrade
Signs You’ve Outgrown Shared Hosting
Performance Issues:
- ⚠️ Consistent TPS below 18 (Minecraft)
- ⚠️ Players complaining about lag
- ⚠️ Server crash frequency increasing
- ⚠️ RAM usage consistently >85%
- ⚠️ Hitting CPU limits regularly
Growth Indicators:
- 📈 Player count doubled
- 📈 Need more resources than highest plan
- 📈 Running multiple servers
- 📈 Want features shared doesn’t offer
Technical Needs:
- 🔧 Need custom software
- 🔧 Want root access
- 🔧 Complex configurations
- 🔧 Development environment
Business Indicators:
- 💰 Revenue justifies upgrade
- 💰 Professional operation
- 💰 SLA requirements
- 💰 Branding/white-label needs
Upgrade Paths
From Shared to VPS:
- When: 50+ players or need control
- Process: Migrate world files via FTP/backup
- Downtime: 2-4 hours
- Cost: $5-10/mo → $30-50/mo
From VPS to Dedicated:
- When: 150+ players or multiple servers
- Process: Backup and restore to new server
- Downtime: 4-8 hours
- Cost: $40-50/mo → $100-150/mo
From Shared to Cloud:
- When: Extremely variable traffic
- Process: Container/VM migration
- Downtime: Varies
- Cost: $10/mo → $30-100/mo (variable)
Migration Tips
Before Migrating:
- ✓ Backup everything (world, configs, database)
- ✓ Test backup restoration
- ✓ Notify players of downtime
- ✓ Choose low-traffic time
During Migration:
- Download all files from old server
- Upload to new server
- Test thoroughly before switching
- Update DNS/IP addresses
- Monitor for issues
After Migration:
- Keep old server running 24 hours (backup)
- Monitor performance
- Address any issues
- Cancel old hosting
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I start with shared and upgrade later?
Yes! This is the recommended approach.
Start small (shared hosting), learn server management, grow your community, then upgrade when you need more resources.
Migration is Easy:
- Backup world from shared host
- Upload to new VPS/dedicated
- Update IP address
- Done!
Most servers never need to upgrade beyond shared hosting.
Is VPS worth the extra complexity?
It depends on your situation.
Worth it if:
- 50+ players regularly
- Multiple game servers
- Custom requirements
- Comfortable with Linux
- Want to learn
Not worth it if:
- Under 30 players
- Single game server
- Happy with shared performance
- No time to learn
- Want hands-off hosting
Reality: Most people overestimate their need for VPS. Shared hosting serves 80% of use cases perfectly.
What’s better: premium shared or budget VPS?
Budget: $40-50/month
Option A: Premium Shared (8GB)
- $40-45/mo
- Full support
- Pre-configured
- Easy to manage
- 50-80 player capacity
Option B: Budget VPS (8GB)
- $48/mo
- No game support
- Manual setup
- Linux knowledge needed
- 60-100 player capacity
Recommendation:
- Choose Shared if: Want managed, support is important
- Choose VPS if: Technical, want control, multiple servers
Winner: Depends on technical comfort. If unsure, choose shared.
How much does it really cost per player?
Rough Cost Per Player:
| Hosting Type | Cost Per Player/Month | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Shared | $0.30-0.50 | 10-30 players typical |
| VPS | $0.30-0.80 | 50-100 players typical |
| Dedicated | $0.30-1.00 | 100-300 players typical |
Reality Check:
- $10/mo shared hosting = $0.33/player for 30 players
- $40/mo VPS = $0.40/player for 100 players
- $120/mo dedicated = $0.40/player for 300 players
Efficiency increases with scale, but diminishing returns after ~100 players.
Should I use cloud hosting for my game server?
Short Answer: Probably not.
Cloud hosting is good for:
- Highly variable traffic
- Enterprise applications
- Global presence needed
- Auto-scaling requirements
Game servers typically:
- Have predictable traffic
- Benefit from fixed costs
- Don’t need auto-scaling
- Run better on traditional hosting
Exception: If you’re running a large network with traffic spikes (events, content creator boosts), cloud could make sense.
For 99% of game servers: Stick with shared, VPS, or dedicated.
Can I switch providers easily?
Yes! Game server migration is straightforward:
Process:
- Backup files from old host (FTP or panel)
- Download world saves
- Export database (if applicable)
- Upload to new host
- Restore and test
- Update IP address
Downtime: 2-6 hours typically
Portability: Your world files are yours. Most games use standard formats, so switching is always possible.
Avoid: Long-term contracts that lock you in. Monthly billing gives flexibility.
Your Next Steps
You now understand the four main hosting types and when to use each. Here’s your action plan:
Recommended Path for Beginners
Month 1-3: Start with Shared
- Choose shared hosting ($5-10/mo)
- Learn server management basics
- Build initial community
- Monitor resource usage
Month 3-6: Evaluate
- Check player count trends
- Monitor performance metrics
- Assess technical skills gained
- Decide if upgrade needed
Month 6+: Scale If Needed
- Upgrade to VPS if 50+ players
- Stay on shared if performing well
- Consider dedicated only if 150+ players
Decision Summary
Choose Shared Hosting If:
- ✓ Under 50 players
- ✓ Beginner-friendly
- ✓ Want support
- ✓ Budget under $20/mo
- ✓ Single game server
Choose VPS Hosting If:
- ✓ 50-150 players
- ✓ Technical knowledge
- ✓ Multiple servers
- ✓ Need customization
- ✓ Budget $30-80/mo
Choose Dedicated If:
- ✓ 150+ players
- ✓ Server network
- ✓ Professional operation
- ✓ Revenue-generating
- ✓ Budget $100+/mo
Choose Cloud If:
- ✓ Enterprise scale
- ✓ Variable traffic
- ✓ Global presence
- ✓ Advanced needs
80% of readers should start with shared hosting.
Coming Up: Part 3
Next in the series: Choosing the Right Hosting Plan
We’ll cover:
- Calculating your resource needs
- Reading hosting specs
- Evaluating providers
- Spotting red flags
- Getting the best value
- Making your final decision
Real-world examples:
- “I want to host Minecraft for 15 friends” → Exact plan recommendation
- “My FiveM server has 40 players” → Resource calculation
- “I’m starting a Rust server network” → Complete setup guide
Get Started Today
Ready to choose your hosting?
For Most Beginners: Mamba Host Shared Hosting - Starting at $2.99/mo
- Instant setup
- 24/7 Discord support
- NVMe storage
- Money-back guarantee
For Technical Users: DigitalOcean VPS - Starting at $12/mo
- Full control
- Scalable resources
- $200 free credit for new users
For Enterprise: OVH Dedicated - Starting at $70/mo
- Professional hardware
- DDoS protection
- Global presence
Questions about which type is right for you? Join our Discord community where experienced server owners share advice!
Series Progress: ████████░░ 2 of 5 complete
Previous: Part 1: What is Game Server Hosting? →
Next: Part 3: Choosing the Right Hosting Plan →
Last updated: October 24, 2025 Part of Gaming Hosting 101 Series Target audience: Beginners researching hosting options
