Ultimate Guide to Hytale Server Hosting
Hosting a Hytale server gives you complete control over your multiplayer experience, but choosing the right hosting method can be overwhelming. This comprehensive guide compares all hosting options—Windows, Linux, Docker, home hosting, and VPS—helping you make the best decision based on your technical skill, budget, and server requirements.
What you'll learn: Complete comparison of hosting methods, hardware requirements, cost breakdowns, security considerations, performance expectations, and step-by-step decision guide to choose your perfect setup.
Quick Decision Helper
I want the easiest setup possible
→ Start with Windows hosting on your personal computer. Perfect for beginners, small friend groups (2-5 players), and testing.
I want professional, 24/7 hosting
→ Use Docker on a VPS. Best for public servers, communities, and serious long-term hosting with easy updates and backups.
I have a spare Linux machine
→ Follow our Linux hosting guide. Great for dedicated hardware, old PCs repurposed as servers, or Raspberry Pi alternatives.
I want to keep costs low
→ Home hosting (Windows or Linux) costs only electricity. For VPS, budget $5-10/month for 4GB RAM servers from DigitalOcean, Vultr, or Linode.
Hosting Methods Compared
Windows Hosting
Best for: Beginners, home servers, casual play
✓ Advantages
- ▸Familiar interface—most users know Windows
- ▸Easy graphical file management
- ▸Quick setup (10-15 minutes)
- ▸Run on your existing PC—no extra hardware
- ▸Simple troubleshooting with Task Manager
✗ Disadvantages
- ▸Higher RAM usage (Windows OS overhead)
- ▸Forced Windows updates can interrupt server
- ▸Less efficient than Linux for 24/7 operation
- ▸Can slow down your PC if gaming and hosting
- ▸VPS Windows licenses add $10-15/month cost
Best for: Playing with friends (2-10 players), testing mods, learning server management, or when you already have a Windows PC running 24/7.
Linux Hosting
Best for: Efficiency, VPS hosting, 24/7 servers
✓ Advantages
- ▸Lower RAM usage—more memory for the server
- ▸Free and open source—no licensing costs
- ▸Superior 24/7 stability and uptime
- ▸You control updates—no forced restarts
- ▸Industry standard for VPS and production
- ▸Better security and less malware risk
✗ Disadvantages
- ▸Command-line interface—steeper learning curve
- ▸Requires basic terminal knowledge
- ▸File editing via SSH/nano/vim initially harder
- ▸Troubleshooting requires reading logs
Best for: VPS hosting, dedicated server hardware, public communities (10-50+ players), cost-conscious hosting, and when maximum performance matters.
Docker Hosting
Best for: Production, automation, easy updates
✓ Advantages
- ▸One-command setup—extremely fast deployment
- ▸Automatic updates via pre-built images
- ▸Persistent storage survives container updates
- ▸Isolated environment—clean and secure
- ▸Easy backups with Docker volumes
- ▸Portable—move to any Docker-enabled host
- ▸Professional standard for cloud deployments
✗ Disadvantages
- ▸Requires learning Docker concepts
- ▸Slightly more complex initial setup
- ▸File access requires docker cp or volumes
- ▸Troubleshooting needs Docker knowledge
- ▸Small overhead compared to native Linux
Best for: VPS hosting, production servers, public communities, developers, when you want automated updates, and professional cloud deployments.
Home Hosting vs VPS Hosting
🏠 Home Hosting
✓ Advantages
- ▸Free hosting—only pay electricity (~$5-10/month)
- ▸Use existing hardware—PC or old laptop
- ▸Physical access to server—easy troubleshooting
- ▸Unlimited bandwidth (usually)
- ▸Great for learning and testing
✗ Disadvantages
- ▸Requires port forwarding (can be complex)
- ▸Exposes home IP address publicly
- ▸Vulnerable to ISP outages and downtime
- ▸Some ISPs block server hosting or charge extra
- ▸Lower upload speeds limit player count
- ▸Power outages take server offline
- ▸Dynamic IP changes require updating
Best for: Friend servers (2-10 players), temporary servers, testing, or when you have a spare PC and good upload speeds (10+ Mbps).
Setup guide: Follow our port forwarding guide after setting up your server.
☁️ VPS (Cloud) Hosting
✓ Advantages
- ▸99.9% uptime—professional reliability
- ▸Gigabit internet—supports 50-100+ players
- ▸No port forwarding needed—pre-configured
- ▸Professional DDoS protection included
- ▸Static IP included—never changes
- ▸Automated backups available
- ▸24/7 operation—home PC stays free
- ▸Scalable—upgrade RAM/CPU anytime
✗ Disadvantages
- ▸Monthly cost: $5-20+ depending on size
- ▸Requires SSH/remote access knowledge
- ▸Bandwidth limits on cheaper plans
- ▸Need to manage Linux (usually)
Best for: Public servers, communities (10-100+ players), 24/7 hosting, when you want professional reliability and don't want to manage hardware.
Recommended providers: DigitalOcean ($4-6/mo), Vultr ($5-10/mo), Linode ($5/mo), AWS EC2 (free tier available), Hetzner (€3.50-7/mo, best price/performance).
Hardware Requirements by Player Count
2-5 Players (Small Friend Server)
CPU
2 cores / 2GHz+
RAM
4GB
Storage
5-10GB SSD
Cost: Free (home PC) or $4-6/month VPS
10-20 Players (Medium Community)
CPU
4 cores / 3GHz+
RAM
6-8GB
Storage
15-20GB SSD
Cost: $10-15/month VPS
30-50 Players (Large Community)
CPU
6-8 cores / 3.5GHz+
RAM
12-16GB
Storage
30-50GB SSD
Cost: $25-40/month VPS or dedicated server
100+ Players (Public Server Network)
CPU
8-16 cores / 4GHz+
RAM
32GB+
Storage
100GB+ NVMe SSD
Cost: $80-200+/month dedicated server
Important Performance Factors:
- ▸View Distance: Main RAM driver—12 chunks (384 blocks) recommended maximum
- ▸Mods: Can significantly increase requirements
- ▸World Size: Larger worlds = more RAM and storage
- ▸CPU Speed > Core Count: Single-thread performance matters more
Complete Cost Breakdown
Home Hosting Costs
VPS Hosting Costs
| Provider | Plan | RAM | CPU | Price/mo |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DigitalOcean | Basic Droplet | 4GB | 2 vCPU | $6/mo |
| Vultr | Cloud Compute | 4GB | 2 vCPU | $6/mo |
| Linode | Shared CPU | 4GB | 2 vCPU | $5/mo |
| Hetzner | CX21 | 4GB | 2 vCPU | €3.50/mo |
| AWS EC2 | t3.medium | 4GB | 2 vCPU | $8-12/mo |
| OVH | VPS Starter | 4GB | 2 vCPU | $7/mo |
Note: Prices as of January 2026. Hetzner offers the best price/performance ratio but is EU-based. DigitalOcean, Vultr, and Linode are popular choices with data centers worldwide.
Step-by-Step Decision Guide
1How many players?
2-5 players (Friends only)
→ Home Windows server is perfect. Free, easy, and sufficient.
10-20 players (Small community)
→ Home Linux or VPS recommended. Consider upload speed limits at home.
30+ players (Public server)
→ VPS with Docker is essential. Professional hosting required.
2What's your budget?
$0-10/month (Minimal budget)
→ Home hosting is your only option. Use existing PC.
$5-15/month (Budget-friendly)
→ Budget VPS (Hetzner, Linode, DO, Vultr) with Linux or Docker.
$20+/month (Professional)
→ High-performance VPS or dedicated server for large communities.
3What's your technical skill level?
Beginner (Never used command line)
→ Start with Windows home hosting. Learn basics first.
Intermediate (Comfortable with terminals)
→ Linux home or Linux VPS is ideal.
Advanced (Developer/DevOps experience)
→ Docker VPS for production-grade setup and automation.
4How important is uptime?
Casual (Okay with occasional downtime)
→ Home hosting works fine. Players can wait.
Important (Want 24/7 availability)
→ VPS required. 99.9% uptime SLA.
Critical (Public server, must stay online)
→ Premium VPS or dedicated with monitoring and auto-restart.
Getting Started - Complete Setup Flow
For Home Hosting
- 1.
Choose your OS and follow setup guide:
- 2.
Configure port forwarding:
→ Complete Port Forwarding Guide - 3.
Customize with mods (optional):
→ Mod Installation Guide - 4.
Share your server:
→ List on Hytale Servers Space
For VPS Hosting
- 1.
Get a VPS:
Sign up with DigitalOcean, Vultr, Linode, or Hetzner. Choose Ubuntu 22.04 LTS, 4GB+ RAM.
- 2.
Setup your server:
- 3.
Configure cloud firewall:
→ Cloud VPS Firewall Configuration - 4.
Add mods (optional):
- 5.
Grow your community:
→ List on Hytale Servers Space
Final Recommendations by Use Case
Best for Absolute Beginners
Windows home hosting - Start here, learn the basics, then upgrade to Linux or VPS when ready.
Start with Windows Guide →Best Value (Price/Performance)
Hetzner VPS (€3.50/mo) with Docker - Unbeatable price, excellent performance, professional setup.
Docker Setup Guide →Best for Public Servers
Docker on DigitalOcean/Vultr VPS - Easy management, automatic updates, professional reliability, global data centers.
Docker Setup Guide →Best for Learning
Linux home hosting - Learn Linux skills, server management, and hosting fundamentals without monthly costs.
Linux Setup Guide →Best for Large Communities (50+ players)
Dedicated server or high-CPU VPS - 8+ cores, 16GB+ RAM, NVMe storage. Consider Hetzner dedicated or AWS c6i instances.
You're Ready to Host!
You now have all the information needed to choose and set up the perfect Hytale server for your needs. Whether you're hosting for friends or building a large community, follow the guides linked throughout this article for step-by-step instructions. Don't forget to list your server on Hytale Servers Space once you're up and running!