Best VPS for Game Servers: Top Hosting Picks for Minecraft, Valheim & More

Running your own game server means your rules, your mods, and no monthly subscription fees. A VPS for game servers gives you the performance and control that dedicated game hosting can’t match.

Why Host Game Servers on a VPS?

Unlike managed game hosting, a VPS gives you full control over your server. Install any mods, run multiple games, and customize everything — while often costing less.

VPS vs. Managed Game Hosting

Feature	VPS	Managed Game Host
Control	Full root access	Limited panel
Mods	Install anything	Often restricted
Multiple games	Yes	Usually 1 game
Cost	$5-30/mo	$10-50/mo per game
Setup	DIY	Usually easy

Popular Games to Host

• Minecraft (Java & Bedrock)
• Valheim
• ARK: Survival Evolved
• Counter-Strike 2
• Rust
• Terraria
• Factorio
• Palworld

Game Server VPS Requirements

Game	Min RAM	Recommended	CPU	Players
Minecraft (Vanilla)	2GB	4GB	2 vCPU	10-20
Minecraft (Modded)	4GB	8GB+	4 vCPU	10-30
Valheim	2GB	4GB	2 vCPU	10
ARK	6GB	16GB	4 vCPU	20-40
CS2/Source	1GB	2GB	2 vCPU	24-32
Rust	8GB	16GB+	4 vCPU	50-100
Terraria	1GB	2GB	1 vCPU	8-16

Note: RAM is usually the limiting factor. CPU matters for games with heavy simulation (Factorio, modded Minecraft).

Top VPS Picks for Game Servers

1. Hostinger VPS (Best Value)

$4.99/mo | 1 vCPU, 4GB RAM, 50GB NVMe

Great for smaller servers:

• 4GB RAM runs Minecraft, Valheim, Terraria
• NVMe for fast world loading
• 24/7 support
• Easy upgrade to 8GB for $9.99/mo

Why it’s good for gaming: Best RAM per dollar. Upgrade path as your community grows.

2. Contabo (Best for Large Servers)

€4.99/mo | 4 vCPU, 8GB RAM, 50GB SSD

Massive specs for demanding games:

• 8GB handles modded Minecraft, ARK
• 4 vCPU for physics-heavy games
• Unlimited bandwidth
• 400GB NVMe option for €8.99/mo

3. Hetzner Cloud (Best EU Performance)

€7.59/mo | 2 vCPU, 4GB RAM, 40GB NVMe

Excellent for European players:

• Low latency across EU
• 20TB traffic included
• Snapshots for world backups
• Great network performance

4. Vultr (Best Global Coverage)

$6/mo | 1 vCPU, 1GB RAM, 25GB NVMe

For geographically diverse player bases:

• 32 locations worldwide
• High-frequency compute option
• Deploy servers near players
• Good anti-DDoS protection

5. OVH Game Servers (Best DDoS Protection)

€5.99/mo | 2 vCPU, 4GB RAM, 80GB SSD

Built-in gaming protection:

• Anti-DDoS VAC (game-aware)
• Low latency networking
• Dedicated gamer support
• Good for competitive games

Quick Game Server Setup

Minecraft Server (Java)

# Update and install Java
apt update && apt upgrade -y
apt install openjdk-21-jre-headless screen -y

# Create server directory
mkdir /opt/minecraft && cd /opt/minecraft

# Download server jar
wget https://piston-data.mojang.com/v1/objects/latest/server.jar

# Accept EULA
echo "eula=true" > eula.txt

# Create start script
cat > start.sh << 'EOF'
#!/bin/bash
screen -dmS minecraft java -Xmx3G -Xms1G -jar server.jar nogui
EOF
chmod +x start.sh

# Start server
./start.sh

Valheim Server

# Install SteamCMD
apt install steamcmd -y

# Install Valheim
steamcmd +force_install_dir /opt/valheim +login anonymous +app_update 896660 validate +quit

# Create start script
cat > /opt/valheim/start.sh << 'EOF'
#!/bin/bash
export templdpath=$LD_LIBRARY_PATH
export LD_LIBRARY_PATH=/opt/valheim/linux64:$LD_LIBRARY_PATH
export SteamAppId=892970
./valheim_server.x86_64 -name "MyServer" -port 2456 -world "MyWorld" -password "secret123" -public 1
EOF
chmod +x /opt/valheim/start.sh

Using LinuxGSM (Easy Way)

LinuxGSM simplifies game server management:

# Install dependencies
dpkg --add-architecture i386
apt update
apt install curl wget file tar bzip2 gzip unzip bsdmainutils python3 util-linux ca-certificates binutils bc jq tmux netcat lib32gcc-s1 lib32stdc++6 -y

# Download and run installer
wget -O linuxgsm.sh https://linuxgsm.sh && chmod +x linuxgsm.sh

# Install Minecraft
./linuxgsm.sh mcserver
./mcserver install

# Start server
./mcserver start

Provider Comparison

Provider	RAM	CPU	Price	DDoS Protection
Hostinger	4GB	1 vCPU	$4.99	Basic
Contabo	8GB	4 vCPU	€4.99	Basic
Hetzner	4GB	2 vCPU	€7.59	Basic
Vultr	1GB	1 vCPU	$6	Good
OVH Game	4GB	2 vCPU	€5.99	Excellent

Game Server Performance Tips

1. Optimize Server Settings

Each game has performance configs:

# Minecraft server.properties
view-distance=10
simulation-distance=8
max-players=20

2. Use SSDs/NVMe

World loading and saving benefit hugely from fast storage. Always choose NVMe over HDD.

3. Set Up Automatic Restarts

Prevent memory leaks and clear garbage:

# Cron job for daily restart at 4 AM
0 4 * * * /opt/minecraft/restart.sh

4. Backup Worlds Regularly

# Before restart, backup world
tar -czf /backups/world-$(date +%Y%m%d).tar.gz /opt/minecraft/world

5. Monitor Performance

# Install htop
apt install htop -y

# Watch server resources
htop

6. Use a Firewall

Only open necessary ports (see our VPS security guide for more):

ufw allow 22/tcp      # SSH
ufw allow 25565/tcp   # Minecraft Java
ufw allow 19132/udp   # Minecraft Bedrock
ufw allow 2456:2458/udp # Valheim
ufw enable

FAQ

How many players can my VPS handle?

Rough guidelines:

• 2GB RAM: 5-10 vanilla Minecraft, small Valheim
• 4GB RAM: 15-20 Minecraft, 10 Valheim
• 8GB RAM: 30+ Minecraft, modded servers, ARK
• 16GB RAM: Large modpacks, Rust, multiple servers

VPS vs. Dedicated Server for Gaming?

A VPS works for most small-medium servers. Dedicated servers (Hetzner, OVH) are better for:

• 50+ concurrent players
• Heavy modpacks
• Games like Rust or ARK at scale

Can I run multiple game servers?

Yes! Size your VPS for total resource needs. Example:

• Minecraft (3GB) + Valheim (2GB) + Terraria (1GB) = 8GB VPS

How do I protect against DDoS?

• Use providers with built-in protection (OVH, Vultr)
• Hide your server IP where possible
• Consider Cloudflare Spectrum (paid) for serious attacks

What about mods and plugins?

Full control is the VPS advantage:

• Minecraft: Install Fabric/Forge/Paper freely
• Any game: Full file system access
• No mod restrictions or extra fees

Conclusion

For game servers, choose based on your needs:

✅ Hostinger at $4.99/mo — Best value for Minecraft, Valheim, smaller servers
✅ Contabo at €4.99/mo — Best specs for demanding games (ARK, Rust, modded MC)
✅ OVH Game at €5.99/mo — Best DDoS protection for competitive gaming

Start with what you need, monitor performance, and scale up as your community grows. Your server, your rules, your mods.