Project Zomboid · Buyer’s guide

Best Project Zomboid server hosting: how to choose

Project Zomboid servers need more memory than most, run on Java, and live or die by their Steam Workshop mods. Build 42 adds a choice older guides never had to make. Here is what to check before you pay anyone, us included.

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Three ways to run a Project Zomboid server

Before you compare hosts, it’s worth knowing you might not need one. Here is how the three ways to play Project Zomboid with friends compare.

Host from your game

Choose Host on the main menu.

Cost
Free
Friends can play without you
Only while the host plays
Who can join
Friends you invite through Steam
What you do
None, but the host’s PC runs the server and the game at once

Run the free server yourself

The dedicated server is free and installs from Steam.

Cost
Free, plus a computer that stays on
Friends can play without you
While that computer is on
Who can join
Anyone with the address, once your router forwards the ports
What you do
You set Java’s memory limit, update mods and keep backups yourself

Rent a server

A dedicated Project Zomboid server in a data center, with a panel to run it.

Cost
From $23.99 a month, or $29.99 a month for the Grove 10 GB we recommend
Friends can play without you
Always, napping when empty and waking when someone joins
Who can join
Anyone on the same build as the server, by address or from the public list
What you do
None to install. Updates, backups and DDoS protection are handled

What to look for in a Project Zomboid host

These are the things that matter for Project Zomboid in particular. Each one says why, links the guide with the details, and says honestly what Wilderack does about it.

  1. RAM for your mod list

    About 8 GB suits a few friends with no mods, 10 GB mods or up to 10 players, and 12 to 16 GB bigger groups or long mod lists. Build 42 needs about a third more than Build 41. Project Zomboid server performance tips

    YesOn Wilderack: We recommend Grove 10 GB and sell Project Zomboid from Grove 8 GB. Java’s memory limit is set from your plan for you.

  2. Build 41 or 42, your choice

    Build 42 is the current stable version. Many Build 41 mods don’t work on it, and worlds can’t move between the two builds. How to make a Project Zomboid server

    YesOn Wilderack: Pick either build for your server, and keep a world on each, switching between them in Games.

  3. Workshop mods that just work

    Project Zomboid mods come from the Steam Workshop, and the game downloads them for each player when they join. How to add mods to a Project Zomboid server

    YesOn Wilderack: Add Workshop items in the Mods tab. They update themselves every time the server starts, and the tab writes Build 42’s mod IDs correctly.

  4. Backups that hold everything

    On a server, characters, accounts and the world are all stored on the server, so one backup holds everyone’s progress. Project Zomboid server backups and moving your world

    YesOn Wilderack: A safe copy every time the server sleeps and every 10 minutes while it runs. Restore any of them yourself.

  5. Listed when you want strangers

    The server only shows in the public list when Public is on and it is awake. How to connect to your Project Zomboid server

    With a catchOn Wilderack: Joining by address always works and wakes a sleeping server. A public server should stay awake to stay listed.

What a cheap Project Zomboid server costs

A cheap server is one with enough memory for your group, not the lowest price on a page. These are the plans we sell for Project Zomboid, with the group size each one suits.

Project Zomboid plans by group size
GroupPlanMonthly3-day pass
Up to 8 playersGrove 8 GB$23.99$4.85
Up to 24 players, moddedGrove 12 GB$35.99$7.25
Up to 32 players, moddedWorld tree 16 GB$47.99$9.65
Up to 64 players, moddedWorld tree 24 GB$71.99$14.45

Monthly plans renew at the price shown, and you can cancel any time. A 3-day pass is a one-time payment that doesn’t renew. Prices in US dollars + applicable taxes.

Plans start at Grove 8 GB because Project Zomboid needs about 8 GB for a few friends without mods. Driving and players spread across the map load more of it at once, so size up for a bigger group.

Part of why the price is low: your server naps when nobody is playing, so you don’t pay for hours of an empty world. Your world and settings stay exactly as you left them.

Where Wilderack falls short

No host is right for every group. These are the reasons we might not be the one for yours.

  • A sleeping server drops out of the public list. Strangers can only find it while it is awake, so a public server should stay awake.
  • Two regions so far: Europe and US East. Groups in Asia, Oceania or South America will have higher ping than with a host nearby.
  • We are new, so we can’t show you years of uptime yet. A 3-day pass is the cheap way to try us first.

How we checked

The facts about Project Zomboid come from our own Project Zomboid guides, which our team checks against The Indie Stone’s documentation and patch notes, listed under Sources below. The facts about Wilderack come from our plans and the panel. Prices are read from our price list when this page is built, so they match the plans page. If something here is out of date, email support@wilderack.com and we will fix it.

Questions

How much RAM does a Project Zomboid server need?

About 8 GB for a few friends with no mods, 10 GB with mods or up to 10 players, and 12 to 16 GB for bigger groups or long mod lists. Build 42 needs about a third more than Build 41.

Does time pass on my Project Zomboid server while it sleeps?

No. The whole world is paused while the server sleeps, so zombies don’t move and crops don’t grow. It carries on from the same moment when someone joins.

Can a Build 41 player join a Build 42 server?

No. Everyone must run the same build as the server. To play on a Build 41 server, pick the legacy41 branch under Game Versions and Betas in the game’s Steam properties.

Sources we checked

  1. Build 42 stable plansThe Indie Stone
  2. Dedicated serverPZwiki (official Project Zomboid wiki)
  3. Admin commandsPZwiki (official Project Zomboid wiki)
  4. Server settingsPZwiki (official Project Zomboid wiki)
  5. Tech support (server memory)PZwiki (official Project Zomboid wiki)
  6. Build 42.21 stable releasedThe Indie Stone
  7. B42 checklist (switching to Build 41)The Indie Stone
  8. Modding policyThe Indie Stone
  9. ModsPZwiki (official Project Zomboid wiki)
  10. Project Zomboid WorkshopSteam

The guides behind this page

See the Project Zomboid plans

Every plan includes backups, DDoS protection and a free address, and you can swap games any time.

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