Discord music bot hosting with Lavalink (2026)

Updated 4 November 2026

A Discord music bot needs more than a normal bot: it decodes and streams audio to voice channels all day. Most music bots therefore use Lavalink, a separate Java audio server that wants 512 MB to 1 GB of memory on its own. That is why we recommend a VPS for a music bot: VPS S with 4 GB RAM and 2 vCPU costs €7.99 per month paid per quarter (€8.29 monthly) and runs Lavalink and your bot side by side.

Versions checked on 1 November 2026: Lavalink 4.2.2 (needs Java 17 or newer) and the youtube-source plugin 1.18.2, both on GitHub; wavelink 3.5.2 (Python, PyPI) and Shoukaku 4.3.0 (Node.js, npm) as client libraries.

Bot hosting or a VPS for music?

Prices include 21% VAT; bot hosting 2 GB is €22.99 per year, and there is no yearly option for the VPS. The VPS runs in Germany. Bot hosting runs one Node.js or Python process per plan, so it has no room for a Java Lavalink server next to your bot: Lavalink/Java music bots aren't supported on the Node.js/Python plans. Comparison in detail: bot hosting or a VPS?

Be honest about YouTube

YouTube actively blocks playback from servers in data centres, at every host. The youtube-source plugin works around this with options like OAuth or a poToken, but its own README warns that none of them is a guaranteed fix and that using an account can get that account blocked. Playback can stop working after a YouTube change until the plugin is updated. Sources like SoundCloud, Bandcamp, Twitch, direct links and your own files are usually less trouble. Also check the terms of the services you stream from.

Set it up on a VPS

1. Order VPS S on the VPS page with Ubuntu 24.04, and secure it first: SSH keys, firewall and updates.
2. Install Java for Lavalink: apt install -y openjdk-21-jre-headless.
3. Download Lavalink: put Lavalink.jar from the GitHub releases of lavalink-devs/Lavalink in its own folder, for example /home/lavalink, as a separate user.
4. Configure it in an application.yml next to the jar: set server.port (2333 is the usual one), a strong lavalink.server.password, and add the YouTube plugin under lavalink.plugins as dev.lavalink.youtube:youtube-plugin:1.18.2 with the built-in YouTube source turned off, as the plugin's README shows.
5. Keep Lavalink private. Your bot runs on the same VPS, so let Lavalink listen on 127.0.0.1 only (server.address) and don't open port 2333 in the firewall.
6. Run both with systemd: one service for java -Xmx1G -jar Lavalink.jar and one for your bot, both with Restart=always. The full service file is in Run a Discord bot 24/7 on a VPS with systemd.
7. Connect your bot with a Lavalink client: wavelink for discord.py, or Shoukaku or lavalink-client for discord.js. Point it at 127.0.0.1:2333 with your password.

How much does the VPS hold?

Lavalink with -Xmx1G plus a typical bot uses well under 2 GB, so VPS S leaves room for a second bot, a small database or a web dashboard. The VPS has no backups included: back up your bot code and database yourself with restic.

Frequently asked questions