Updated 4 November 2026
Short answer: for one game server, game hosting is cheaper and less work. A 4 GB Valheim server costs €4.99 per month paid per quarter (a 4 GB Minecraft server €4.19) and comes with SparkPanel, one-click mods and a nightly backup. A VPS S with the same 4 GB costs €7.99 per month, and you install, update, secure and back up the game server yourself. A VPS is the better pick when you want to run several things at once, a game we don't offer as a plan, or software that needs root access.
Price per game, side by side
| What you want to run | Game hosting (paid per quarter) | VPS S (paid per quarter) |
|---|---|---|
| Minecraft, 4 GB | €4.19/month | €7.99/month |
| Valheim, 4 GB | €4.99/month | €7.99/month |
| Terraria, 1 GB | €1.09/month | €7.99/month |
| Rust, 8 GB | €7.19/month | Not enough memory: VPS S has 4 GB |
| Palworld, 8 GB | €12.09/month | Not enough memory: VPS S has 4 GB |
Prices include 21% VAT, from our price list on 2 November 2026. Monthly billing is €0.30 per month more (€0.10 for Minecraft Java 1 GB).
What game hosting does for you
- Installs and updates the game server; on many games one click or a restart is enough.
- SparkPanel for console, files, settings, schedules and backups, also on your phone.
- Mods in one click for Minecraft (Modrinth), Valheim (Thunderstore), Terraria (tModLoader) and Rust (Oxide or Carbon).
- An encrypted nightly backup at a separate location, plus backup slots you control.
- Servers in Helsinki (Finland) and Falkenstein (Germany), with a firewall and basic DDoS protection from the data center.
What a VPS asks of you
- Install the game server yourself, usually with SteamCMD or the game's own download, and keep it updated after every patch.
- Write a service so it starts at boot and restarts after a crash.
- Open the right ports in the firewall and keep the system secure: see first steps on a new VPS.
- Make your own backups to another location: see back up your VPS with restic. A VPS has no backups included.
When a VPS is the better choice
- You want several small servers at once, for example a Discord bot, a website and a Terraria server, all on 4 GB RAM and 2 vCPU.
- You want a game or tool that isn't in our game list and runs on Linux.
- You want root access to learn Linux, run Docker, or set up a VPN.
When game hosting is the better choice
- You want to play tonight, not set up a server.
- The game needs more than 4 GB, such as Rust or a big Palworld world.
- Friends should be able to restart it or change settings without SSH: you can give them access in SparkPanel.
Frequently asked questions
Is a VPS or game server hosting better for a game server? For one game server, game hosting: it is cheaper (a 4 GB server from €3.69 per month paid per quarter versus €7.99 for a VPS S) and includes the panel, mods and backups. A VPS is better for several services at once or software that needs root access.
Can I run a Minecraft server on a VPS? Yes. VPS S has 4 GB RAM and 2 vCPU, enough for a Paper server for a group of friends. You install Java, the server and a service yourself, and you make your own backups.
Can I run Rust on a 4 GB VPS? Not well. A Rust server needs more memory than 4 GB, especially around a wipe. Our Rust plan has 8 GB for €7.19 per month paid per quarter.
Does a VPS include backups? No. Game servers get a nightly backup from us; on a VPS you set up backups yourself.
Where are the servers? Game servers run in Helsinki (Finland) and Falkenstein (Germany); VPSes run in Nuremberg (Germany).