A CS2 practice server for your whole team
Learn smokes together, then scrim on the same server.
A CS2 practice server is a private server where your team runs grenade lineups, executes and scrims with cheats only on that server. The 4 GB Starter plan covers a full 5v5 for $9.99 a month, and our free practice config tool writes the prac.cfg for you.
Staying longer? Subscribe and get 50% off your first month
- DDoS protected
- 24/7 support
- Live the moment you pay
- Split the billUp to 10 friends, own cards
- Custom plansAny RAM up to 32 GB
- Rent once or subscribe3 days to 1 year
- Live in 60 secondsNo setup, no waiting
- Cancel any timeNo contracts, ever
Built for practice nights
Why practice on a server instead of offline?
An offline practice map works for one player. Utility is a team skill: one player throws the smoke, another checks it from the site, and the entry needs to see the flash land. A server lets all five of you learn the same lineups in the same session.
Practice commands need sv_cheats 1, and that only applies on the server where it is on. It has no effect on anyone's Premier or matchmaking account. Set a join password and the server stays private to your team.
What goes in a CS2 practice config?
Our free CS2 practice config tool, at gamezservers.com/tools/cs2-practice-config, builds the file in seconds. Tick what you want: infinite ammo, grenade trajectories with a landing preview, every grenade at once, buy anywhere with endless money, rounds that never end, instant respawn and bullet impacts. Copy the commands or download prac.cfg.
Upload the file to game/csgo/cfg in the Files tab, then type exec prac in the panel console. Map changes load the game mode settings again, so run exec prac after each one. Binds like noclip and sv_rethrow_last_grenade go in your own game console, and getpos and setpos save a lineup spot your team can share.
Bots, retakes and Workshop maps
Bots are good for pre aim and trade drills. bot_add_t or bot_add_ct adds one, bot_stop 1 freezes them, and bot_place puts a bot where you are looking. The panel has a Kick all bots button for when they wander through your lineups.
Aim and prefire maps load from the Steam Workshop by ID with the Workshop map button, and players get the map when they connect. Want practice mode from chat instead of the console? Upload Metamod and CounterStrikeSharp with the file manager and add a match plugin with its own practice mode.
From practice to a real scrim
When practice is over, run sv_cheats 0, exec gamemode_competitive and mp_restartgame 1, and you are playing proper competitive rules. Save those three lines as match.cfg and flip between exec prac and exec match.
The server starts in competitive mode with VAC on. Change map, restart the match, end warmup and pause or unpause from panel buttons, so whoever is running the scrim never has to type an rcon command. Every server gets its Steam game server token from us when it is set up.
Is 4 GB enough for a practice server?
For a 5v5, yes. CS2 cares more about CPU speed than memory, and Starter gives you 4 GB and 10 slots. Move to 6 GB if you add a stack of plugins or invite a second team regularly. After 4 days with nobody on, the server is saved and stopped, and anyone with access starts it again in one click.
Pick your CS2 plan
Every plan is live the moment you pay. Upgrade or cancel from your dashboard any time.
Average Concurrent Players
2How many usually play at once.
Mods or plugins
Vanilla, as the game ships.
Try It Out
3 daysAbout $0.83 a day. Nothing renews.
Like it? Switch to a subscription from your panel and keep your world.
- Up to 5 players
- Unlimited RAMThere is no RAM to pick. We size your server's memory to how many play and the mods you run, and adjust it when you raise your player count.
CS2 Phase
30 daysThen $9.99/mo. Cancel any time.
Split 3 ways: $2.16 each for the first month
- Up to 5 players
- Unlimited RAMThere is no RAM to pick. We size your server's memory to how many play and the mods you run, and adjust it when you raise your player count.
The Legend
1 yearBilled $39.96 for your first year, then $79.92 a year.
You save $74.92 over a year of monthly payments
Split 3 ways: $1.15 each a month
- Up to 5 players
- Unlimited RAMThere is no RAM to pick. We size your server's memory to how many play and the mods you run, and adjust it when you raise your player count.
- Every plan:
- Always on DDoS protection
- 24/7 support from real people
- Low ping game hardware
- Live the moment you pay
CS2 server hosting at a glance
| Price | From $2.50 for 3 days with no subscription. Monthly plans from $9.99, cancel any time, 50% off your first month for new customers |
|---|---|
| Plans | 4 GB (10 slots), 6 GB (16 slots), 8 GB (32 slots) |
| Players | Up to 32 player slots |
| Platform | PC |
| Mods | Metamod:Source, CounterStrikeSharp, Steam Workshop maps |
| Paying together | Split the bill with up to 10 friends, everyone pays their own share |
What comes set up on a CS2 server
Free prac.cfg tool
Pick your practice options and download a ready prac.cfg for game/csgo/cfg.
Private to your team
A join password keeps the server yours. Cheats only apply on this server.
Panel buttons for scrims
Change map, restart the match, end warmup and pause without rcon.
Workshop maps by ID
Load aim and prefire maps from the Steam Workshop, players get them on join.
Split it five ways
Each player pays their own share from a link, plus a $1 fee per share.
A look inside CS2
Real screenshots from the game. Click any of them to see it full size.
This is the panel. Click around.
This is the CS2 panel you get. Click any button, or type a command.
CS2 Server
play.gamezservers.com:27015
[12:00:00] Starting Counter-Strike 2 server
[12:00:03] Loading world
[12:00:06] Server started on port 27015
[12:00:09] Ready for players. Try a button.
Power
CS2 actions
How to join your CS2 server
- 1
In Counter-Strike 2, open Settings, then Game, and set Enable Developer Console to Yes.
- 2
Press the ~ key to open the console.
- 3
If your server has a password, type password followed by it and press Enter.
- 4
Type connect
203.0.113.24:27015and press Enter.
Common problems
The console will not open
Turn on Enable Developer Console under Settings, Game first. The ~ key is just below Esc.
Kicked straight back to the menu
If the server has a password, type password followed by it before the connect command.
Server version mismatch after an update
Valve updates CS2 often. The owner restarts the server so it updates too, then everyone can join again.
Server not responding
Make sure the server is online. Servers sleep after 4 days with nobody playing, and anyone with access can start them again from the dashboard in one click.
Use the server address
Do not use localhost, 127.0.0.1 or your own IP from a home hosting guide. Copy the exact address of the server.
No port forwarding or firewall changes
Opening ports on your router is only for hosting a server at home, so there is nothing to change to join this one. If Windows asks whether to let the game through the firewall, choose Allow.
Common questions
How much does a CS2 server cost?
CS2 servers start at $2.50 for 3 days, with no subscription. Monthly plans are 4 GB for up to 5 players at $9.99, 6 GB for up to 8 players at $14.99 and 8 GB for up to 16 players at $19.99. Pay monthly or prepaid, split the bill with friends, and cancel any time.
Does sv_cheats on my server affect my account?
No. sv_cheats only applies on the server where it is on and has no effect on your Premier or matchmaking account.
How do I load a practice config on the server?
Upload prac.cfg to game/csgo/cfg in the Files tab, then type exec prac in the panel console. Run it again after every map change.
Why does exec prac say the file is not found?
The file is not in game/csgo/cfg, or it was saved as prac.cfg.txt. Check the exact name in the file manager.
Can we scrim on the same server?
Yes. Run sv_cheats 0, exec gamemode_competitive and mp_restartgame 1 to go back to competitive rules, then use the panel to change maps and restart the match.
Do we need a Steam game server token?
Every CS2 server needs its own token so players can join, and we make it for you when the server is set up.
Can we add a practice plugin?
Yes. Upload Metamod and CounterStrikeSharp with the file manager, then a match plugin with a practice mode that players start from chat.
Do I need a Steam game server token?
Every CS2 server needs its own GSLT so players can find and join it, and we make it for you when the server is set up. You do not need to create one or paste anything.
Is 4 GB enough?
For a 5v5 it is plenty. Go up for community servers with plugins.
Can I play Workshop maps?
Yes. Load any Workshop map by its ID with host_workshop_map and the server downloads it for you. Players get the map when they connect.
Can my friends and I split the cost?
Yes. At checkout choose "Me and my friends" and up to 10 people each pay their own share with their own card, on any plan length, from 3 days to a year. It is not a payment plan: nobody pays in parts over time, each friend simply pays their own share. You pay yours, send each friend their link, and the server starts straight away. Each share includes a $1 payment fee.
Can I build a custom plan?
Yes. Every game has a Build your own page: pick any amount of RAM up to 32 GB, any length from 3 days to 1 year, prepaid or a subscription, plus your server type and settings. A custom size costs 15% more per GB than the standard plans next to it.
Can I pay once instead of a subscription?
Yes. Pick Prepaid and pay once for 3 days, 30 days, 6 months or a year. Nothing renews: when the time is up the server pauses and keeps its world for 14 days. Add time or switch to a subscription from your panel any time. Short rentals cost more per day, since every server is set up from scratch.
How fast is setup, really?
Your server starts building the moment Stripe confirms payment. Most are online in under a minute, and the address and login appear on your dashboard automatically.
CS2 server guides
CS212 min readHow to Host a CS2 Server: Hosted, Self Hosted or Free (2026)
Host a CS2 server three ways: hosted in a minute with the GSLT done, self hosted with SteamCMD app 730 and port 27015, or a free Practice lobby.
ReadCS24 min readCS2 Server Hosting Cost: Scrims, Retakes and Community Servers
What a Counter-Strike 2 server costs per month for 5v5 scrims, practice, retakes, deathmatch or surf, the 2 USD a head 10 man split, and what is free.
ReadCS25 min readCS2 Server Not Showing in the Community Server Browser? Fixes
Your CS2 server runs but nobody can find it in the Community Server Browser. Check the GSLT, sv_lan, ports, filters and listing delay.
ReadCS25 min readHow to Set Up a Map Rotation on a CS2 Server (Map Groups)
Make a CS2 server cycle through your own map list with a map group in gamemodes_server.txt, end of match voting, or a Workshop collection.
ReadCS25 min readCS2 Metamod Not Loading After Update? Fix "Unknown command meta
CS2 plugins stopped after an update and meta list says Unknown command? Fix gameinfo.gi, update Metamod and CounterStrikeSharp, and stop it happening again.
ReadCS25 min readCS2 Rush Hour Update (September 2026): What Servers Need
The CS2 Rush Hour update landed on 22 September 2026: 3v3 Rush mode, Premier map picks, new crosshairs and a grenade limit fix. What it means for servers.
Read
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Learn smokes together, then scrim on the same server.
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