Free Game Server Hosting for Friends: 4 Ways That Work

The cheapest way to host a game server for a group of friends is usually one of four things: host from inside the game, run the free dedicated server on a PC at home, get a real server paid for with GamezServers credits, or split a real server so everyone pays a couple of dollars. Each one is free or nearly free, and each has a different catch. This guide walks through them so your group can pick.

Short answer

1. Host from inside the game

Most survival and co-op games let one player host and others join, with no server at all:

• Minecraft: Open to LAN for the same network, or a mod like e4mc for friends online.
• Valheim: tick Start server when you load a world. Up to 10 players.
• Palworld: share the co-op invite code. Up to 4 players.
• Terraria: Host and Play, with friends joining through Steam.

The catch: the world only exists while the host is playing. When they log off, everyone else is kicked, and nobody can play until they come back. The host's PC also does the server work on top of running the game. Some games, like Rust, have no co-op mode at all. Do you need a dedicated server to play with friends explains when this is enough.

2. Run the dedicated server on a home PC

Every game we host ships a free dedicated server program. If one friend has a PC that can stay on, the server runs on its own and anyone can join, even when the host is offline.

What it really takes:

• A PC that stays on. A gaming desktop left on all month can add 10 to 20 USD to a power bill. An old laptop or mini PC costs much less.
• Port forwarding. Friends outside the house need a port forwarded on the router. It does not work behind CGNAT. See how to port forward a game server.
• Updates. After every game patch, the host updates the server or nobody can join.
• A shared home IP. Everyone who joins sees it. Fine among close friends, less so with strangers. See is hosting a game server at home safe.

Game guides: Minecraft, Valheim, Palworld, Rust and Terraria.

3. A real server paid for with share link credits

This option gives your group a proper server without anyone paying cash. Every GamezServers account gets a share link from the dashboard in one click, and the link earns credits:

• 5 cents for every person who clicks it, counted once a day per person.
• 10 USD in credits for every person who clicks it and subscribes, once per person.

Anyone counts, not just your friends. Post the link in your Discord, your group chat, a video description or a forum, and everyone who clicks adds credits. Credits are money for servers, not a discount. They come off your bills automatically, and once they cover a server, which can be a few days of a small prepaid one, you can get it with credits alone and no card. They have no cash value outside GamezServers.

Here is the trick for friend groups: everyone in the group can have their own link. Five friends sharing their links in five different places earn credits five times as fast, and each of them can put their credits toward the server they play on together, or toward their own.

What the group gets: a real dedicated server with DDoS protection, backups, a live console and a file manager, live in about 60 seconds, with its own address and nothing to forward.

What it costs in credits:

More in how game server credits work and on our free game servers page.

4. Split a real server

If you would all rather chip in, splitting makes a paid server cost about the same as a snack. At checkout choose Split with friends and pick 2 to 10 people. Each friend gets a link and pays their own share by card, plus a 1 USD fee per share. Nobody pays for anyone else.

New customers also get 50% off the first month of a first subscription. See how to split the cost of a game server with friends.

For groups that only play on weekends, a short prepaid rental is the lowest price on the site and never renews. See cheap game server hosting.

How to choose as a group

Ask three questions:

1. Do you always play at the same time? If yes, hosting from the game may be enough. If people play at different times, you need a server.
2. Does anyone have a PC that can stay on? If yes and they enjoy tinkering, a home server is free.
3. Do you have somewhere to share a link? A Discord, a stream, a video or a busy group chat can pay for a real server with credits. If not, splitting is the fair option.

Bigger games change the answer. Minecraft, Terraria and Valheim are light and cheap to run anywhere. Palworld and Rust need 8 to 16 GB of RAM or more, which is a lot to ask of a home PC that someone also games on. The cheapest way to host a game server for friends goes game by game.

FAQ

What is the cheapest way to host a server for friends?

Free in cash: host from the game, run the server on a home PC, or pay with share link credits. If you all chip in, splitting a small server is often 2 to 4 USD each.

Can my friends earn credits too?

Yes. Every account has its own share link. Each friend earns 5 cents per person who clicks and 10 USD in credits per person who subscribes.

Do the people who click my link have to be my friends?

No. Anyone who clicks counts, including strangers who see your post or video.

How many friends can split one server?

Up to 10. Each pays an even share of the bill plus a 1 USD fee, by their own card.

Can we play when the host is offline?

Only on a dedicated server, at home or hosted. Worlds hosted from the game go offline when the host leaves.