Game Server Add Ons That Should Be Free (and Ones Worth Paying For)

Backups, DDoS protection, SFTP access, a console, a subdomain and the ability to install your own mods should come free with any paid game server, because they cost the host very little and you cannot run a server safely without them. Setup fees should not exist on a monthly game server. Things that can fairly cost extra are a dedicated IP address, extra off site backup storage, extra databases beyond a basic one, and premium support or managed setup work.

Add ons are where a cheap plan turns into an expensive one. Here is each common extra, what it costs the host, and whether you should pay for it.

Quick verdict table

Add on	Should it be free?	Why
Backups	Yes	Losing a world is the main risk of a server.
DDoS protection	Yes	Done at the network edge for every customer.
SFTP and file manager	Yes	You cannot upload worlds or mods without them.
Live console	Yes	Basic admin tool.
Subdomain (play.host.com style)	Yes	A DNS record costs nothing.
Mod and plugin uploads	Yes	It is just files.
One MySQL database	Usually	Small cost; needed by FiveM and many plugins.
Setup fee	No	Setup is automated on modern hosts.
Dedicated IP	Can be paid	IPv4 addresses are scarce and cost money.
Extra off site backup storage	Can be paid	Real storage cost.
Your own domain	Your cost, not the host's	You buy it from a registrar.
Done for you setup	Can be paid	It is a person's time.

Backups

Should be free. A backup is a compressed copy of your server files stored somewhere else. The storage costs a host very little for a typical world, and the support cost of customers losing worlds is far higher.

Watch for: "backups available" that turn out to be one manual slot, backups kept on the same disk as the server, or automatic backups only on higher tiers. Even with backups included, keep your own copy now and then. See how to back up a game server.

DDoS protection

Should be free. Filtering happens at the network level before traffic reaches any one server, so charging per server for it is mostly a pricing choice. Game servers are a common target, and an unprotected one can knock out your group's evening. Read DDoS protection for game servers explained for what it does and does not stop.

Be wary of "basic" protection free and "advanced" protection paid with no explanation of the difference.

SFTP, file manager and console

Should be free. These are how you upload a world, edit a config or install a mod. A host that charges for FTP access or locks the config files behind a higher plan is charging for basic control. See what is SFTP for game servers.

Subdomains

Should be free. A subdomain like yourname.host.example is a single DNS record. Some hosts sell them as a "custom address" add on, which is hard to justify.

If you want your own domain, buy it from a registrar and add an SRV or A record yourself. That is a yearly cost you pay the registrar, not the host.

MySQL databases

One should usually be included. FiveM frameworks like QBCore and ESX need MySQL or MariaDB through oxmysql. Minecraft plugins like LuckPerms or CoreProtect can use MySQL but also work with built in local storage. A small database costs the host very little. Charging for a fifth database is fair, charging for the first one when the game needs it is not.

We cover when you really need one in does a game server need a MySQL database.

Mod installers and plugin uploads

Uploading mods should always be free. Mods are files. If you can use SFTP, you can install them. A one click installer is a convenience, but locking mods themselves behind a paid tier is charging for files you already have.

Setup fees

Should not exist on a monthly plan. Installing a game server is automated: the host runs SteamCMD or downloads the server jar, writes a config and starts it. There is no technician at a keyboard. Setup fees are a leftover from when that work was manual.

The honest version of a setup cost is a higher price per day on very short rentals, since every server still has to be created and installed. That should be built into the rental price and shown up front.

Dedicated IPs

Can fairly cost extra. IPv4 addresses are limited and hosts pay for them. Most game servers work perfectly on a shared IP with their own port. You only need a dedicated IP in a few cases, covered in dedicated IP vs shared IP for a game server.

Premium support and managed setup

Can fairly cost extra. Basic support for the hosting itself should be included. Having someone build your modpack, write your configs or set up your FiveM framework for you is real work and can be a paid service.

How to price a plan with add ons

real monthly price = plan price + every add on you need
real price per GB = real monthly price / GB of RAM

A 7.99 plan that needs a 2.00 backup add on and a 3.00 IP add on is really a 12.99 plan. Our guide on a fair price per GB of RAM shows how to compare like for like.

What is included on GamezServers

Every GamezServers plan includes one click backups, always on DDoS protection, a file manager and SFTP, the live console, every setting from the game's server template in the control panel, its own address, and 24/7 support by email. There are no setup fees and no contracts. You pay for RAM at about 2.50 USD per GB a month and that is it. Start from the games page or see what a cheap game server looks like without the extras.

The world of FiveM

FAQ

Is a setup fee normal for a game server?

Not anymore. Game server installs are automated. If a host charges one on a monthly plan, ask what work it covers.

Should I pay for DDoS protection on a private friends server?

You should not have to. Any server with a public address can be attacked, private or not, and protection should be part of the plan.

Do I need to pay for a subdomain?

No. A subdomain should be free, and your own domain costs only the registrar fee.

Are automatic backups worth paying extra for?

If your host does not include them, yes, or set up your own. But the better move is a host that includes them.