How to Host a Palworld Server for Free (and the Catches)

You can host a Palworld server for free three ways: share a co-op invite code from your own game, run Pocketpair's free dedicated server (PalServer, Steam app 2394010) on a PC you leave on, or get a real hosted server paid for with GamezServers credits. The software is free, but Palworld is a heavy server: Pocketpair recommends 16 GB of RAM, it needs UDP port 8211 open, and its memory use grows the longer it runs. Here are the options with their honest catches.

Can you host Palworld for free?

Yes. PalServer is free from Pocketpair and downloads through SteamCMD without a game license. Every player still needs their own copy of Palworld.

Option 1: co-op with an invite code

The easiest free way to play with up to 3 friends:

1. Start or load your world with multiplayer allowed.
2. On the menu screen, reveal the invite code with the eye icon and share it.
3. Friends choose Join Multiplayer Game (Invite Code) and paste it.

The catch: the world only exists while the host plays, and it holds 4 players in total. Base Pals stop working when the host logs off, so nothing gets crafted or farmed overnight. How to play Palworld with friends compares co-op and dedicated servers.

Option 2: run PalServer yourself

A dedicated server keeps your world online without a host, holds up to 32 players and keeps base Pals working while everyone is offline. It runs on Windows and Linux.

What PC do you need?

Pocketpair also recommends a CPU with 4 or more cores and a fast SSD, and warns that slow storage can corrupt saves. PalServer boots on 8 GB, but out of memory crashes are more likely. On top of that comes the game itself if you play on the same PC, which is why most gaming PCs struggle to do both. Details in Palworld server requirements.

Set it up in five steps

1. Install SteamCMD and download the server:

steamcmd +login anonymous +app_update 2394010 validate +quit

2. Run it once (PalServer.exe on Windows, ./PalServer.sh on Linux) so it creates its folders, then stop it.
3. Create the settings file by copying DefaultPalWorldSettings.ini into Pal/Saved/Config/WindowsServer/ (or LinuxServer/) as PalWorldSettings.ini, then set ServerName, ServerPassword, AdminPassword and CrossplayPlatforms.
4. Open UDP port 8211 on your router to the server PC and allow PalServer through the firewall. See how to port forward a game server.
5. Start it with PalServer.exe -port=8211 -players=16, adding -publiclobby so Xbox and PS5 players can find it in the community server list.

Steam players can type your-ip:8211 into the box at the bottom of the server list. The full walkthrough is how to make a Palworld server, and how to transfer a Palworld co-op save to a dedicated server brings your existing world.

What are the catches of hosting Palworld for free?

• Memory. PalServer has a long known memory leak: memory climbs with uptime until a restart. You need headroom and a restart schedule, every 6 to 8 hours for most servers. See Palworld server lag and memory fix.
• Electricity. A PC that runs 24/7 so Pals keep working uses real power. At 150 W that is about 108 kWh a month, roughly 18 USD at 0.17 USD per kWh.
• CGNAT. If your provider uses CGNAT, port 8211 cannot be forwarded and friends cannot connect.
• Updates. Players and server must be on the same version. After every patch, run SteamCMD again or everyone gets a version mismatch.
• Your home IP and upload. Everyone who joins sees your IP, and slow upload causes rubber banding.

Are there free Palworld server hosts?

Not ones that last. A Palworld world needs 12 to 16 GB of RAM or more, which is expensive to give away, so free offers tend to come with tight time limits, small RAM that crashes as bases grow, queues or ads. Read is free game server hosting safe before trusting one with a world you care about.

Option 3: a real Palworld server paid with credits

This is how to get a hosted Palworld server without paying cash. Every GamezServers account gets a share link from the dashboard in one click, and it earns credits:

• 5 cents for every person who clicks the link, counted once a day per person.
• 10 USD in credits for every person who clicks the link and subscribes, once per person. Anyone counts, not just friends.

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.

What you get: a real dedicated Palworld server with DDoS protection, backups, a live console and a file manager, live in about 60 seconds. Common PalWorldSettings.ini options are panel settings, an Update on start setting keeps it on the same version as your players, and by default it saves and restarts itself with a two minute warning every 8 hours to clear the memory leak.

Palworld is one of the bigger games to fund with credits. Three people who click your link and subscribe cover a month of the 12 GB plan, and 150 clicks cover a 3 day weekend. A Discord community or a stream audience gets there faster than a small friend group. See how game server credits work and free game servers.

Other cheap ways to host Palworld

• Split the bill. Up to 10 friends each pay their own share, plus a 1 USD fee per share. The 16 GB plan split ten ways is about 5 USD each.
• Half price first month. Your first subscription gets 50% off the first month.
• Prepaid rentals for a weekend with friends. See cheap game server hosting.

Plans and checkout are on Palworld server hosting.

FAQ

Is the Palworld dedicated server free?

Yes. PalServer is free on Steam as app 2394010 and downloads through SteamCMD with an anonymous login.

What port does a Palworld server use?

UDP 8211 by default, set with -port=. It is the only port you need to forward for players.

How much RAM does a Palworld server need?

Pocketpair recommends 16 GB. Plan on 12 GB for up to 8 players and 24 GB or more for a busy 32 player world.

Can I host a Palworld server on my gaming PC?

You can, but the server needs 12 to 16 GB on top of what the game uses, and the PC must stay on for the world to stay online.

How many people can join a free Palworld co-op world?

Four in total, including the host. A dedicated server holds up to 32.