RustHow to Host a Rust Server for Free (Honest 2026 Guide)
How to host a Rust server for free: the free RustDedicated server on your own PC, what it really needs, the ports, and a real server paid with credits.
Updated Oct 8, 2026 · 6 min read
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You can host a Rust server for free by running Facepunch's free dedicated server, RustDedicated (Steam app 258550), on a PC you own. Rust has no co-op mode, so this, a rented server, or a server paid for with GamezServers credits are the only ways to get your own world. The software costs nothing, but Rust is demanding: Facepunch lists 12 GB of free RAM and 15 GB of SSD space as a baseline, and the server has to stay on for the whole wipe. Here is how to do it and what it really costs.
Can you host Rust for free?
Yes. RustDedicated is free, runs on Windows and Linux, and downloads through SteamCMD without a Steam account. Every player still needs their own copy of Rust.
| Option | Cash cost | Online when you log off | Players | Effort |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RustDedicated on your gaming PC | Free, plus electricity | Only while the PC is on | A small group | An hour or so |
| RustDedicated on a spare PC | Free, plus electricity and hardware | Yes, if it stays on | Depends on hardware and upload | An hour or so |
| GamezServers paid with credits | Free once credits cover it | Yes | 25 to 100 on our plans | A few minutes |
There is no in game "host" button in Rust. Every multiplayer world, from three friends to a 200 player monthly, runs on a dedicated server.
What PC do you need to host Rust?
| Your server | RAM for the server |
|---|---|
| Small map around 3000, small group | 8 GB |
| Standard 4000 map, light plugins | 12 GB |
| Large or custom map, heavy plugin packs | 16 GB or more |
Rust simulates most of the world on one main thread, so a fast CPU core matters more than many cores. Use an SSD or NVMe drive, since every autosave writes the whole world and a slow disk freezes the server while it saves.
If you also play on the same PC, the Rust client wants a lot of memory too. A 16 GB PC cannot comfortably run both, and 32 GB is the realistic minimum. More in Rust server requirements.
Set up a free Rust server in five steps
- Install SteamCMD from Valve and download the server:
steamcmd +force_install_dir C:\rust-server +login anonymous +app_update 258550 validate +quit
- Create a start script with your launch options:
RustDedicated.exe -batchmode +server.port 28015 +server.queryport 28017 +server.level "Procedural Map" +server.seed 1234 +server.worldsize 3000 +server.maxplayers 10 +server.hostname "Our Rust Server" +server.identity "myserver" +rcon.port 28016 +rcon.password "change-this" +rcon.web 1 -logfile server.log
A smaller server.worldsize like 3000 uses less RAM and suits a friend group. On Linux, use ./RustDedicated with the same options.
- Start it and wait for the map to generate. The first start on a new seed takes a few minutes.
- Make yourself admin in the server console with
owneridfollowed by your SteamID64, thenserver.writecfg, then reconnect. - Open the ports on your router to the server PC:
| Port | Protocol | Used for |
|---|---|---|
| 28015 | UDP | Game traffic, required |
| 28017 | UDP | Server browser queries |
| 28016 | TCP | RCON, only if you manage the server remotely |
Friends connect from the in game console with client.connect your-ip:28015. The full guide, with plugins and wipes, is how to make a Rust server.
What are the catches of hosting Rust for free?
- It has to stay on all wipe. Rust worlds are built around wipes that last a week to a month. If your PC sleeps, the server is down and bases are open to nobody, including you.
- Electricity. A PC running around the clock at 150 W uses about 108 kWh a month, roughly 18 USD at 0.17 USD per kWh. A gaming PC under load uses more.
- RAM climbs through the wipe. Every wall, box and door is an entity, and memory grows with them. A server that is fine on day one can run short by the last week.
- Upload speed. Rust sends a lot of data per player. Home upload is often the first limit, well before RAM.
- Monthly force wipe. Facepunch updates Rust on the first Thursday of every month. You update the server, any plugin framework, and usually wipe the map. See how to update a Rust server on force wipe day.
- CGNAT and your home IP. Behind CGNAT you cannot port forward at all, and on a public Rust server your home IP is visible to every player, including people you have just raided.
Are there free Rust server hosts?
Not really. Rust needs 8 to 16 GB of RAM per server, which is too expensive for anyone to give away, so "free Rust hosting" offers are rare and usually too small to run a real map. Be careful with any that ask you to download software. See is free game server hosting safe.
A real Rust server paid with credits
If your PC cannot carry Rust, or you do not want it on all month, this is how to get a hosted 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, which suits Rust communities and streamers well.
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 Rust server with DDoS protection, backups, a live console and a file manager, live in about 60 seconds. Pick vanilla, Oxide or Carbon at checkout, and Rust and the framework update themselves on every restart, which makes force wipe day a restart.
| Plan | RAM | Fits | Price a month | 3 days prepaid |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starter | 8 GB | Small map around 3000, up to 25 players | 19.99 USD | about 5.00 USD |
| Standard | 12 GB | Standard 4000 map with light plugins, up to 50 | 29.99 USD | about 7.50 USD |
| Pro | 16 GB | Large or custom maps, heavy plugins, up to 100 | 39.99 USD | about 10.00 USD |
In credits, two people who subscribe through your link cover a month of the 8 GB plan, and 100 clicks cover a 3 day rental. See how game server credits work and free game servers.
Other cheap ways to run Rust
- Split the bill. Up to 10 friends each pay their own share, plus a 1 USD fee per share. The 12 GB plan split six ways is about 6 USD each.
- Half price first month. Your first subscription gets 50% off the first month.
- Prepaid rentals for a weekend wipe with friends. See cheap game server hosting.
Every plan is on Rust server hosting.
FAQ
Is the Rust dedicated server free?
Yes. RustDedicated is free on Steam as app 258550 and downloads through SteamCMD with an anonymous login.
Can you play Rust with friends without a server?
No. Rust has no co-op or listen server mode. Every multiplayer world runs on a dedicated server.
What ports does a Rust server need?
UDP 28015 for the game and UDP 28017 for the server browser. TCP 28016 only if you use RCON remotely.
How much RAM does a Rust server need?
About 8 GB for a small map, 12 GB for a standard 4000 map and 16 GB for large maps or heavy plugins. Memory grows through the wipe.
Can I run a Rust server and play on the same PC?
Yes, with enough memory. 32 GB of system RAM is the realistic minimum for both at once.
Skip the setup. Your own Rust server.
Then $19.99/mo. Just trying it? $5.00 for 3 days