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Game servers

Project Zomboid Server Hosting

A Project Zomboid dedicated server runs on Java, and its memory ceiling comes from the -Xmx parameter rather than the operating system. Giving the server 16 GB of RAM is therefore not enough on its own; you must explicitly state how much you hand to Java. The second factor is world persistence: every area players visit is written to disk and the save grows over time. The mod list then increases both RAM use and startup time directly.

What is a Project Zomboid server?

A Project Zomboid server hosts survival multiplayer in a persistent post-apocalyptic world. The server software is installed through SteamCMD and mods come from the Steam Workshop. The detail that shapes its resource profile is this: the world permanently saves every area players visit, and the zombie population is continuously simulated. So RAM needs grow with the size of the explored area and the number of active zombies, not with player count. A server played for a long time is far heavier than a fresh one at the same player count. Mods are common, and each one adds both memory use and startup time.

Recommended plan by player count

These values map one to one onto the VDS plan steps in our catalogue. Intermediate values can also be selected in the configurator.

PlayersRAMvCPUStorageIntel i9-10920XDDR4 · ValueRyzen 9 7950XDDR5 · PerformanceNote
1-168 GB460 GB₺1,270.00 / mo₺1,800.00 / moVanilla or a modest mod list. Keeping -Xmx in the 4-6 GB range is sufficient.
16-4016 GB6120 GB₺2,590.00 / mo₺3,570.00 / moA server with 50-100 mods, a long-lived world, a widely explored map and regular backups.
40+32 GB8200 GB₺4,850.00 / mo₺6,680.00 / moHigh player counts with a heavy mod list. Single-threaded zombie computation becomes the limit at this level.

The amounts in the table are the monthly net price of each processor option and match the calculation in the configurator. Billing period (3, 6, 12, 24 months) and extra resources are calculated in the configurator. The value option uses DDR4 memory, the performance option DDR5.

Prices exclude VAT (20%).

How to choose the hardware

A vanilla server runs at around 4 GB with 8-16 players. The mod list changes that quickly: 8-12 GB is normal on a server with 50-100 mods, because mods add both memory use and zombie simulation load. On the CPU side, zombie behaviour computation is largely single-threaded, so clock speed matters more than core count. On storage, the save folder grows as more of the map is explored; reaching 20-40 GB on a long-lived server is normal, so it is worth leaving comfortable headroom from the start.

Which processor family?

Most game servers run on a single thread, so per-core performance matters more than core count.

Intel i9-10920X

DDR4Value

The value option. DDR4 with 12 cores / 24 threads. On servers up to 16 players running vanilla or a modest mod list, its clearly lower per-resource pricing makes it the sensible pick.

Intel i9-10920X VDS plans

Ryzen 9 7950X

DDR5Performance

The performance option. Zen 4 with DDR5 and the highest single-core performance. Because Project Zomboid computes zombie behaviour largely on one thread, this is what determines tick time on a busy server.

Ryzen 9 7950X VDS plans

Setup steps

  1. 1Install with an Ubuntu 22.04 template and download the Project Zomboid dedicated server via SteamCMD (app 380870).
  2. 2Set the Java memory ceiling through the -Xmx value in ProjectZomboid64.json; what matters is the value you give Java, not the server's total RAM.
  3. 3Open UDP ports 16261 and 16262; UDP 8766-8767 are also needed to be listed through Steam.
  4. 4If you install mods, add Workshop IDs to WorkshopItems and mod IDs to the Mods line; mods will not load unless you set both.
  5. 5Set up automated backups; the world save is persistent and restoring is the only route if it becomes corrupted.
  6. 6Keep the server behind Fexwall; UDP floods on 16261 are absorbed at network level, on distributed nodes and the router.

Full step-by-step guide: how to set up a Project Zomboid server →

Common mistakes

  • Sizing RAM by player count. What decides is the explored area and the number of active zombies.
  • Leaving the zombie population setting at its default and scaling hardware instead. Tuning the population is often more effective.
  • Not planning for persistent world growth. Every visited area is written to disk and takes up real space over time.

Migrating from another provider

The order matters when moving a live server: back up the game files and the database on the old server, install the same version on the new one, import the database, then update the address your players connect to. Move the database last — if both servers stay online together for a while, player data splits in two and cannot be merged afterwards. Do not shut the old server down until the new one is verified.

If you get stuck on a step, open a support ticket; we help with the installation steps.

What is included at Datafex

Layered Fexwall DDoS protection is included free on every plan. Game traffic is protected at network level, from distributed nodes and the router through Fexwall's L4–L7 inspection; a CDN in front of HTTP does not protect the game's UDP traffic.

Every plan uses NVMe SSD. The database runs on the same machine as the game server, so storage latency turns directly into in-game stutter.

Servers are in Türkiye, at the DGN data centre in Bursa. Transit is 100 Gbps domestic and 10 Tbps international.

Setup completes automatically within minutes. Extra IPs, rDNS and firewall rules are managed from the customer panel.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much RAM does a Project Zomboid server need?
It depends on the player count. Our recommendations: 1-16 players: 8 GB RAM and 4 vCPU; 16-40 players: 16 GB RAM and 6 vCPU; 40+ players: 32 GB RAM and 8 vCPU. Pick the next tier up as mods, plugins and map size grow; you can upgrade RAM later from the customer panel without reinstalling.
How much does Project Zomboid server hosting cost?
Project Zomboid server plans start from ₺1,270/month + VAT with 8 GB RAM, 4 vCPU and NVMe storage. The price depends on the vCPU, RAM and disk you choose; the table on this page lists current monthly prices for the recommended plans by player count. Fexwall DDoS protection is included in every plan.
I added RAM to the server but nothing changed, why?
A Project Zomboid server runs on Java and the memory it can use is capped by the -Xmx parameter. Growing the server's RAM does not change that value by itself; you also need to raise the -Xmx line in ProjectZomboid64.json. This is the most common situation after an upgrade.
How much RAM does a mod list add?
As a rough measure, 50 mods roughly doubles the vanilla requirement. Map mods have the largest effect because each new region loaded grows both memory and storage. Planning for the 8-12 GB range is realistic on a server with 50-100 mods.
How large does the world save grow?
It depends on how much of the map is explored. Reaching 20-40 GB is normal on a long-lived server once players have covered most of the map. Storage growth can be requested from the panel, but shrinking storage is not supported in order to avoid data loss, so picking comfortable headroom from the start is better.

Configure your server

Pick the plan that matches your player count, choose the operating system and start provisioning within minutes.

Configure your Project Zomboid serverAll game servers

Other game servers

Games that run on the same infrastructure with comparable resource needs. Each page lists RAM, vCPU and storage guidance by player count.

Server hardware and the operating system are included; the game's server software and any game licence are NOT included — you obtain and install those yourself. Our guides walk through the setup.

Game names and logos are property of their respective owners. Datafex is not an official partner or authorised reseller of these games.