Free Terraria Server Hosting: Best Free & Paid Options

Web Hosting Tips Updated on : December 4, 2025

If you want to play Terraria with friends, host a modded world, or run a small community server, you will need reliable Terraria server hosting. The good news? You don’t have to spend money to get started. In 2025, multiple platforms offer free Terraria hosting, and paid options are more powerful and affordable than ever. This guide covers the best free and paid hosting providers, how to host Terraria on your PC, and which option fits your needs.

What is Terraria Server Hosting?

Terraria server hosting is a service that allows players to run a dedicated multiplayer server for the 2D sandbox game Terraria, providing a stable, customizable, and persistent online world for friends or the public to join.

The server handles world generation, player positions, enemies, and events, while each player’s client handles rendering and input.

Terraria includes a dedicated server executable, so you can host worlds without running the full game client UI. Hosting can be done on your home PC, a rented VPS or dedicated server, or through specialized game hosting companies.

Free Terraria Server Hosting – Is It Possible?

Yes, you can host Terraria for free in two main ways: self‑hosting on your own PC or using limited free plans from specialized providers. Self‑hosting is “free” in terms of monthly fees, but you pay through electricity, bandwidth, and hardware wear, and you must keep your PC online for 24/7 uptime.

Some third‑party platforms offer free Terraria hosting with constrained RAM, storage, or renewal requirements, which can be enough for small friend groups or testing. These free tiers typically lack the performance guarantees, support response times, and resource headroom of paid plans.

Best Terraria Server Hosting Providers (Free – 2025)

Here are some of the most viable hosting providers (free and paid) available now for Terraria:

Free Terraria Hosting:

Provider	RAM	Storage	CPU	Renewal Requirement	Server Locations
Gaming4Free	128GB DDR4 at 3200 MHz	NVMe SSD	Intel Core I9-9900k	No renewal mentioned	Not specified
AxentHost	Up to 16GB (scalable)	Up to 20GB (NVME SSDs)	Scalable	Free credits system	Europe and North America
Squadnox	Up to 16GB	NVMe SSD	Up to 8 cores	No renewal mentioned	Not specified
Fps.ms	2GB	5GB	1 Core	24-hour (uptime), 28-day (data)	US and the Netherlands
Godlike.host	2GB	Not specified	Not specified	Add time feature (Needs to be extended every 3 hours)	Ukraine

1. Gaming4Free

Pricing: Absolutely Free

Gaming4Free is a free web-based game server hosting platform and doesn’t have an official mobile app on Google Play or the App Store. Since no dedicated app exists, there are no direct app-specific reviews or ratings available.

Gaming4Free positions itself as a completely free Terraria server hosting platform with 24/7 uptime at no cost. The service provides a user-friendly control panel that lets players add mods and configure server settings without technical expertise.

Gaming4Free emphasizes its community-driven approach and is committed to ensuring seamless gaming sessions for both seasoned Terraria veterans and newcomers exploring the pixel world.

Key Features:

• 24/7 server uptime with no downtime
• Intel Core i9-9900K processors with 128GB DDR4 RAM
• NVMe SSD storage for fast loading
• Easy-to-use control panel for mod management
• Free hosting with no hidden charges
• Community-driven support

2. AxentHost

• Pricing: Absolutely Free
• Rating According to Google Play Store: 3.0
• Rating According to Apple Play Store: 3.6

AxentHost offers free Terraria server hosting with no hidden costs or surprise fees, making it an excellent choice for budget-conscious players seeking reliability.

The platform features an intuitive and user-friendly interface that simplifies server setup and management for beginners while maintaining professional-grade capabilities for experienced users.

Key Features:

• Automated backups
• Completely free Terraria server hosting
• Scalable hardware up to 16GB RAM and 20GB storage
• DDoS protection for IP security
• 24/7 customer support
• Custom modded experience and plugin support
• Server locations in Europe and North America

3. Squadnox

• Pricing: Absolutely Free
• Rating According to Google Play Store: 2.6
• Rating According to Apple Play Store: 3.7

Squadnox Terraria hosting offers a mobile-first management system available on Android, iOS, Windows, macOS, and Linux. The service operates on an ad-supported model, requiring no payment from users while delivering powerful performance.

Squadnox handles all hardware management and automatic server installation, allowing players to focus purely on gameplay rather than technical configuration.

Key Features:

• Free hosting funded through non-intrusive ads
• Mobile app management (Android, iOS, Windows, macOS, Linux)
• Up to 8 CPU cores and 16GB RAM
• NVMe SSD storage for peak performance
• No artificial player slot limits
• tModLoader support for modded gameplay

4. Fps.ms

• Pricing: Free option available, paid version starts at €1.99/month

fps.ms is mainly a free web-based game server hosting platform and doesn’t have an official mobile app on Google Play or the App Store. Since no dedicated app exists, there are no direct app-specific reviews or ratings available.

Fps.ms offers a genuinely free Terraria server hosting experience with absolutely no credit card requirement, hidden charges, upsells, or trial period limitations. The free tier provides 2GB RAM, 1 CPU core, and 5GB storage, making it perfectly suited for casual gaming sessions with groups of 4-6 players online simultaneously.

Fps.ms offers global server locations in the US (Salt Lake City) and the Netherlands (The Hague) to minimize latency for players worldwide.

Key Features:

• Completely free with no credit card needed
• 2GB RAM, 1 CPU core, 5GB storage
• Unlimited player slots
• 24-hour renewal for uptime, 28-day for data retention
• File Manager and SFTP access
• Locations in the US (Salt Lake City) and the Netherlands (The Hague)
• Paid upgrades available (2GB plan from $2/month)

5. Godlike.host

• Pricing: Free version available, paid version starts at $7.99/month

Godlike.host is mainly a web-based game server hosting platform and doesn’t have an official mobile app on Google Play or the App Store. Since no dedicated app exists, there are no direct app-specific reviews or ratings available.

Godlike.host offers both free and premium Terraria server hosting solutions. The free Terraria server offers instant deployment and enough resources for small friend groups or short-term gameplay.

The free tier includes 8 player slots and 2 GB RAM, making it one of the more generous no-cost options available. However, the free server must be manually extended every 3 hours, and only limited control-panel features are available.

Despite these limitations, it’s a practical choice for players who want a no-cost, quick Terraria server with solid baseline performance.

Key Features:

• 8 slots
• 2 GB RAM
• Must be manually extended every 3 hours
• Limited panel features
• Only one location (Ukraine)
• Instant setup
• User-friendly control panel
• $0 – completely free

Paid Terraria Hosting Options:

Provider	Entry Price	RAM	Storage	Key Features	Mod Support
BisectHosting	$5.99/month	2GB	NVMe SSDs	24/7/365 support, supports 30 other games, auto updates	tMod 1.3.4 & 1.4.4, TShock and Vanilla
Nodecraft Lite	$5.96/month	2GB	SSD	Wake & Play, cloud backups, Instant game swapping	tModLoader, TShock
Hostinger	$4.99/month	4GB	50GB NVMe	AMD EPYC processors, free weekly backups, and an AI assistant	tModLoader

1. BisectHosting

• Pricing: starts at $5.99/month

BisectHosting specializes in performance-driven Terraria dedicated server hosting with comprehensive support for both vanilla and modded gameplay. The platform supports tMod 1.3.4 & 1.4.4, a complete TShock plugin ecosystem, and features a custom-built control panel.

BisectHosting offers exceptional value through its competitive RAM-based pricing and the ability to swap between 100+ different games at no additional cost.

Key Features:

• Pricing: $3.00 per GB RAM monthly
• Full tModLoader support (1.3.4 & 1.4.4)
• Complete TShock plugin compatibility
• 100+ game swapping at no extra cost
• Free DDoS protection
• 24/7/365 dedicated support
• Multiple US and European server locations
• Custom control panel for easy management
• Popular modpack support (Calamity, Starlight River)

2. Nodecraft

• Pricing: Starts at $5.96/month

Nodecraft offers flexible Terraria hosting across two distinct product tiers (Lite & Pro) to accommodate different playstyles and budgets.

The Nodecraft Lite (Budget) tier starts at $5.96/month and features Wake & Play functionality that activates servers when you log in, perfect for casual groups. The Nodecraft Pro (Premium) tier starts at $9.98/month with automated task scheduling for power users and communities.

Both tiers leverage enterprise-grade hardware powered by Intel Xeon E-2174G processors at 3.8+ GHz, 64GB ECC RAM, and high-speed enterprise SSDs. Nodecraft uniquely supports Save & Swap functionality, allowing instant switching between games without additional charges.

Key Features:

• Lite: Wake & Play (online when needed)
• Pro: 24/7 uptime with static IP
• Intel Xeon E-2174G processors (3.8+ GHz)
• 64GB ECC RAM and enterprise SSDs
• tModLoader and TShock support (one-click)
• 30+ global server locations
• Save & Swap: instant game switching
• 24-hour and 7-day free trials available

3. Hostinger

• Pricing: Starts at $4.99/month

Hostinger provides enterprise-grade Terraria hosting through its scalable VPS Game Panel plans built on cutting-edge AMD EPYC processors and NVMe SSD storage infrastructure.

The plans offered by Hostinger include generous bandwidth allocations, free weekly automated backups, complete root server control, and access to the user-friendly hPanel dashboard with integrated Kodee AI Assistant.

Key Features:

• Four-tiered plans: $4.99 to $19.99/month
• AMD EPYC processors with NVMe SSD storage
• Plans scale from 1 vCPU/4GB to 8 vCPU/32GB RAM
• Free weekly automated backups
• Complete root server control
• Kodee AI Assistant
• tModLoader and TShock mod support
• 24/7 customer support
• Suitable for 50+ players on entry plans

How to Host a Free Terraria Server on Your PC?

You can run a free dedicated Terraria server directly from the official game files, which works on Windows and, with appropriate binaries, other operating systems. Hardware needs are modest for small groups, but stable upload bandwidth and keeping your machine online are critical for a smooth experience.

Steps for the Windows system are:

1. Locate or download the dedicated server

• On Steam installations, TerrariaServer.exe is usually included in the Terraria game directory; standalone dedicated server packages are linked from official resources and the wiki.

2. Configure server settings

• Use the interactive console or edit the serverconfig.txt file to set parameters such as world name, seed, difficulty, maximum players, password, port (default 7777), and MOTD.

3. Start the server

• Run TerrariaServer.exe or the appropriate script, select or generate a world, and confirm that the console shows the server is listening to your configured port.

4. Set up network access

• For internet play, configure router port‑forwarding for port 7777 (or your custom port) to your machine’s local IP, ensuring any firewall rules allow inbound traffic for the server.

5. Connect and share IP

• In‑game, choose Multiplayer → Join via IP, then enter your public IP (for remote players) or local IP (for LAN players) and server port.

For small worlds with a few players, around 512 MB to 1-2 GB of RAM for the server process is generally recommended, with higher RAM for large or heavily modded worlds.

How to Set Up a Paid Terraria Server?

Game hosting providers streamline Terraria server setup with web‑based control panels, one‑click installations, and automated configuration. While specifics differ, the overall workflow is similar across most reputable hosts.

Steps for Paid Terraria Server Setup are:

1. Choose a provider and plan

• Select a host and plan that match your expected player count, mod usage, and world size (e.g., entry RAM‑based plan or 10‑slot starter).

2. Select location and game

• Pick the nearest data center to your players to minimize latency, then choose Terraria (and optionally tModLoader or TShock) in the game list.

3. Configure settings in the panel

• Set world size, difficulty, maximum players, password, and basic server info via the control panel or a web editor for the configuration file.

4. Install mods and plugins (optional)

• Use the host’s mod manager or upload mods via file manager/FTP/SFTP for tModLoader or TShock setups.

5. Start and manage the server

• Start or restart from the panel, monitor console logs, manage backups, and apply updates through the host’s dashboard.

Paid hosts usually handle OS‑level maintenance, DDoS mitigation, and hardware monitoring, reducing the operational burden compared with running your own VPS or home server.

Why Most Players Prefer Paid Hosting?

Many players opt for paid hosting because it generally provides:

• Reliability and uptime: Paid hosts usually guarantee stable servers, less lag, and fewer interruptions.
• Better performance & scalability: With more RAM, CPU, and SSD storage, paid servers can better handle many players, large worlds, or modded setups.
• Mod support & easy management: Good paid hosts often support mod loaders (e.g., tModLoader), plugin support, backups, DDoS protection, and easy control panels.
• Support and stability: Paid services often offer 24/7 support, clear terms, and reliable infrastructure.

Because of those advantages, paid hosting tends to be the go-to for communities, modded servers, or anyone who wants a “set-and-forget” server.

Free vs Paid Terraria Hosting

Aspect	Free self‑host / free tiers	Paid Terraria hosting
Monthly cost	No direct fee; electricity and bandwidth costs.	Recurring fee from low single‑digits USD/month.
Uptime	Limited by when your PC is on or renewal timers.	Designed for 24/7 uptime with SLAs or guarantees.
Performance	Depends on the home hardware and connection.	Optimized CPUs, SSD/NVMe, and data‑center bandwidth.
Player capacity	Fine for small groups; large worlds may lag.	Plans sized for bigger worlds and higher player counts.
Mod support	Possible, but manual setup and maintenance.	tModLoader/TShock is often built‑in or one‑click.
Management	Command‑line and manual config files.	Web control panels, file managers, backup tools.
Reliability & support	DIY troubleshooting, community help only.	Ticket/chat support, knowledge bases, and monitoring.

For casual play or experimenting, free hosting or self‑hosting is usually adequate, while public or long‑term community servers benefit strongly from paid hosting.

Conclusion

Yes, you can run a free Terraria server, either by self-hosting on your PC (using the official server software) or by using a free hosting provider. That works well for small friend groups, casual play, mod testing, or just occasional multiplayer sessions.

But if you want reliability, modded servers, many players, and minimal hassle, a paid host is usually worth the cost. Paid providers invest in infrastructure, support, and stability, which means less downtime, less lag, and fewer headaches.

In short:

• Free hosting = good for casual or small-scale Terraria sessions
• Paid hosting = the more stable, scalable, and future-proof choice.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1. Can Terraria be hosted for free?

Ans. Yes. Either by self-hosting on your own PC (official server software) or using free hosting providers.

Q2. Which free hosting is best?

Ans. As of now, free hosting providers like Gaming4Free, AxentHost, or Squadnox are among the more viable, but “best” depends on how many players, mods, and uptime you need.

Q3. Is modded hosting free?

Ans. Free hosts sometimes support modded servers, but modded servers stress resources more, so performance or stability may suffer. Paid hosts are generally better for modded setups.

Q4. How many players can join?

Ans. With self-hosting or typical hosting, the default player limit is 16 (in older versions, 8), but many paid hosts allow more players depending on the plan.

Q5. Is hosting Terraria on mobile free?

Ans. Yes, there are free options available. Terraria mobile includes a native “Host & Play” feature that’s free, letting you host a server locally while playing. Friends can join via your IP address, though the server closes when you exit the game.